Energy-Efficient Folding Doors
NanaWall's SL84 line fits openings up to 11 feet 6 inches in height and offers the most energy-efficient and thinnest aluminum frame of any NanaWall system. Units are available in inswing or outswing configurations and can accommodate open corner designs. This line has the smallest sightline of any NanaWall system; when units are closed, the stiles meet with only a 3-inch junction. Top and bottom rails are 2 inches wide, and panel depth is 3 5/16 inches. When units are open, the panel sets can be moved and stacked to either side of the opening, which maximizes layout flexibility. The running carriage rolls on two stainless steel wheels with a Gothic arch design supported by a double row of ball bearings. With two-point contact of each wheel to the floor track, the system glides quickly and easily by equally distributing weight on the stainless steel track. The manufacturer's TwinX mechanism serves as a spring-loaded structural reinforcement that aligns and locks the panels together when the system is closed. Three sill options are available: hybrid (higher for increased weather performance), low-profile, and flush (the latter two here are both ADA compliant). All sills are thermally broken and come standard with removable aluminum inserts that protect high heels from falling into the tracks. These inserts provide ADA compliance for the Low Profile Saddle and Flush sills.
Steel Deck-Framing System
Fortress Building Product's new Evolution light-gauge steel deck framing features an interlocking joist and ledger system that's engineered to look and install like wood while provided a flat surface that won't twist, warp, rot, or crack. The framing is compatible with any type or brand of decking, including composite, PVC, aluminum, tile, wood, and tropical hardwoods, and is resistant to fire and insect damage. Parts are power-coated black. New stair components recently added to the system offer a fully adjustable steel carriage system
New Siteline Patio Doors
Jeld-Wen recently introduced its Siteline inswing patio door, featuring a redesigned fiberglass sill to manage water infiltration. This patio door uses pressure differential to continually weep water away from the door during heavy rain and inclement weather. It has a performance grade (PG) 45 rating. The sill can also be used as a drop-in component to upgrade existing doors. Jeld-Wen's newest addition to the Siteline family comes int eh form of LaCantina, a new model that uses a 3-inch style and rail system to maximize the view to the outdoors. Panels are available in sizes up to 60 inches wide by 108 inches tall, and they can be configured with up to six panels in a single direction or 12 panels in a bi-parting configuration. Panels are also available down to 30 inches wide by 36 inches tall, for use as a window system or pass-through openings. The Multi-Slide option is available in stacking configurations with multiple operable panels. The door panels have a wood interior with a laminated, veneered lumber substrate and an extruded aluminum exterior.
Rainscreen Clips
Nova USA Wood Products developed its ExoClad Rainscreen QuickClips to accommodate the natural swelling and shrinking of wood siding, regardless of the amount of moisture. MAde from marine-grade extruded aluminum and fastened with #10 pan-head screws, the QuickClips work with the company's siding line, which includes hardwoods such as batu, ipe, and cumaru, as well as softwoods like cedar, redwood, and Douglas fir. Clips also provide a ¾-inch stand-off from the structure and can be screwed right into the studs over housewrap.
Unpainted Custom-Color PVC Siding
Royal Building Products recently introduced Celect Canvas Unpainted Cellular Siding, an unpainted version of the manufacturer's cellular composite siding that launched in June 2019. The product features the same wood-grain aesthetics and low-maintenance benefits of the prefinished cellular siding line, plus the ability to customize the material's color using thousands of exterior vinyl-safe paint shades that fall within the recommended light reflectance (LRV) rating of 50 and above. Celect Canvas is available as 7-inch clapboard, board-and-batten, and shake styles. All feature the company's interlocking seam design, designed to keep driving rain and moisture out.
MoistureShield
After a limited release in 2019, MoistureShield's Elevate capped wood composite decking is now available nationally. This decking features a strong, protective cap that shields each board from impact, corrosion, and harsh weather. The product is available in two colors: lake fog (a soft gray shade) and canoe (a forest brown).
Unhinged Skylight
Marvin introduced the Awaken skylight, named for the array of LED lights surrounding the interior of the skylight that mimic the soft glow of the sun. The lights can be controlled with a smartphone app, and while Marvin doesn't exactly market the ability to control circadian rhythms, you can reportedly adjust the intensity and color of the LEDs to mimic sunrise, the midday sun, or sunset, at any hour you prefer. Instead of having a conventional hinged connection, Marvin's Awaken skylight pops open, so the glass remains parallel to the plane of the roof when it opens. This allows for a bug screen around the perimeter of the roof window that accordions out as the skylight opens. The skylight comes with a single flashing kit that can be used for either deck-mounted or curb-mounted installation (no need to order a separate kit for one or the other). And the frame is flush with the glass on top, so there's no lip to catch water or debris.
High-Performance Roof Seal
IKO introduced EdgeSeal, a double-sided, self-sealing adhesive started roll designed to bond shingles to the roof deck at the roof's most vulnerable area—its perimeter along rakes and eaves. EdgeSeal's adhesive formulation reportedly bonds tight to the drip edge and underlayment below as well as to the first course of the laminate asphalt/fiberglass shingle above. Paired with high-performance shingles, EdgeSeal is part of a roof system designed to protect against blow-off and damage during extreme weather events, and it is an accepted component of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety's Fortified Home standards.
Upgraded Foam-Backed Vinyl Siding
CertainTeed's Certaplank is a foam-backed, Class A flame-resistant premium vinyl siding that features an extra-thick vinyl extrusion and rolled-over reinforced nail hem, which can reportedly withstand hurricane-force winds. Its self-leveling, tight lock system is designed for a single person to install the panels without need for caulking. Combined with the internal color that ll vinyl offers, CertainTeed is selling it as the ultimate long-term, low-maintenance solution for a premium-grade exterior. Panels are available in 18 colors with a woodgrain finish.
Cedar-Look Fiber Cement Siding
The Artisan Shingle siding profile, the latest addition to James Hardie's Aspyre Collection of fiber-cement siding panels, emulates the width, pattern, and color of cedar shingle siding. The panels measure an inch thick and are available primed for paint or in James Hardie's ColorPlus Technology belnds. Like all Aspyre products, the Artisan Shingle profile is reportedly engineered for particular climates and is made to resist the specific conditions of the climate zone it will be sold in.
Pedestal Deck Support
The Grad under-deck structure system uses a series of aluminum rails, Grad clips, and pedestals to fasten wood or composite deck boards in place without screws or separate fasteners. The Grad clips are premounted on the aluminum rails, with a variety of board width configurations available, and they can withstand up to 396 pounds of pressure per fixing point against warping. The rails resist moss, algae, salt, water, UV, insect, and fungus damage and do not decompose or undergo shrinkage. Pedestals may be mounted on soil, solid foundations, or elevated deck posts.
Large Span Skylights
A ceiling can be opened to more dramatic views to the sky with Velux's new line of skylights. The new line offers openings as large as 32 square feet, measuring 10 feet on the longest dimension. The product doubles the square footage of the company's standard-size flat glass skylight. Velux offers the skylights with a 10-year warranty; each unit must be custom-oriented. The frame comes standard with a bronze enamel finish, but there are nine additional designer colors available.
Masonry Water Barrier
Georgia-Pacific's DensDefy Accessories line provides a new liquid flashing and transition membrane for the manufacturer's DensElement gypsum-board barrier system. DensDefy Liquid Flashing can be used to seal seams, rough openings, and penetrations in wall assemblies, while the DensDefy Transition Membrane is designed to seal the transition between OSB and gypsum assemblies, as well as wide gaps and other difficult transitions. Liquid flashing comes in 20-ounce sausage rolls; membrane comes in 75-foot rolls in 6-, 9-, and 12-inch widths. Contact a local distributor for pricing.
Decking With a Reclaimed-Lumber Look
Monarch Technologies has launched MonaDeck, a new line of composite decking manufacturer with a bio-based resin that binds recycled FSC-certified wood fiber and bamboo fiber in a sustainable, wood-simulating composite that has a hardness rating the rivals ipe, the company says. The decking resembles century-old wood, is produced in 12-inch widths, and is Class A fire-rated.
Caulk-Free Wood Exterior
LP Building Solutions continues to expand the options for SmartSide Engineered Lumber with ExpertFinish Lap siding, which avoids the need for seam caulking, joint molds, or pan flashing at butt joints. The ExpertFinish of SmartSide siding and trim is now available in 16 prefinished colors, so it is even easier to install—no painting or caulk required. SmartSide is available in lap siding, shake, and board-and-batten styles, as well as in trim and fascia boards and both vented and unvented soffit panels.
Corner Multi-Slide
Kolbe recently introduced a corner multi-slide door, which can create an expansive opening over 15 feet by 9 feet. One of the newest additions to the Ultra Series, the gliding window panels can stack in the opening or can pocket into the wall. Units up to 24 feet wide by 10 feet tall open up two sides of the home for unimpeded views and indoor-outdoor access. The steel gray exterior with a graystone-painted pine interior is accented by a satin-nickel narrow flush pull handle with keyed cylinder.
Extruded Beadboard
Manufactured with expanded cellular PVC, a new beadboard from Kleer Lumber is extruded as one piece and sealed on all four sides, eliminating any open cells that may be prone to dirt intrusion. The boards feature a center bead and reversible tongue-and-groove profile with a shiplap nailing flange. Available in two widths, 4 inches and 6 inches, each 16-foot long board can be painted or be left the original standard brilliant white. Contact a local distributor for pricing.
Flexible-Frame Window Screen
As an option for its complete window line, Sierra Pacific offers FlexScreen—a flexible window screen designed to spring into virtually any window frame by simply flexing the spring steel frame for fast, easy installation or removal. FlexScreen is made from phosphate-enhanced spring steel that is coated with an exterior grade, high-performance PVC, providing outstanding scratch and weather resistance, says Sierra Pacific.
UV-Resistant Flashing
Tamko Building Products' TW-105 Flashing Membrane can remain exposed to UV for 180 days, says the manufacturer. The SBS-modified bitumen membrane has a white polymer surface film that triples the UV resistance of the company's other flashing membranes. TW-105 Flashing is available in 12-inch-by-40-foot rolls; each carton contains two rolls for a total of 80 linear feet. Both summer- and winter-grade adhesive formulations (for above or below 40°F) are available.
Stronger Adhesive
The reformulated edition of the DynaGrip Heavy Duty construction adhesive is designed to provide stronger and more durable bonds that previous editions of the product, as well as 50% more instant grab. This allows the adhesive to hold vertical projects in place without the need for braces or clamps. The new formula is low-odor, VOC-regulation compliant, and it provides excellent adhesion on common building materials. It is available in five-nine-, and 28-ounce containers.
