Prosales articles from March 2003

Prosales archives from March 2003

Builders and remodelers add value with enhanced entranceways. (Studies Show).
March 1, 2003... Builders and remodelers are always looking for new ways to add value to their construction and renovation projects. Therma-Tru Doors, the most preferred brand of entry door systems, has the solution--high-style, high-performance entryway and...

Catch the wave: from improving construction quality to reducing required maintenance, new products are shifting the currents of the industry. (Editor's Notes).
March 1, 2003... Each year a host of new products and technologies is introduced for residential construction, and over the past year in particular the tide of product proliferation has continued to rise unabated. While the diversity of innovative developments...

Pro sales editor's choice.
March 1, 2003... To be a true standout in any residential construction category, a product must be innovative, fresh, and just downright cool. In this year's PROSALES Editors' Choice Awards, we found several building products that combine these traits and much...

Split decision. (Editor's Choice).
March 1, 2003... Part of CertainTeed's Cedar Impressions line of vinyl siding, 10-inch Random Hand-Split Shakes offer the texture, shadow lines, and look of real hand-split cedar shakes, the maker says. The panels, which come in 10-foot lengths, feature a...

Easy install. (Editor's Choice).
March 1, 2003... Available on Kwikset's UltraMax Security doorknobs, the Kwik-Install feature reduces installation time to three steps and eliminates common mistakes, the company says. The system features alignment plates and pre-installed lead screws that hold...

Double duty. (Editor's Choice).
March 1, 2003... An industry first, the N88RH-2MCN pneumatic nailer from Stanley-Bostitch combines the capabilities of a framing nailer and a metal connecting nailer into one tool. Built on a framing nailer's body, a push-button trip allows users to convert it...

Yellow raincoat. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... The Home Slicker ventilating and self-draining rainscreen from Benjamin Obdyke features a 3-D nylon matrix that allows for drainage and drying of moisture between a home's sidewall and the exterior cladding. The moisture-eliminating rainscreen...

Mix it up. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... Red Devil's Create-A-Color caulk mixing system allows contractors to match caulk to the colors of surfaces and fixtures while retaining a watertight and mildew-resistant seal. Two mixers that attach to any power drill, eight colorants, and...

Coated corners. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... USG's flexible metal tape-on drywall corner beads feature patented coatings to minimize scuffing and fuzzing during finishing and sanding and paper tapes to ensure adhesion of joint compounds, textures, and paints, claims the maker. Corners are...

Light as a feather. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... James Hardie has introduced Harditrim with XLD technology, the industry's first 1-inch-thick fiber-cement exterior trim-board. While the product is thicker than standard 3/4-inch trims, it is lightweight, easy to cut and nail, and offers the...

Bug barrier. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... Syngenta's Impasse Termite System sandwiches a long-lasting termiticide between two outer polymer layers. The Impasse Barrier sheet and Boots work to cover the entire footprint of a residence as well as plumbing and electrical penetrations...

Coat of armor. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... Georgia-Pacific's DensArmor Interior Guard and DensArmor Plus Interior Guard gypsum wallboards use the company's glass-mat Dens technology to protect wall cavities from moisture. DensArmor Interior Guard is glass-mat backed and paper-faced;...

Up front. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... Bosch's 4412 12-inch dual-bevel sliding compound miter saw features up-front bevel controls for better accuracy, convenience, and performance. The saw's features include an adjustable four-position soft-grip trigger handle, up-front clamping...

Flat floors. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... Weyerhaeuser's new Structurwood Gold OSB floor panel is manufactured flat and installed flat, so it remains flat when installed yielding a more stable floor, says the maker. The pre-sanded panels are engineered to resist cupping, buckling,...

Greener air. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... Johns Manville recently received the 2002 Top Ten Green Building Products Award for eliminating formaldehyde from its fiberglass insulation products. The company now uses an acrylic resin binder instead of a formaldehyde-based binder,...

Suite system. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... The WindsorONE Moldings Collection historically inspired molding suites from Windsor Mill allow for easy matching of crown to casing and base molding, as well as decorative accents. Available styles are Classical Colonial, Greek Revival,...

Roll out. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... Grace Ice & Water Shield self-adhered roofing underlayment has been enhanced with a new fold-less paper design that reduces paper hang-ups when the product is rolled onto roof decks. The design makes the underlayment easier to handle and helps...

Power in hand. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... Xplore Technologies' iX104-TPC is a fully ruggedized tablet PC that can withstand repeated drops to concrete from 3 feet, extreme temperatures, and vibrations associated with heavy equipment. The product operates on the new MS Windows XP Tablet...

Traditional details. (Editors' Choice).
March 1, 2003... Andersen's 400 series Woodwright double hung window features traditional styling, including mortise-and-tenon joints, a tall bottom rail, and a chamfer milling detail along the check rail. The clad wood windows are available with numerous...

The cutting edge. (Product Review 2003).
March 1, 2003... When a builder customer asks about "that fantastic new entry door I saw" or "the nifty nailer my sub was using," once in awhile you're probably left speechless. But that's to be expected because with hundreds of thousands of product...

Breathe easy. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... A factory-blended mix of cement, lime, fiber, and additives yields a Portland cement stucco base coat that is breathable and resists wind-driven rain and UV light, says the maker, Sto Corp. Sto Powerwall stucco complies with ICBO and SBCCI...

Color collection. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... James Hardie has added three new colors to its ColorPlus collection of pre-finished fiber-cement siding: redwood, slate blue, and colonial grey. Eight additional colors are available. The line carries a 50-year limited transferable product...

Smooth finish. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Masonite's ArTek non-textured fiberglass doors, which feature a high-definition panel profile and square-edge construction, combine the look of wood with the low maintenance of fiberglass. The units have five times the insulating value of wood,...

Direct light. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Solatube's Spectralight Infinity reflective tubing material transfers 500 percent more daylight through a Solatube tubular skylight than other reflective tubing materials, says the maker. Spectralight Infinity directs light down the entire...

Recycled system. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... ChoiceDek decorative railing systems from Weyerhaeuser are made from recycled oak wood fibers and recycled polyethylene. Manufactured for the firm by AERT, the rafting system consists of several components, including large vertical posts and...

Clean slate. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... GAF has added three new colors to its Slateline shingle collection: English gray, mariner blue, and emerald green. According to the firm, the shingles' extra-large 17-by-40-inch size makes them easy to install. The shingles feature reverse...

Hail to the chiefs. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Part of the Early American Collection of carriage-style garage doors, GADCO's Presidential Series includes eight wood designs inspired by American presidents. For example, the Grant's angled beams represent divisiveness and unification for the...

Lasting impression. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Made from a wood composite product by Strandex, Kroy's Timberlast composite deck systems are less than 1 1/2 inches thick. They can be installed using 16-inch joist spans and the firm's deck clip system. The product, available in two colors,...

Protective finish. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Introduced to meet the new building codes in coastal areas, the windows and the doors in Marvin's StormPlus line are designed for energy efficiency, wind resistance, and impact resistance. The line includes three levels of protection certified...

Seventh heaven. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Crane Performance Siding's Solid Core siding is now available in a 7-inch profile. CraneBoard D7 offers a deep 5/8-inch profile and is lightweight; its Solid Core foam backing provides for an R-value of 4 and offers 300 times more impact...

Grain stain. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... WeatherBoards Stain fiber-cement siding offers the look of stained wood without the maintenance. The 100 percent acrylic latex stain highlights the siding's deep grain patterns and is guaranteed not to crack, peel, or flake. The FiberTect...

Go natural. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... The Whitewash profile from Nichiha's Vintage Brick line features a textured mortar, providing the appearance of newly laid brick with a natural mortar look. Available in red/beige, the profile answers the needs of builders for a true-brick...

Clear view. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Designed for porches, balconies, and decks in areas with scenic landscapes, the SheerView glass railing system from L.B. Plastics features 1/2-inch tempered glass within a high-impact, metal-reinforced, welded PVC frame that is preassembled to...

Starting block. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Exterior Door acrylic block inserts from Hy-Lite come in a standard size of four blocks wide by 11 blocks long. The one-piece obscure doorlights are designed to fit 1 3/4-inch-thick doors. The company also offers acrylic block interior door...

Work smart. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Designed to coordinate with LP's SmartSystem family of cladding, SmartStart engineered wood trim and fascia offer the look of wood but resist splitting, cupping, and bowing. The products, which come in common sizes and in 16-foot lengths,...

Cedar sided. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Cedar Valley's one- and two-course Thickbutt Panels are designed for faster and easier installation, the maker says. Crafted with Western red cedar, the extra-thick panels feature mixed-grain shingles and a traditional 1/8-inch open keyway for...

Ultra opening. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Kolbe & Kolbe's Ultra line of windows features a .050-inch-thick extruded aluminum frame with a 5052 alloy roll-formed aluminum-clad sash. The windows come in white, rustic, chutney, sand, and Hartford green, as well as custom colors. An array...

At bay. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Designed specifically for bay window applications, this 45-degree corner is easier to install and more aesthetically pleasing than standard 90-degree corners, says the manufacturer, Alcoa. The corners come in white, cameo, desert sand,...

Signature piece. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... CorrectDeck Signature Series wood fiber composite decking from Correct Building Products is installed using a custom hidden fastening system that is installed from above. The "groove-and-groove" deck boards are made with 60 percent recycled...

Crystal clear. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... LP's WeatherBest Crystal White composite railing, a wood/polymer substrate co-extruded with PVC capstock, is strong, consistent, and durable and offers the look of painted wood without the maintenance, says the maker. The railing system comes...

Ship shape. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... ABTco QuickLap hardboard siding is engineered to create a uniform and dimensionally stable siding panel, says the company. The rigid 1/2-inch panels lay flat on the wall, with shiplap edges that make it easier to install the next course. The...

Lasting colors. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Georgia-Pacific's Heritage Hill vinyl siding incorporates an acrylic co-polymer compound, Geloy, to provide dark, rich colors that are fade-resistant. Heritage Hill is available in traditional and Dutch lap profiles with a wood-grain look in...

Thick skinned. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Pella's Carbonite composite doors feature a thicker skin material that reduces deflection and warping and resists dents and corrosion, the company says. The doors have deeply grained panels with authentic wood-grain patterns, such as oak....

Pre-Treated. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... A one-piece trimboard with a uniform density, MiraTEC Treated Exterior Composite Trim is treated with zinc borate to prevent rot and moisture and resist termites. The trim is factory primed on four sides and has a cedar texture on one side and...

Ride the rails. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Trex now offers a chamfered handrail profile and two new decorative RailPost post caps. The company's latest color, a deep-tan saddle, joins madeira, natural, Winchester grey, and woodland brown. The decking and railings are low-maintenance and...

Into the corners. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... AZEK Trimboards' Cornerboards are made with cellular PVC and feature a miter-locked seam. Cornerboards are available in 10-foot lengths with a semimatte white finish. The boards feature square edges, no interior core voids, a density similar to...

Rot out. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Pro Series No Rot exterior trim from Marley Mouldings is maintenance-free and weather-resistant. The line includes doorframes, door light surrounds, brick molds, jambs, window sills, porch ceilings, fascia, and more. The company also offers...

Raise the roof. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Designed to mimic the look of slate, Owens Corning's Berkshire roofing shingles feature color blends found in natural slate, such as reds, purples, and blues. The shingles come with a limited lifetime warranty and are resistant to algae and...

Clay colors. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Three new shades have been added to Boral Bricks' Clay Street line of genuine clay brick pavers: parquet tan, Peachtree Avenue pink, and Savannah brown. Extruded clay pavers are available in a 21/4-inch thickness in standard and modular sizes....

An open window. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Vetter's aluminum-dad operating casement window includes three architectural-grade stainless steel hinges, custom-designed cam action locks, and 3/4-inch dual-sealed insulated glass. Windows are available in eight standard colors, including...

Storm front. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Simonton's StormBreaker Plus impact-resistant windows and patio doors are formed with a piece of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plastic interlayer sandwiched between two pieces of double-strength glass. Styles include double-hung tilt, casement,...

Hit the deck. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Designed for installation over weather-damaged decks, balconies, and patios, Designer Deck Tiles from Outwater feature 1 1/2-inch-wide slats situated 5/16 inch apart in a 24-inch-square configuration. The flexible tiles will lie flat on uneven...

Decorative fusion. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Jeld-Wen's expanded DoorCraft Alterna composite door line includes a variety of panel options, glass inserts, and sidelights. The fusion-crafted doors will not dent, warp, split, buckle, or rust and feature an insulating high-density...

Sky's the limit. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Sun Tunnel's tubular skylights can now be installed in less than two hours with a Snap-Ring assembly system that eliminates several steps while improving the overall performance of the unit. The installation system is available for both the...

Trimmed out. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... A wood-plastic composite made to resemble natural wood trims, Trimboards from Royal Wood offer four usable sides with no surface defects, knots, or joints. Available in lengths of 16 feet, Trimboards come in widths of up to 12 inches and...

Long and lean. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Sovereign 16 vinyl siding comes in extra-long 16-foot, 6-inch panels, reducing the number of seams by up to 30 percent, says Revere. The siding withstands winds up to 217 mph with 1 3/4-inch ring shank nails and features a .046-inch thickness...

To the curb. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Designed to replace existing plastic bubble skylights, the Velux FCM curb-mount skylight comes in a range of sizes configured to fit about 90 percent of all curb mount installations. According to the firm, the frame dimensions are flexible and...

Random retention. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Versa-Lok's solid, pinned retaining wall systems provide a natural stone appearance and easy installation. The new Versa-Lok Mosaic system is a random-pattern retaining wall system that allows landscapers to create curves, corners, and steps...

Roughing it. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Part of the Estate Series, Mitten Vinyl's Board & Batten vinyl siding offers the look of stained wood with a roughsawn wood-grain texture. The panels are .048 inch thick and carry the company's Lifetime Plus transferable warranty. Panels come...

Outdoor ornament. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Available in 6- or 8-foot kits, TimberTech's Ornamental Railing System includes an ornamental top rail and two universal rails. The plastic resin and wood flour product cuts, drills, and fastens like wood and comes in cedar, gray, and redwood...

Insulating factor. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Innovations steel garage doors from Raynor feature foam-in-place high-density insulation and offer the highest R-values in the industry for their thickness, the maker says. The Affina and Centura models have an R-value of 18; Relante carries an...

On impact. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Designed to reduce the likelihood of hurricane-driven debris penetrating a home's openings, LifeGuard impact-resistant windows from Weather Shield feature KeepSafe Maximum laminated glass, an upgraded glazing bead, slave lock reinforcement, and...

True view. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... To create an energy efficient true divided light door while preserving viewing area, Simpson's ViewSaver Technology combines 3/4-inch insulated glass with a 1 3/8-inch profile bar kerfed at all wood-to-wood joints and sealed. ViewSaver TDL...

Dark side. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Norco's clad wood windows are now available with black or bronze exterior cladding. In addition, the company offers white, brown, sandstone, Hartford green, burgundy, and cream. Circle 162. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Classic design. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Therma-Tru's Classic Craft line of 8-foot-tall impact-resistant fiberglass doors is available with seven patterned doorlights, including brass-leaded, crystalline, and frosted. The Cambridge pattern, shown here, features curved beveled glass...

Open sesame. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Overhead Door's Banner Collection garage doors feature refined embossment, improved dent resistance, and pinch-resistant sections, and come with the OverDrive garage door opener. The doors are available in a variety of insulation levels, four...

Poly performance. (Exterior Products).
March 1, 2003... Peachtree's Newport II fiberglass entry door has the appearance of wood but offers the insulation and performance of fiberglass. The insulated polyurethane core offers six times the energy efficiency of conventional doors, says the maker. The...

I to I. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... Roseburg Forest Products offers RFPI 40 and RFPI 20 I-joists as part of its framing system. The RFPI 40 features a 25/16-inch LVL flange with eased edges that provides more nailing surface and added stability. RFPI 20 I-joists are...

Bubble over. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... Featuring one or two layers of insulating air bubbles laminated to an aluminum foil, Polyair's Flexfoil low-E reflective insulation keeps homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer, says the maker, and it reflects up to 97 percent of...

True blue. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... Designed for faux and decorative painting, Scotch brand Blue painters' tape from 3M can be used on most surfaces, including freshly painted walls and vinyl-coated wall coverings. The tape is conformable for painting intricate patterns and clean...

Batter up. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... Knaufs line of high-density fiberglass batts includes faced batts that fit tightly between studs and feature wide stapling flanges and unfaced batts that friction-fit between studs and can be used with a separate poly vapor retarder. The...

Spray it on. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... Tuff-Hide from USG Sheetrock is a high-build spray-applied surface primer that provides a smooth finish to gypsum panel walls and ceilings, says the maker. Using a one-step application process, rather than a two-step process, the latex-based...

Squeak eliminator. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... OSI's Pro-Series SF 450 solvent-based Sub-Floor & Construction Adhesive meets California's low-VOC requirements. Design to reduce nail popping and squeaky floors, Pro-Series SF 450 is water- and weather proof and will bond to dry, wet, or...

Turn the corner. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... The TimberStrand LSL 45-Degree Column from Trus Joist provides installers with a precise 45-degree corner for bay windows, tall foyers, and other high-profile 45-degree-corner applications. TimberStrand LSL is engineered to a consistent...

Wrap it up. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... The Delta-MS Foundation Wrap is a heavy-duty waterproofing membrane that functions even if it is torn, says the manufacturer, Cosella Dorken. Its 5/16-inch dimples let concrete walls breathe and dry, and the built-in airspace protects...

Radiant shield. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... TechShield radiant barrier sheathing from LP is an aluminum-laminated OSB panel that prevents up to 97 percent of radiant heat from entering the attic, says the maker. TechShield's incisions penetrate through the foil and into the substrate to...

Strip it. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... EZ Strip Adhesive Remover from Sealflex leaves no chemical residue and will not resurface or re-emulsify once removed. EZ Strip removes 99 percent of one-part polyurethane, latex, acrylic, and ESD conductive acrylic adhesives from concrete and...

Rapid alignment. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... Rapid Ridge, a 3-D nylon ridge vent roll from Benjamin Obdyke, is now available in an 11 1/2-inch width. The 20-foot rolls offer visible nail lines and a hinge design that assists with the alignment of shingles, says the firm. Each roll comes...

Drain away. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... New from Pactiv, RainDrop is the industry's first woven housewrap with water drainage channels, the maker says. Vertical cords create drainage channels, which will not get crushed by siding installation, that drain moisture from exterior...

A knock-out. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... BCI and Alljoist I-joists from Boise are available in long lengths and feature pre-stamped knockouts that allow wiring to be routed through the web. The Alljoist products are made from Eastern spruce, web stock, and structural adhesives; BCI...

In a flash. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... DuPont StraightFlash and FlexWrap can be used together to protect window openings, which are vulnerable to water penetration if improperly flashed. Flexible FlexWrap conforms around corners and round openings, while StraightFlash is designed...

Good grip. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... OmniGrip Ultimate Tile Adhesive uses a proprietary blend of polymers to provide high bond strength and 33 percent less shrinkage, says the maker, Custom Building Products. The adhesive can be used for floor tiles up to 16 inches square and some...

Stone faced. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... Eldorado Stone's realistic architectural stone veneers can be used to face retaining or garden accent walls, as well as any other exterior wall. The veneers are available in 44 colors and many styles, are lightweight and durable, says the...

Grid lock. (Construction Products).
March 1, 2003... A Fastening Grid to ease installation is now standard on all of Huber Engineered Woods' 23/32-inch AdvanTech VIP subflooring products. The Fastening Grid is printed directly on the flooring board to serve as a guide for joist alignment,...