BUILDER's Special 25th Anniversary Issue

Those who were around in the late '70s probably remember working with heavy tools, energy-guzzling appliances, and under-performing paints. What a difference 25 years makes.

Nearly every product or tool used today has been improved, even the lowly hammer, with its new ergonomic designs. Today's faucets purify water. HVAC units don't pollute the atmosphere. Home automation systems, routinely installed today, were a figment of engineering imagination 25 years ago. Some products didn't even exist in the '70s, e.g., solid-surface countertops and laser tools.

Granted, most houses today are still built with studs, drywall, and asphalt roofing, the same materials used for ages. However, product innovations have transformed an industry with a reputation for resistance to new technology. Here's our take on some of the most significant changes in recent history, along with some new products that could be the next big thing.

Engineered lumber: Way back when disco was king, plywood, I-joists, and glulams were just about the only kinds of "engineered" lumber used. In the late '70s, oriented strand board (OSB) didn't even exist. In 1980, North American OSB production was 751 million square feet per year. Today, that number stands at an astonishing 22 billion square feet. OSB accounts for 50 percent of the flooring market, 51 percent of the wall, and 65 percent of the roof sheathing market. OSB is not the only success story. Consider the huge rise of wood I-joists. They now account for 43 percent of the raised-floor market. The last two decades have also seen the rise of parallel strand lumber, engineered studs, and I-joists made from OSB and laminated veneer lumber, among other engineered products. Who knows what mills may bring in the future.

HVAC: Back in the sizzlin' '70s, only one in four existing homes had the luxury of central air conditioning. Those units were bulky, noisy, and had an average SEER rating of 6, says John Shaw with Farmington, Conn.-based Carrier. HVAC units are now in 57 percent of all existing homes and are installed in 85 percent of all new homes. Today, a typical unit has a minimum SEER rating of 10. Some go as high as 18. "Today's units also consume less energy, are much quieter, and are significantly smaller," Shaw says. The refrigerant used most often back then--chlorine-based R22--was tougher on the environment. Most manufacturers are switching to non-chlorine-based refrigerants in anticipation of the government's phase out of chlorine-based refrigerants.

Windows: Wood windows mean different things to different people. To many home buyers, they connote quality. To others, they spell maintenance. One of the biggest changes in the window industry during the last 25 years has been the development of alternative materials, such as fiberglass, composites, and vinyl, and the use of aluminum cladding. The innovations have yielded durable and low-maintenance products that changed the industry. Moreover, the development of low-E coatings and inert gas fills contributed to more energy-efficient homes and lower cooling and heating bills.

Veneer stone: Remember the veneer stone of old, the kind you may still have in the rumpus room? Many would like to forget it, too. Veneer stone was like a marionette--everyone could clearly tell it was a fake. Even from the street, the product fooled no one. Advances in technology and design, however, have led to products that can dupe even the practiced pro. Today's lightweight faux stone is made with Portland cement, natural aggregates, and iron oxide pigments. Even on close examination, manufactured stone looks and feels real.

Laser tools: In the '70s, lasers were the stuff of science fiction movies. You rarely saw them used on home building sites, except by the most sophisticated contractors who could afford their very high price tags. Today, cost-effective laser tools are commonly used on the job to establish plumb lines, transfer points on the floor onto the ceiling, and generate a continuous line on the floor for tile installation or around a room for installing cabinets. "With the introduction of these products, one person is now able to do the job of three or four people," says Dan D. Harrell, director of marketing for Zircon in Campbell, Calif.

Composite lumber: Wood may look wonderful and be a great material to work with. But in some applications, especially ones with strong exposure to the elements, it has disadvantages. Manufacturers have found a way to deal with the drawbacks: composite lumber. Usually made with wood chips or sawdust and milk cartons, grocery bags or plastic waste, composite lumber offers the physical appearance of wood without the maintenance hassles. Composite lumber is warp and rot resistant, and it is not affected by moisture. It is available in a variety of products, such as exterior trim boards and fencing, but decking is most popular. It makes up about 10 percent of the $2 billion decking market.

Faucets: You wouldn't think that something as inconspicuous as the household faucet has changed much. Think again. As codes changed, so did "designs, valve technology, and how we construct them," says Gary Uhl, design director at Piscataway, N.J.-based American Standard. Building codes required significant reductions in the lead levels in brass. Today, the levels are down to two parts per billion. In addition, the ceramic disk cartridge has become the primary technology used on faucets, replacing compression rings and washerless valves. Advances in technology have also led to different finishes with lifetime guarantees and to hands-free electronic faucets.

Appliances: With the possible exception of home automation, no product category has seen more change than home appliances. The big and bulky products of the '70s have undergone a major cosmetic transformation into slick, sculptural objects that take center stage in a kitchen. There have been many changes under the hood, too. Yesterday's power-hogs are today's energy-misers; refrigerators today use on average about 42 percent less electricity than ones from 1972. Dishwashers use less water, can be pre-programmed with a delayed start, and feature electronic soil-sensing gauges. Some ranges sport burners with restaurant-level power. And new speed-cook products use high-powered halogen bulbs to cook food with the speed of a microwave and the quality of an oven.

Power tools: No matter how fast you can work with traditional hand tools, chances are you can't keep up with the speed of a cordless nail gun, screwdriver, or circular saw. Some of the biggest productivity gains in the industry stem from the creation and advancement of cordless tools. Yesterday's big and heavy tools have been replaced by ones that are compact and lightweight. Where portable tools used to require a battery pack, cordless units are ergonomically designed, lightweight, and powerful, with features like depth of drive and dust collection. Advances have increased a battery's working time before it needs to be recharged. And batteries can be recharged in a couple of hours instead of overnight.

Home automation: While homeowners are not living like the Jetsons (yet), evolving home automation systems keep inching them closer. The high watermark of achievement over the last 25 years, home automation systems have moved from plug-in modules to wireless technology. Homes have devices for traditional lighting control and pre-set scenes for a group of lights in one room, an entire area, or the whole house. Wireless home control and dimming devices, which look similar to a garage door opener, also allow homeowners to control lights as they approach the house. In addition, homeowners can use the telephone to control HVAC, home theater, lighting, security, and garage doors from almost anywhere. The next wave of products even will allow homeowners to perform these duties from a Web-based browser.

Paint: When paint manufacturers stopped using lead in their products, it could have led to a decline in quality. Instead, the labs went to work, producing significant formula improvements during the last 25 years, says Glenn Renner, vice president of architectural marketing at Cleveland-based Sherwin-Williams. Alkyd-based paints used in the old days weren't expected to have a long life, he says. They frequently chalked and faded fast. Today's exterior alkyd paint is much more durable and lasts longer. Ditto with interior latex paints, which are more washable and better resistant to stains. Plus, the widespread availability of low- and no-VOC alternatives makes today's paints a much better environmental alternative.

Siding: Time was, the predominant siding materials were aluminum, wood, brick, and stucco. Over the last 25 years, however, a different picture has emerged. Once the dominant siding on the market, aluminum siding has fallen by the wayside, and vinyl is king of the hill, accounting for over 41 percent of the exterior-cladding market. That's because manufacturers have made vast improvements. "It has changed in terms of beauty, performance, and durability," says Walter A. Hoyt III, marketing director of CertainTeed's siding products. A wider color palette is available, the product is thicker, and fade and impact resistance have improved. You can even get your vinyl backed with foam for added insulation. Another major change in the last 10 years has been the impressive emergence of fiber cement. Made from Portland cement and cellulose fibers, the wood-looking product is durable, rot- and warp-resistant, and holds finishes well.