Floor
Drawer. In a cramped kitchen, every inch counts.
Diamond Logix 3-inch-high Toekick Drawers provide extra storage
in space that would otherwise be unused. They can be ordered as
an option on various 24-, 30-, and 36-inch base cabinets. The
drawer adds $200 to the cost of a 24-inch maple cabinet (shown)
for a total of $515. Diamond Cabinets,
812/482-2527,
diamondcabinets.com.
Indoor Exhaust. For cooktop installations
that can’t be vented to the outdoors — such as with
some island countertops — Jenn-Air offers a
self-contained exhaust system. The JDA7000WX Ductless Downdraft
Kit mounts beneath the cooktop and terminates in the cabinet
space below. The easily accessible filter box snaps open for
cleaning and filter replacement. The unit is a $199 option on
six new Jenn-Air gas or electric cooktops. (It cannot be used
with existing models.) Jenn-Air, 800/536-6247,
jennair.com.
Garage
Storage. The Gladiator GarageWorks system makes it
easier to provide sturdy, versatile garage storage. The
1-foot-high by 8-foot-long GAWP082PMY GearWall panels mount to
the walls and receive the company’s cabinets, bins,
shelves, and hooks. A pair of panels costs $80; a 24-inch
single-door GAWG241DRG cabinet costs $143; and a 30-inch
double-door GAWG302DRG top cabinet costs $190.
Gladiator, 866/342-4089,
gladiatorgw.com.
Trimmable
Truss. Universal Forest Products says its Open Joist
has a higher strength-to-cost ratio than any other engineered
floor joist and can even beat the cost of lumber joists in some
designs. Plus, the open web truss construction gives mechanical
subs better access, says the company. Joists come in four
depths; lengths up to 30 feet can be ordered in 1-foot
increments and trimmed up to 5 1/2 inches per side. The 11
7/8-inch depth costs $1.50 per linear foot. Universal
Forest Products, 800/598-9663,
openjoist.com.
Discreet Alarm. The cover on Kidde’s
low-profile Silhouette smoke detector protrudes less than an
inch from the mounting surface. The device fits into a standard
ceiling electrical box and has a rechargeable lithium-ion
battery designed to last as long as the detector. It costs $55;
a similar wall-mounted carbon monoxide detector is also
available, for about $75. Kidde, 800/880-6788,
kidde.com.
Bendable Cement
Board. Curved tile walls and ceilings may need more
flex than standard 1/2-inch cement board can provide. PermaBase
Flex can be bent 90 degrees with a radius as tight as 6 inches
— and there’s no need for scoring or soaking. Since
the board’s fiber reinforcement runs in one direction,
the 1/2-inch-thick material bends uniformly, says the maker.
It’s suitable indoors and out and comes in
4-foot-by-8-foot sheets for $45. National
Gypsum, 800/628-4662,
permabase.com.
Lighter MDF.
Whereas standard 3/4-inch-thick MDF weighs 90 pounds or more
per sheet, Arauco’s Trupan Light weighs 76 pounds and
Trupan Ultralight only 64. Both panels come in a range of
thicknesses. Four-foot-by- 8-foot sheets just under 3/4-inch
thick cost $29 apiece for the Light product and $32 for the
Ultralight. Arauco, 770/350-1659,
arauco.cl/usa.
High-E
Beams. LP’s newest SolidStart LSL engineered
lumber has a stiffness rating of 1.75E — the highest in
the industry, says the maker. That means you can use an LSL
beam or header for some spans that previously required a more
expensive LVL. The products come in common dimensions in
lengths of up to 64 feet; a 1 3/4-inch-by-11 1/4-inch LSL costs
about $3.50 per linear foot.
Louisiana-Pacific, 888/820-0325,
lpcorp.com.