The need for product innovation doesn't stop in a down economy, and last year building product manufacturers continued to serve customers with plenty of new, valuable introductions for the home and the jobsite. And if Building Products' annual Top 100 list is any indication, contractors looking to differentiate and innovate welcomed that information.
The Top 100 represents those products readers of Building Products and its sister publications Builder, Custom Home, and Remodeling requested more information about by mailing to us the reader service cards found in each issue. As in year's past, you won't find run-of-the-mill commodities here: The Top 100 spans a range of categories, but most are less familiar, new, or trendy. Not surprisingly, green products and technologies--including photovoltaics and solar water heating, tankless water heaters, and energy-efficient lighting--dominate this year's list as pros aim to keep up with the burgeoning sustainable-building movement.
Beyond green, the Top 100 contains many unique gems, such as an inventive sliding door hardware option, a hole-enlarger tool, a water carbonator, and an eye-catching waterfall system.
Whether you caught them the first go-around or are viewing them for the first time, this year's top picks could hold the solutions you and your customers have been looking for. Stay with us over the next two weeks as we count down to number one.
Baldor
WinterPanel
The company offers SIPs in three panel types: StructureWall, CurtainWall, and PineClad. StructureWall panels, which replace studs and rafters, are twice as strong as a 2x4 wall, according to the firm. CurtainWall panels, ideal for timber-frame or metal-frame buildings, include an interior skin of gypsum for finishing. PineClad panels offer the benefits of StructureWall but with an interior finish of tongue-and-groove pine. Foam cores are available in expanded polystyrene or polyisocyanurate. 802-254-3435. www.winterpanel.com.
Fleurco
The rollers on the Kinetik frameless sliding shower door glide easily along a stainless steel bar. Because each set of rollers can support up to 300 pounds, shower doors can be created from a single pane of glass. 800-993-0033. www.fleurco.com.
Acoustic Ceiling Products
The Evoba wood coffer ceiling system comes in three standard species and in light and dark finishes. Panels measure 2 feet by 2 feet and 2 inches deep. 800-434-3750. www.acpideas.com.
Supress Products
One layer of Supress Sound-Engineered Drywall provides the acoustical performance of up to eight layers of standard drywall, according to the manufacturer, making it ideal for a range of applications, including multifamily properties and home theaters. The panels require no special tools, finish like regular drywall, and can be installed over existing standard drywall with no demolition. Panels come in 1/2-, 5/8-, 3/4-, and 1-inch thicknesses. 800-456-4061. www.supressproducts.com.
45 Premier Building Systems. |
Premier Building Systems
Sandwiching expanded polystyrene between two layers of OSB, the maker says its SIPs offer a 55 percent higher whole-wall efficiency than traditional 2x6, R-19 construction. By creating a virtually airtight building envelope, the panels' energy efficiency can lower homeowners' expenses up to 60 percent and reduce necessary HVAC equipment size by as much as 40 percent, the maker says. 800-275-7086. www.pbssips.com.
Demilec
Sealection Agribalance is an open-cell, semi-rigid polyurethane spray foam for residential buildings that contains more than 20 percent renewable agriculture-based products (refined vegetable oils). The product creates a healthier, quieter, and more energy-efficient environment by providing a high R-value and sealing cracks, gaps, and voids in attics, walls, and ceilings, according to the manufacturer. 817-640-4900. www.sealection500.com.
Winco
The company offers a complete line of standby generators from 8kW to 75kW. The 8-kW, 12-kW, and 15-kW models are air-cooled, run off of natural gas or propane, and are wired to the electrical box through an automatic transfer switch that will turn the generator on when it senses power loss and turn it off when power is restored. Liquid-cooled 27-kW through 75-kW units also are offered for large residential use. 507-357-6821. www.wincogen.com.
Dri
With the same profile as a traditional S tile, the Solar S Tile module needs no additional roof penetrations or flashings to install. The product was designed with water-shedding functionality in mind, the maker says. 800-482-0347. www.dricompanies.com.
Sun Valley Bronze
The GL-100 gate latch with MSB-6 mini surface bolt in the S3 finish is shown in a Dutch door configuration. All of the company's hardware is handcrafted from SCS-certified pre-consumer recycled-content bronze. The expanded Gate Latch collection includes models for interior and exterior doors. 866-788-3631. www.sunvalleybronze.com.
40 Kichler. |
Kichler
Fixtures in the Design Pro series of LED undercabinet kitchen lighting are designed to last as long as 40,000 hours or 20 years. Special LED chips emit a soft, white light, the maker says, and the fixtures' super-low profile of just ½ inch hides easily under any cabinet. Available in 6-, 12-, and 18-inch lengths of 4, 8, and 12 watts, respectively, the lights feature a snap-together design that allows for a seamless run of lights under multiple cabinets. 216-573-1000. www.kichler.com.
Creative Home Engineering.
Creative Home Engineering designs automated hidden passageways. For example, when pieces are placed correctly on a chess board, or a person knocks a certain way on a wall, a hidden door swings open to reveal storage for valuables. Areas also can be accessed using controls such as fingerprint readers, iris scanners, and voice recognition. 602-438-7878. www.hiddenpassageway.com.
Insulspan
Consisting of solid one-piece pre-cut SIP units, the Insulspan Structural Insulated Panel System comes ready to assemble as wall, floor, or roof components, reducing construction time and improving efficiency, the company says. According to the firm, the system's roof and wall assemblies offer a 40 percent to 60 percent reduction in heat loss and significantly reduce air leakage. 800-726-3510. www.insulspan.com.
Sylvania
Dulux EL CFL lamps come in a variety of wattages and types, from general purpose and directional to décor and specialty. This line of lamps includes the Micro Mini, the smallest CFL available, the company claims. The 13-watt version is approximately one-third smaller than the average mini-twist or mini-spiral CFL, the manufacturer says. This Energy Star-rated bulb can last up to 12,000 hours and saves homeowners up to 75 percent on energy costs over standard incandescent bulbs. 800-544-4828. www.sylvania.com.
Huvco
The Parans fiber-optic skylight system collects sunlight through lenses on roof- or façade-mounted panels, then funnels the light through optical cables into luminaires. The system's thin, flexible optical cables, which are routed through walls and ceilings, have high light transmission that allows sunlight to efficiently reach far into buildings, and the luminaires are designed to recreate the feeling of sunlight. 800-832-6116. www.huvco.com.
35 Ridgid. |
Ridgid
The open slot design of the Multipurpose Faucet & Sink Installer allows it to be used over water supply lines, so mounting nuts can be tightened or removed without disconnecting supply lines. Aluminum accessories include a shut-off valve attachment to turn hard-to-reach angle stops without marring the chrome. A hex socket attachment fits 3/4- and 1-inch hex nuts and plastic supply-line nuts, and a strainer basket attachment holds drain units in place while tightening the mounting nut. 888-743-4333. www.ridgid.com.
Industrial Nanotech
Nansulate HomeProtect ClearCoat uses miniscule particles manipulated through nanotechnology to provide insulation and mold protection in the form of a coating. Consumers who used Nansulate reported 20 percent to 40 percent energy savings, the maker claims. The water-based coatings, which are approved for use on exteriors and interiors, can be applied to walls and attics, contain no poisonous moldicides, and are safe to breathe. 800-767-3998. www.nansulate.com.
Triton Power
H-Series diesel-fueled commercial-grade generators come in a range of sizes and are available in open or sound-attenuated-enclosure styles. The units include EPA-compliant Perkins engines and offer ultra-quiet operation to 62 decibels, the company says. Details include rounded corners and aluminum hardware designed to withstand heavy-duty use and extreme weather. 800-424-0007. www.tritonpower.com.
Cooper Lighting
Halo dimmable compact fluorescent downlights are Energy Star-rated, and the 26- and 32-watt housings can now be dimmed from 15 percent to 100 percent. Halo lights meet California's Title 24 energy-efficiency standards and include 5-inch and 6-inch new-construction and retrofit housings. The housings accept triple twin tube or double twin tube (quad) compact fluorescent lamps. 770-486-4800. www.haloltg.com.
Maxxon
The company has introduced new green formulations for its underlayment materials. The Greenguard-certified, low-emissions products contribute minimal levels of pollutants to indoor environments, the maker says. The green product line includes Gyp-Crete 2000, Therma-Floor, Rapid Floor Plus, and Rapid Radiant. 800-356-7887. www.maxxon.com.
30 Nuheat. |
Nuheat
Compatible with the maker's electric floor-warming mats, the Nuheat Cable System lets users extend radiant floor heating into intricate--even wet--spaces, including shower stalls, benches, saunas, and platforms. The 3/16-inch-thick components make for a minimal increase in floor height, and can be installed under tile, stone, marble, laminate, or engineered-wood floors. The system is energy-efficient, generating just 12 watts per square foot, and can be controlled using the maker's programmable thermostats. 800-778-9276. www.nuheat.com.
Luck Stone
Several new additions to the MasterCut stone veneer line are precision cut from natural stone as flats and corners. The veneer can be installed below grade and without footers or additional support, the maker says. Clearview (shown) was crafted from sandstone. 800-898-5825. www.charlesluck.com.
Carrier
The Automatic Home Standby Generator, available in models up to 45 kW, provides automatic power outage protection 24/7; the generator restores power to the home within 30 seconds of power loss. The unit's sound-deadening insulation maintains sound levels as low as 69 decibels, says the firm. The generator runs on LP or natural gas. 800-227-7437. www.carrier.com.
Hettich America
Lite-Inside wardrobe rails house small LEDs. A sensor switches the lights on when a closet door opens; the light automatically switches off after a few seconds. The product is available in a variety of shades and brightness levels. 800-438-8424. www.hettichamerica.com.
IceStone
IceStone surfaces are made with 100 percent recycled glass in a cement matrix. According to the firm, the product was the first durable surface in the world to receive McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry's Cradle to Cradle certification. Suitable for a range of indoor and outdoor applications, including kitchen countertops and backsplashes, bathroom vanities, and patio surfacing, IceStone is strong, heat-resistant, and scratch-resistant, the company says. Twenty-seven standard colors are available. 718-624-4900. www.icestone.biz.