Transitional ideas lie at the heart of many of the building envelope products coming your way this year. Manufacturers have been working hard to create designs that either intentionally mix styles or are chameleons at fitting in with their surroundings, regardless of their design. At the same time, the companies are touting products made out of better-performing materials than their predecessors. But in most cases, these new goods purposefully look much like what came before them. Here are a dozen such products introduced in the past few months.
Crosshead of the Class
Fypon says its three new crossheads will make installation of door and window headers easier and produce better-looking results. Doors and windows often come in odd sizes, so headers easily can end up too short or too long. The Craftsman Cove (shown here, which Fypon calls “a modern take on traditional”), the Craftsman Stepped, and the Distinction crossheads can all be trimmed on-site, and the Distinction can be ordered in the exact size required, the company says. fypon.com
New Look, Same Benefits
ODL introduces a flat profile option to its Severe Weather Door Glass Collection. The Flat Profile Frame offers the same strength and quality as the rest of the powder-coated aluminum frame line, which meets Florida Severe Weather requirements with design pressures of 66+. The flat, low, ³/8-inch profile enables it to be used in more architectural applications than previous models, ODL says. The frame includes 2-inch screws, a quarter inch longer than previous models, plus covers for the flat screw holes.odl.com
Cover Story
Versatex PVC trimboards can now be ordered with Peel ’n Neat film to protect them goods en route. The film can be factory-applied to 5/8, 4/4, and 5/4 boards 4 to 16 inches wide and up to 18 feet long. Peel ’n Neat augments the slip sheets, wrapping, banding, and corner protectors already placed on shipments and can be ordered for S4S and Timber Ridge boards. versatex.com
A Bigger View
The three-panel MaxView patio door responds to homeowners’ desire to turn outdoor living spaces into an extension of indoor living areas. The door’s stiles are ¾-inch wide, maximizing the view. The patio door is automatic and can be controlled with a wall-mounted device, a remote, or a smartphone. MaxView measures 20 feet wide and 10 feet high and comes in colors that coordinate with PlyGem’s MIRA window collection. plygem.com
Rain Resistance in an Hour
Dynaflex Ultra Advanced Exterior Sealant delivers UV protection and resists dirt and water. It carries a lifetime mold-, mildew-, and algae-resistance guarantee. The product also resists fading, bubbling, yellowing, or cracking and is paint- and rain-ready one hour after application. It comes in clear and five colors: white, beige, clay, iron gray, and dark bronze. dap.com
Combination Plate
CedarBoards provides the added strength and thermal benefit of rigid foam insulation, the look of authentic rough cedar, and the easy maintenance of vinyl, CertainTeed says. The 5/8-inch boards absorb sound and resist impact. Profiles include double 4-inch clapboard and 4½-inch dutchlap, double 6-inch clapboard, single 7-inch clapboard, and single 12-inch board-and-batten vertical siding. certainteed.com
Screwless Door Frame
Trimlite’s Solution Series door frames and doorlites took seven years to develop. The one-piece, screwless system reduces install time with no frame plugs necessary. The company says its clean lines integrate with modern, craftsman, or mid-century styles. The Solution Series frame features a Shaker-style, 3/16-inch profile and a compression seal to protect from water infiltration. ABS plastic frames come in white or tan vertical wood patterns and can be paired with 11 energy-efficient glass style options. trimlite.com
Draft Dodger
As much as half of the air leakage in a house can be caused by drafts moving from living spaces into the attic. To combat such unwanted air exchanges, Dow has unveiled Great Stuff Pro Drywall Gasket foam. The soft, flexible yet sticky substance is gunned onto studs and top plates before the drywall is applied. Once the drywall goes in, the foam acts like a gasket that keeps air from leaking into places where it shouldn’t. greatstuff.dow.com
On the Bevel
Boral has added beaded and rabbeted bevel options to its TruExterior Bevel Siding line. The siding may resemble wood, but it’s made from a mix of polymers and fly ash. The beaded bevel options are ideal for craftsman, colonial, “and other traditional-leaning homes,” Boral says. Rabbeted bevel includes a pocket on the back that nests into the panel below, pre-setting each panel to the proper spacing. boraltruexterior.com
Wood You Believe It?
Derby Building Products’ Tando brand boasts that its Signature Stain Shake integrates real semi-transparent wood stain into the product as it’s being manufactured. The result? “A look that is identical to actual stained wood shakes without any of the required upkeep,” Derby says. The siding carries a 50-year warranty, is available in 8-foot lengths, and comes in three colors: Fawn, Bark, and Acorn. tandobp.com
Aspyre to This
James Hardie is appealing to custom builders and architects with its Aspyre Collection. Aspyre combines Hardie’s Artisan siding with the Reveal panel system to create exterior looks that tend toward modern but can be much more traditional. Artisan comes in six profiles and is 5/8-inch thick, so it “casts deep, gorgeous shadow lines,” the company says. The products will be available late in 2018. aspyredesign.com
Tall Order
The new cedar-texture vertical siding from LP’s SmartSide group comes in lengths up to 16 feet, is nearly 16 inches wide, and arrives preprimed. LP also introduces the Perfection shingle, which features cleaner lines and what a company official calls a “modern classic look.” lpcorp.com
