Products, continued
CAULKS, SEALANTS & ADHESIVES
Clear Improvement.
Solvent-based
clear sealants are great for many tasks, but the odor is a bit
much for interior remodeling work. Some homeowners complain
they can detect the smell even weeks after application. Latex
products have less smell, but clear latex formulas usually have
a slightly amber or cloudy appearance. Alex Plus latex caulk is
now available in what manufacturer Dap claims is a "crystal
clear" formulation. The quick-drying latex offers easy cleanup
and less stink. Dap has also launched Alex Plus in antique
white to better match the favorite builder shade. The clear
sells for $2.50, and the antique white sells for about
$2.
Dap
888/327-8477
www.dap.com
Air-Sealing Salve.
You might not think Tremco's
Acoustical Sealant would be an ideal air-sealing product, but
energy-conscious Alaskan and Canadian builders love it.
According to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Extension
Service, the product never hardens, flows easily in cold
weather, and sticks tenaciously to anything, including
difficult materials like poly sheeting and Tyvek. Experienced
users advise keeping acetone or kerosene on hand for
cleanup.
Tremco
800/852-8173
www.tremcosealants.com
Sealant Breakthrough.
It's
irritating enough trying to break the seal inside a tube of
caulk while you're hanging from a ladder. Adding insult to
injury, many of today's import caulking guns don't have an
on-board spout poker. So you have to rummage through your
toolbelt for a nail, screw, or anything else long enough to
puncture the seal. You can free yourself from both hassles with
OSI's new break-away seal, found on tubes of Quad Sealant. The
special seal breaks automatically when you start caulking. The
paintable sealant can be used in temperatures down to 20°F
and is available in 150 colors. It costs about $6.
OSI Sealants
888/445-0208
www.osisealants.com
Room to Move.
You wouldn't expect
to fill a 2-inch gap with caulking, but Sashco claims that its
Big Stretch goes the distance. The latex-based sealant can
stretch more than 100% of its original width, and it cleans up
with soap and water. Available in nine colors, it's compatible
with most building materials, with the exception of oil-based,
painted surfaces. It costs about $65 per case.
Sashco
800/289-7290
www.sashco.com
Fire Fighter.
In the past few
years, the phrases "fire blocking" and "fire stopping" have
become more common in building inspection circles. Inspectors
are increasingly diligent about sealing holes and penetrations
that contribute to flame spread. Any hole that connects two
framing cavities or building levels should be closed up, and
the sealant must comply with ASTM E-136, certifying that it's
noncombustible. Handi-Seal FR 136 from Fomo is one example of a
water-based, fire-blocking sealant. Its pink color
distinguishes it from conventional sealants that aren't flame
proof.
Fomo Products
800/321-5585
www.fomo.com
FASTER, BETTER DRYWALL
Fiber-Optic Bead.
If your
customers are planning the ultimate home theater, you could
suggest decorative fiber-optic cabling. Trim-Tex, the
manufacturer of plastic corner bead, also offers a reveal bead
that receives decorative 3/8-inch fiber-optic cable. The
2-inch-wide channel works with both 1/2- and 5/8-inch board and
requires a 1/2-inch groove. Turning corners in the same plane
requires special preformed accessory pieces.
Trim-Tex
800/874-2333
www.trim-tex.com
Cover Your Butt.
No matter how
skilled the finishing and feathering, even an untrained eye can
pick up the hump of a butt seam in the right light, and today's
big homes have more of them. Using the Butthanger is among the
easier ways to deal with the problem. A U-shaped channel draws
in the board's butt edges, creating a depression similar to
that of factory-tapered edges. The manufacturer points out that
this product also makes installation of trim and countertops
easier. The Butthanger retails for $6.75 each.
Flat-Fast
888/292-1002
www.butthanger.com
Clever Clips.
Instaback Drywall
Fasteners provide a great way to deal with butt seams and
patches. The versatile metal clips provide support and make a
slightly tapered butt joint for easier finishing. Once the
board is secured to the clips with screws, the front tab is
broken off. Instabacks also make hanging ceilings easier by
supporting one end of the board while you hold and fasten the
other — great for solo work. They cost around 20¢
apiece in packages of 200.
Prest-On Company
888/323-1813
www.prest-on.com
Home Sweet Dome.
I can't imagine a
more labor-intensive and time-consuming process than framing
and finishing an interior dome. However, USG's Drywall
Suspension System offers preformed components for domes and
arched ceilings with radii from 32 inches to 20 feet. The
light-gauge metal components include curved main runners and
associated hanging and joining hardware. USG's website includes
component dimensions, design and estimating help, and
installation instructions.
USG
800/874-4968
www.usg.com
Board Stretcher.
According to the
manufacturer, you can make your drywall go further and save
some installation time with a Rock Cleat. The plastic cleat
eliminates the need to land the drywall on a stud or joist and
the 54-inch length makes it suitable for wide board. Of course,
you could accomplish the same thing with a scrap of lumber, but
you can cut the Rock Cleat with a utility knife. It comes in
three styles, one for typical butt seams, one for a 90-degree
inside corner, and one for angled corners and returns up to 120
degrees. The Rock Cleat for butt seams retails for $3
each.
Crane Products
888/923-8799
www.craneproducts.com
Mud Flap.
Keeping paint and joint
compound off posts, beams, and windows can be a one-step
process with PullAway Bead by Trim-Tex. The vinyl L-bead
includes a removable, 1/2-inch fin to protect adjacent surfaces
from blobs and spatters. Unlike masking tape that can leave
tiny remnants or a sticky residue behind, PullAway Bead comes
off quick and clean.
Trim-Tex
800/874-2333
www.trim-tex.com