Hanley Wood product editors are combing the Builders' Show exhibit floor in search of innovative and interesting introductions for you and your clients. Here are hot finds from Day 2, including new windows from Weather Shield and YKK, appliances from Gaggenau, siding from Microposite; and more.
YKK Windows New to the residential construction industry since 2005, this manufacturer is best known for its zipper business, which began in 1934. The company originally used metal scraps from the zipper business to create aluminum windows for commercial applications; now they're introducing vinyl casement and awning windows for the residential market. Units are available in both the StyleGuard impact-resistant and StyleView standard vinyl windows in a wide range of configurations, including twin casement, casement picture windows, and awning windows. Low-E glass and low-conductivity spacers optimize thermal efficiency, while double weather stripping and a multi-point lock help protect against the elements and lower utility bills. 678-838-6093. www.ykkap.com. -Lauren Hunter
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Dirt Devil Central Vacuum Systems Hide-A-Hose makes the manufacturer's central vacuum systems even more convenient by eliminating the need to store and lug bulky hoses to each vacuum receptacle. Up to 50 feet of hose is concealed within the wall until it's needed. The sustained airflow and vacuum power of Dirt Devil's Cyclonic Filtration Technology automatically retracts the hose when the user is finished vacuuming. One 50-foot hose allows the user to clean up to 2,200 square feet of floor space. 800-822-8356. www.dirtdevilcentral.com. -Lauren Hunter
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On-Q Legrand Wall Plates
Company representatives at the On-Q booth were taking an informal survey during IBS on preferred colors for the company's new Studio Collection suite of wall plates and devices. The plates feature smooth architectural curves with titanium edging and a screwless finish, all of which offer a new way to integrate home systems products with the homeowners' personal style and taste. Studio Collection wall plates accommodate the maker's new Selective Call Intercom system, 7-inch LCD console, and lyriQ whole-house audio system devices. Shipping in the second quarter, the Studio Collection includes 17 contemporary colors, including Spanish red, Cozumel blue, moss, cameo pink, and several neutrals. 800-321-2343. www.onqlegrand.com. -Lauren Hunter
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PureWood Decking Using Stellac technology originally developed in Scandinavia, the makers of PureWood call their product "wood, only better." A thermal modification process has each batch of the Southern yellow pine decking baked in a kiln at nearly 500 degrees F for more than two days. The correct combination of temperature, time, and conditioning modifies the wood to protect itself, due to physical, chemical, and biological changes. Wood sugars change into a natural substance that cannot be digested by insects or even used as food by fungus or mold, dramatically increasing the wood's resistance to rot and decay. The process also gives the wood an attractive golden tone. Two profiles are available: smooth Sahara or reversible Linea with a different grooved design on each side. The 5-inch-wide boards are available in lengths from 8 to 20 feet. www.purewoodproducts.com. 888-575-4180. -Lauren Hunter
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Jeld-Wen Entry Door Frames
Jeld-Wen is expanding its entry door offerings with the introduction of entry door frames make with AuraLast wood. Used previously on pine wood windows and doors, the wood is manufactured with protection against moisture saturation, wood decay, and insect infestation through to the core of the wood, according to the maker. The wood is stainable and can be trimmed to fit in the field without compromising the integrity of the water protection, the manufacturer adds. Jeld-Wen uses a water-based system to manufacture the wood, reducing VOCs compared with the industry-standard method of dip-treating wood using petroleum-based solutions, the company says. 800-877-9482. www.jeld-wen.com. -Jeffrey Lee
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Kohler Water-Efficient Faucet Kohler is combining water savings with fashionable design with its new water-conserving showerheads. The 1.75-gpm shower sprays are available in the company's Fort and Purist designs as showerheads and handshowers and provide increased water savings over the company's low-flow 2.0-gpm Ecofficient line. The styles match a variety of decors, from traditional to contemporary, and are ideal for retrofit or new installation, the maker says. The sprays also offer a multi-function feature that provides three spray options: a wide, full-coverage spray; a focused, invigorating spray; and a concentrated utility spray. 800-456-4537. www.kohler.com. -Jeffrey Lee
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Weather Shield Fiberglass window
Partly in response to upcoming tightening of Energy Star requirements, Weather Shield showed a new fiberglass window line that will achieve whole-unit U-factors of 0.24 with the company's Zo-E-Shield 5 glazing system, according to brand manager Dave Koester. The manufacturer has offered fiberglass sills in the past, but not fiberglass frames. The material won't corrode, Koester says, and expands and contracts only minimally. Koester predicts the ultimate Energy Star U-factor requirement will end up between 0.20 and 0.24 by 2015, so the new window will be a big step toward meeting that standard. The window will hit test markets in four weeks. 800-477-6808. www.weathershield.com. -Jeffrey Lee
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Eldorado Stone Profiles
Eldorado Stone announced several new manufactured stone products at a press event Thursday morning, including the nationwide launch of RoughCut, a rugged stone shaped to create a bold, traditional look that works in tandem with clean, traditional lines. RoughCut will be available in vineyard trail, wheatfield, and autumn leaf colors. CoastalReef (pictured in pearl white) is a more refined profile that will be available regionally following the show. It also will be available in the Sanibel color. The manufacturer also introduced Mountain Ledge panels, which are shaped like the maker's Mountain Ledge stones, but are pre-cast as a panel system to facilitate installation. 800-925-1491. www.eldoradostone.com. -Jeffrey Lee
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Dow Building Solutions Structural Insulated Sheathing
You no longer need to use three steps to build your walls with OSB, foam board insulation, and housewrap. Dow claims its Styrofoam SIS panel is an exterior structural sheathing, foam board, and weather resistive barrier all in one piece. The panel consists of three layers that are laminated together and is made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled content. Each weighs 16 pounds versus 45 pounds for OSB and is easy to install. It offers R-3 to R-5 depending on 1Ú2- or 1-inch thickness. 866-583-2583. www.insulateyourhome.com. -Nigel F. Maynard
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Gaggenau Appliance Package
Gaggenau has unveiled an appliance solution that is sure to get builders' and architects' attention. The company unveiled its First Professional premium appliance package that includes a 36-inch bottom-mount refrigerator, 30-inch wall oven, 36-inch cooktop, range hood, and dishwasher for $15,000. In Gaggenau's opinion, the market is looking for affordable luxury and this package offers it. Features include stainless-interior dishwasher and refrigerator, five-burner cooktop, and an oven with a door that opens sideways. It is available only as a package. 800-828-9165. www.gaggenau.com. -Nigel F. Maynard
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DuPont Solid Surfacing The Illumination Series of solid surfacing from Corian features four new translucent colors-green, pink, blue, and white--that can be backlit. Colors allow up to three times more light to pass through than other Corian selections. The product can be formed, bent, textured, and cut, and it can be used in kitchens and bathrooms. 877-229-3935. www.dupont.com. -Victoria Markovitz
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Foundation Door Entry Doors The interchangeable center panels on Center Piece Art entry doors give homeowners the flexibility to try different looks. Doors are handcrafted and have Miami-Dade-certified protection, a 99.9 percent UV blocker on glass centers, and a five-point locking system. The solid wood doors are kiln-dried and delivered pre-hung. Each package includes seven patinas to choose from, custom stain options, and two center panels. Center panel designs feature traditional, custom carved, and seasonal selections. 877-648-3667. www.foundationdoor.com. -Victoria Markovitz
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Typar Building Wrap
Typar's new StormWrap fiber-reinforced housewrap is designed for high wind and extreme weather areas and meets Miami-Dade and Florida Building Code standards. It provides water holdout and tear strength to stop penetration from windborne objects, high wind pressure cycles, and wind-loading. In areas where codes require cinder block construction, StormWrap can be used in conjunction with steel framing instead, according to the manufacturer. 800-284-2780. www.typar.com. -Stephani L. Miller
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WaterFurnace Geothermal Heating and Cooling Envision Series heating and cooling systems use geothermal technology rather than grid electricity, natural gas, or propane, capturing the stable temperature of the Earth to provide consistent heating and cooling while saving up to 60 percent more energy compared to standard HVAC systems. It can deliver five units of energy for every unit of electrical energy used, the manufacturer says, and can provide supplemental energy for water heating. 800-436-7283. www.waterfurnace.com. -Stephani L. Miller
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Microposite Siding Composed of microspheres embedded in a urethane resin, creating a closed-cell material, Microposite plank siding offers a lightweight, less dense alternative to fiber-cement siding with a similar look and feel, the company says. The material's resin composition allows for easier cutting, routing, and profiling, according to the manufacturer. Boards are available in four widths in a 7/16-inch thickness, and each reversible board offers two textures. The siding can be painted or stained. 888-724-1160. www.microposite.com. -Stephani L. Miller
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Henkel Sealant
A triple-action system protects Polyseamseal Ever Bright silicone sealant against mold for five years. The technology prevents mold from adhering to the sealant, resists the spread of mold, and inhibits mold growth, according to the firm. The waterproof formula comes in white in 10-ounce cartridges. 800-321-1733. www.polyseamseal.com. -Katy Tomasulo
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Simpson Strong-Tie Autofeed Screw-Fastening Tool
The first autofeed screw-driving system designed specifically for standing-seam metal roofing, the lightweight Precision Placement Quik Drive System drives fasteners into the pre-existing hole of a standing seam clip, the firm says, and can fit in close to the clip bend. The company reports the tool can cut installation time by 50 percent, and the use of collated screw strips minimizes fastener waste and back strain. The tool's attachment is compatible with most brands of screwguns. 800-999-5099. www.strongtie.com. -Katy Tomasulo
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Cosentino North America Backsplashes
Cosentino has taken scrap quartz material that is generated during its Silestone manufacturing process and created MURO, a line of tumbled mosaic backsplashes. Mounted on 12-inch mesh sheets, it comes in 20 colors with tile sizes varying from 1-inch-by-1-inch squares, 1-inch-by-2-inch rectangular pieces, and 4-inch-by-4-inch tiles. It also can be used for shower floors and decorative accents. 281-494-7277. www.silestone.com. - Nigel F. Maynard
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Georgia Pacific Structural Sheathing Georgia Pacific says you can save time constructing your walls with its Nautilus structural sheathing product. The panels are made from OSB with a weather-resistant barrier laminated to the surface. Once the panels are installed, contractors would tape the seams with a typical housewrap tape. The panels install like regular OSB and save the extra step of installing a building wrap. It comes in 7/16-inch-thick sizes. 877-437-9759. www.gp.com. - Nigel F. Maynard
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Overhead Door Garage Door Opener
Designed for specifically for the builder market, the Standard Drive garage door opener is smaller and lighter than traditional openers and is consequently easier to install. A DualDrive chain system helps the unit deliver smooth, quiet, and reliable performance, the company says. It also has a one-touch limit setting for easy programming and installation. www.overheaddoor.com. - Nigel F. Maynard
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Hunter Fan Light This may look like a regular light fixture, but there is more than meets the eye. Hunter Fan Co.'s Illumi-Heat also offers a heating element for use in a master bath, bedroom, or mudroom. Available in two styles, the fixture incorporates a 700-watt ceramic heating element and a remote control that allows users to activate each independently. It is able to raise the temperature of a 215square-foot room by 5 degrees in as little as one hour, the company says. 888-918-4326. www.hunterfan.com.
