Top Notch: The Building Products Top 100Part three: The 100 products that attracted the most attention

Our readers know that in a soft housing market, it takes ingenuity and expertise in the latest trends to rise to the top. Luckily, the Building Products Top 100 list always provides great insight into what's hot in dozens of building product categories.

Ranging from fashion-forward design products to innovative technologies, these selections represent the top items that you asked for information about during the past year by mailing us reader service cards found at the back of each issue of Building Products and its sister publications Builder, Remodeling, and Custom Home. The products have to be eye-catching or inventive enough to make you want to learn more.

This year's most popular categories include technologies growing in popularity, such as radiant floor heating and LED lighting, that are sure to please clients; beautiful products, such as fireplaces and sliding doors, that will add design appeal to your next project; and simple problem solvers such as radiant barrier sheathing. We hope you'll find a product you might have missed the first time around that will make your next project top notch.

Click here to see products 81 through 100.

Click here to see products 61 through 80.

41. Spark Modern Fire. Redefining the fireplace for the 21st century, the Fire Ribbon direct-vent gas fireplace showcases the beauty of the flame itself behind a sheer pane of ceramic glass. Approved for bedrooms, bathrooms, and common rooms in all 50 states, the Fire Ribbon features a satin black 18-gauge steel firebox measuring 36 inches wide by 16 inches high by 16 1/2 inches deep on the interior with an outer 22-gauge steel box measuring 45 inches wide by 35 inches high by 22 1/2 inches deep. 866-938-3846. www.sparkfires.com

42. Coastal Plywood. SolarPly can reduce attic temperatures by as much as 30 degrees. With lower attic temperatures, duct conduction loss is reduced by 30 percent and the air conditioning system's workload is reduced up to 20 percent, according to the manufacturer. The product will not affect shingle warranties, and it is installed like conventional rated roof sheathing. 800-735-2727. www.coastalplywood.com

43. European Home. For those who want an element of fire in a contemporary environment, the Vision B-vent gas fireplace sports a brushed stainless steel firebox, hole-in-the-wall styling, and "gas log" alternatives such as ceramic stones, an ember bed, or a sleek integrated burner only. Options include flush-to-the-floor or in-wall installation, as well as the choice of a simple stainless steel edge, one of the company's cast stone or stainless steel surrounds, or the customer's own material. 781-662-1110. www.europeanhome.com

44. Kichler. Offering 5 watts of white light with low energy use, new LED lighting averages 40,000 hours of life, about 18 years of consumption. Designed in small profiles for use in tight spaces, the lighting system connects to a direct burial LED 40-watt driver and wires into a low-voltage transformer. Faceted hexagonal fixtures and a line of accessories also are available. 866-558-5706. www.kichler.com

45. Stiebel Eltron. The SOL 25 Plus flat-plate solar collector, which can be combined with the company's tankless water heating system, is ideal for domestic water heating, space heating, and swimming pool heating. Each panel's 28 square feet of net effective surface area results in a maximum output of 21,000 BTUs per day. The 3-inch-thick panels use a polypropylene glycol solution for heat transfer. 800-582-8423. www.stiebel-eltron-usa.com

46. Martco. Eclipse radiant barrier panels are made of a perforated foil material adhered to the company's 7/16-inch, 15/32-inch, and 19/32-inch OSB and 15/32-inch, 19/32-inch, and 23/32-inch rated sheathing plywood. Installed like traditional roof sheathing, the panels block up to 97 percent of the sun's radiant heat, lowering utility bills, improving appliance performance, and enhancing comfort, says the manufacturer. 800-299-5174. www.martco.com

47. Rheem. The passive, closed-circuit Solahart Free Heat series solar water heating system uses a multi-flow collector panel that exposes more water to the sun's radiation than standard collector designs, heating water faster, the maker says. Its black chrome selective surface provides high-efficiency energy absorption. Integrated storage tanks range in capacities from 48 gallons to 116 gallons. 334-260-1586. www.rheem.com

48. Generac. The 16kW Guardian QuietSource is designed to provide enough power to start one 5-ton air conditioner or two 4-ton air conditioners and power 16 circuits in the home. Its Whisper-Test feature reduces operating noise by 50 percent during weekly self-testing cycles. The unit comes pre-packaged with a 100-amp automatic transfer switch with load center and other installation components. 800-333-1322. www.guardiangenerators.com

49. Loewen Windows. This door system can operate like a folding door or as a traditional swing door. Able to create a 52-foot-wide opening, it comes in nine metal-clad colors, sustainable mahogany, and FSC-certified coastal Douglas fir for both the exterior and interior of the doors. Standard panels measure up to 39 inches wide and 10 feet high. Custom sizes are available. 877-563-9368. www.loewen.com

50. Kohler Power Systems. The Kohler 30RES 30kW standby generator features a sound enclosure designed to reduce noise levels to 68 decibels. The system's Advanced Digital Control is integrated into the enclosure's interior and provides precise voltage and frequency regulation. Its LED display shows run-time hours, crank cycle status, and diagnostics. The controller's membrane keypad provides user access to menus and allows for system configuration. 800-544-2444. www.kohlerpowersystems.com

51. KWC. The monolithic, minimalist design of the Canyon faucet creates a bold stream of water illuminated by an LED light band that reads from blue to red; electronic sensors detect the water temperature and determine the color of light accordingly. Electronic on/off touchpad controls and temperature controls are located on either side of the faucet. Canyon also is available as a tub filler. 678-334-2121. www.kwcamerica.com

52. Laticrete. This manufacturer of ceramic tile and stone installation products has now launched FahrenHEAT, a floor-warming system with a self-adhesive mesh and wire backing that makes installation faster and easier. Unlike traditional mats, which require extensive stapling and are hard to install tile over, the firm says, this product allows for much easier thin-set installation. 800-243-4788. www.laticrete.com

53. Moberg Fireplaces. Inspired by an 18th-century English design, the Modern Rumford wood-burning masonry fireplace kit has been imbued with optimum consumer-, builder-, and air-friendly features. Comprised of an easy-to-assemble, laser-cut steel skeleton plus insulation, the Modern Rumford requires a local mason to assemble but is said to eliminate any site complications. Openings from 36 to 54 inches wide-up to 72 inches custom-are available. 503-227-0547. www.mobergfireplaces.com

54. Bylin Engineered Systems. Attached directly to the subfloor and embedded in the mortar or thin-set under the flooring, WarmGlo radiant floor heating cables are designed for tile, marble, slate, and other stone surfaces. The cables are made of an alloy heater element wrapped with 4-mil Kapton, and then encased in silicone rubber, a ground braid, and another layer of silicone rubber. 916-933-5666. www.bylinusa.com

55. Focal Point. The Quick Clip system, designed to make crown molding installation fast and easy, installs along the header board of a wall, eliminating the need to locate studs. Top and bottom grooves on compatible polyurethane moldings snap into place, so there are no fastener holes to patch. Quick Clips-compatible moldings come in two sizes in eight patterns. 800-662-5550. http://www.focalpointproducts.com

56. Plyboo. Neopolitan flooring is made from strands of honey and dark bamboo woven together and compressed into a dense block, then milled into planks. The tongue-and-groove planks are 3/8 inch thick, 33/4 inches wide, and 36 inches long. 866-835-9859. http://www.plyboo.com

57. Lighting Services. Ideal for illuminating collectibles and other displays, LumeLEX track-based LED fixtures provide 1,000 lumens of useful white light and a 16-degree beam spread that delivers a flat, even field. Light output is easily controllable and can be dimmed down to 10 percent without any shift in color temperature, the manufacturer says. A stepped range of six color temperatures enables designers or homeowners to change the color temperature to suit the application. 800-999-9574. www.lightingservicesinc.com

58. Home Care by Moen. SecureMount anchors provide a quick but secure installation of grab bars. No sections of wall need to be removed and no backing needs to be added, saving time and money, according to the maker; instead, the grab bar is mounted into D-shaped anchors that require simple drilling to install. 800-882-0116. www.homecare.moen.com

59. AinsworthEngineered. Thermastrand radiant barrier sheathing is produced using a one-step, in-line process, where a specially designed radiant barrier foil is applied as the panel is manufactured, rather than after the panel is made, creating superior foil adhesion, according to the company. The panel blocks up to 97 percent of the sun's radiant heat, and comes with a 25-year warranty that guarantees its foil will not delaminate. 877-661-3200. www.ainsworth.ca

60. Honeywell. Enovate blowing agent is a nonflammable, non-ozone-depleting closed-cell spray foam, which has the highest R-value per inch and is two to three times stronger than other types of insulation, according to the manufacturer. The product helps to combat air infiltration, promote energy efficiency, and reduce outside noise. 800-631-8138. http://www.honeywell.com