Professional Remodeler's 101 Best New Products of 2012-2013 Exterior Products

Featuring products from Ziptrak, Advantage Rainscreen, Boral Stone, LP Building Products, Marvin Windows, Nichiha, Tapco, Oldcastle, DaVinci, Duradek, Ply Gem, Royal Building Products, Versatex, Quikrete, Behr, and Progressive Foam Technologies. 

1) Ziptrak Outdoor Blind System

Turn an outdoor space into an all-weather entertainment area using the Ziptrak track-guided blind system from Southeast Building Products. It creates a cool, shaded space in the summer and a warm, dry area that maintains heat in winter. It protects a patio or veranda from the elements without obstructing the view.

Advantage Rainscreen Siding beats the heat and outlasts softer siding options such as cedar and redwood. This hardwood siding consists of extremely resilient materials such as ipe and cumaru, making it the ideal option where extreme climates are the norm. Advanced Rainscreen Siding offers great protection from water intrusion and minimal movement (shrinkage) once installed. It can be easily installed using a hidden siding fastening system.

3) Boral Stone Products? Versetta Stone

Versetta Stone panelized stone veneer delivers the look of traditional stone masonry veneer with the ease of siding installation. Approximately one-quarter the weight of full-thickness stone, this stone veneer is made of lightweight fiber-reinforced concrete and aggregate material with a minimum of 50-percent recycled content. It requires no mortar, painting, coating, or sealing.

LP Building Products? SmartSide trim and siding combine the beauty of cedar grain texture with the durability of an engineered wood. The trim and siding cut with standard woodworking tools and are lightweight for less breakage and easy installation. The line is available in 16-foot lengths for fewer seams and faster installation. It features the SmartGuard process for strength and resistance to decay and termites and comes with a five-to-50-year transferable limited warranty.

5) Apex Siding System

The Apex Siding System from Marvin Windows and Doors uses Ultrex, a pultruded fiberglass that the brand uses in select windows and doors. The siding system features a built-in water management system to reduce rot and mold and a finish that is four times thicker than paint. The siding is three times lighter than fiber cement and resists fading, chalking, warping, and chipping. Integrated siding and trim options are available.

The Nichiha Shake Collection from Nichiha USA has been redefined, combining all of the brand?s shake products into one collection. The collection includes the NichiStraight, NichiStaggered, NichiShake, Sierra Premium Shake, and NichiFrontier product lines, and offers a number of unique combinations of colors and textures for residential and commercial siding applications.

The Foundry Stacked Stone Collection by the Tapco Group is made from molds cast from more than 100 unique stones to create the detail and texture of hand-cut stone. The siding is easily cut with snips and hung like traditional vinyl panels, and the locking system ensures a secure installation. The siding is available in four colors and offers Class 1 fire resistance, 170 mph windload, and a limited lifetime warranty.

EnduraMax Wall System by Oldcastle emulates the look and feel of natural stone or traditional brick while offering the benefits of a modern masonry veneer. EnduraMax uses pre-molded polystyrene panels that provide for easy and quick installation. Suited for both commercial and residential projects, EnduraMax can be used in new construction and remodeling with optimum performance benefits.

9) DaVinci Bellaforte Shake

These new polymer roofing tiles have a multi-width appearance that replicates real hand-split cedar shakes with slanted sawn edges and staggered lengths. They feature snap-fit tabs for installation and self-alignment. The 12-inch tiles are available in 49 colors and five color blends, including Abruzzo, Espresso, Tuscano, Verona, and Harbor Gray. A square of Bellaforte Shake (100 pieces per square) weighs 190 lbs., reducing installation time and transportation costs.

Duradek added a third color to its line of walkable roofing membrane: Ultra Forest Floor Ash. The 60-mil vinyl membrane offers the ability to provide stylish outdoor living space while still having guaranteed waterproof protection. Ultra Forest Floor Ash presents a look reminiscent of an actual forest floor, with a distinctive fossilized leaf pattern in gentle taupe with grey undertones. The membrane is ideal for balconies, decks, and patios.

Kroy by Ply Gem introduces a new modular stone veneer system to its existing fence and rail line: The Column Collection from Ply Gem Stone. The stacked stone columns are designed as an architectural feature for a variety of applications, including stand-alone pillars, pedestals, deck posts, mailboxes, or as an accent to Kroy by Ply Gem ranch rail and privacy fencing. Molded from a Civil War-era ledge stone fence, the pieces are constructed in square-shaped sections to allow for custom height.

Royal Envelop is a series of architecturally correct exterior window, entry door, and garage door surround trim packages developed in partnership between Royal Building Products and Marianne Cusato. The series utilizes a set of core mouldings and trimboards to create a variety of beautiful window and door surrounds that complete any type of home design. This affordable cellular PVC product is easy to install and comes in four styles: Simplicity, Royale, Classic, and Contemporary.

13) Versatex Trimboard

Adding new options in function as well as curb appeal, Versatex Trimboard has introduced two innovative moulding profiles made from weather-resistant cellular PVC. Both products, an 8-inch crown moulding and a water-table profile, are compatible with the entire field-tested Versatex exterior trim system. The water table is an updated, maintenance-free version of a traditional moulding profile used to deflect rainfall and prevent seepage behind trim and siding.

Professional concrete coatings from Quikrete feature a light semi-transparent base and a dark semi-transparent accent to enhance the appearance of walkways, pool decks, sidewalks, patios, and other concrete surfaces. The coatings are available in Tan, Gray, Brown, and Terracotta color systems. The brand?s epoxy garage floor coating system is resistant to hot tire marks and maximizes the bond between the concrete surface and the protective barrier.

15) Behr Marquee Exterior Paint and Primer

Behr?s newest dual paint and primer product provides a highly durable, non-stick surface thanks to specialized polymers in the 100-percent acrylic coating. This protects exterior surfaces against dirt adhesion and also enhances UV protection. All coatings are rain resistant as soon as one hour after application.

Progressive Foam Technologies introduced two collections of siding insulation: the Fullback FC Premium Series and H2O Premium Series. Fullback FC is insulation for fiber-cement siding and is formed to fit the gap between the siding and the wall, keeping siding lines parallel. Halfback H2O is a universal insulation, working behind all types of siding and cladding. Both siding insulations have a permeability rating of 3.5, allowing moisture from inside the home to move freely to the outside.