A screw that
won't splinter wood
The new 1/4-inch-diameter Strong-Drive Screw (SDS) was developed by
Simpson Strong-Tie for securing framing connectors and for
wood-to-wood structural applications. According to Simpson, the
screw requires no predrilling: its "4CUT" tip reportedly eliminates
wood from splitting during installation, and the serrated threads
help reduce torque to make driving easier. The screws also come
with a double-barrier coating that the manufacturer claims is more
corrosion-resis-tant than a hot-dip galvanized coating, making them
a good choice for any exterior application but especially with
pressure-treated woods. For more information, contact Simpson
Strong-Tie, 800-999-5099,www.strongtie.com
Available in all
sizes and types
In a coastal climate, stainless steel fasteners are, without a
doubt, the best choice for exterior work, especially in the new
formulations of pressure-treated lumber. Swan Secure Products
offers a full line of stainless steel nails and staples in plastic,
paper, and wire collations for 20- to 22-degree and 31-degree
magazines. Smooth-, ring-, and spiral-shank framing nails are
available in 2- to 3 1/2-inch lengths and .134-inch diameters. Also
available are .120-inch-diameter metal connector nails in both 22-
and 31-degree plastic and paper collations. As of this writing, 3
1/2- by .134-inch nails are running about $190 per 1,000. Current
prices are available on the company's website. For more
information, contact Swan Secure Products, 800-966-2801,www.swansecure.com
Subfloor
resists rain during construction
Georgia-Pacific Wood Products has introduced a treated subfloor
panel that reportedly resists delamination and edge swelling caused
by repeated rain soakings during construction. Plytanium DryPly
plywood is an APA-rated Sturd-I-Floor panel with a water-repellent
surface coating that reportedly resists water for up to four weeks
of continuous exposure to the elements — long enough to get
the building dried in but without putting a heavy, waxy coating
that will interfere with flooring adhesives. Georgia-Pacific Wood
Products also claims its Plytanium plywood panels are 10% stiffer
than ordinary OSB, making them an ideal choice for subflooring. For
more information, contact Georgia-Pacific Wood Products,
800-284-5347,http://www.gp.com/build.
Dehumidifying for comfort in a coastal
climate
Coastal climates are generally humid climates. Air conditioning can
help reduce indoor humidity when the weather's also hot, but that's
not always the case. On those rainy days when it's 65°F or
less, or in the evening after the sun has set but humidity levels
remain high, dehumidifying the home still remains an important part
of providing maximum comfort. That's where a whole-house
dehumidifier like the Lennox Humiditrol comes into play. Consider
it a dehumidification system optimizer, says Lennox product manager
Jennifer Shelby. It's designed to tie into the existing comfort
system (air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump) for precision
humidity control. For more information, contact Lennox Industries,
800-953-6669,http://www.lennox.com/residential.
Termite-Tough Insulation
Subslab, crawlspace, and basement
solution
While it's not intended as a barrier system, Styrofoam BlueGuard
promises to stop termites from tunneling through foundation
insulation. The rigid-foam panels contain Preventol HS100 —
an insecticide that repels termites and other wood-destroying
insects. According to Dow, the insecticide is confined within the
foam matrix: it is not applied as a surface treatment and will not
wash off or leach away but reportedly remains in the panel for the
life of the insulation. The product meets the performance
requirements set forth by the U.S. EPA and the International Code
Council for termite-resistant foam plastics, which enables code
approval for use in below-grade applications in very heavy
termite-infestation areas. For more information, contact Dow
Chemical Co., 800-232-2436, www.dow.com
Trus Joist Shear Panels
Prefab panels simplify narrow shear
walls
Trus Joist recently introduced a line of prefab shear-wall panels
that promise to simplify the installation of engineered shear walls
and allow for placement of narrow panels for greater design
flexibility. The TJ-Shear Panel is framed up using TimberStrand LSL
(a material similar to Parallam with the wood fiber oriented in
multiple ways, not aligned parallel to the length of the member)
with an OSB web that's notched into the framing. Each panel can be
installed in one piece over foundation anchors. The panels feature
integral hold-down brackets in the lower corners that have slotted
bolt holes, allowing for some adjustment if the foundation crew
didn't get the anchor bolts placed perfectly. Predrilled, angled
lag screw holes simplify the process of securing the panels to the
framing above, and predrilled electrical access holes and notched
rails allow easy fishing of wiring through the walls. For more
information, contact Weyerhaeuser Co., 888-453-8358, www.iLevel.com
Impact-Resistant Skylights
Only a few models available for the
highest-velocity wind zones
Evidence of how stringent the Miami-Dade regulations are can be
found in the number of skylights with insulated glass that qualify
for use in high-velocity wind zones. In the residential market,
only a handful of fixed skylights, most of them domed or tube
models, fit the bill. The two notable exceptions we've found are
Velux-America's FCM (fixed curb model) and Wasco's E- and G-Class
fixed units. The Velux FCM is designed to work with all types of
site-built curbs, whether they're slightly out of square,
pre-existing, or surrounded by unusually thick flashing and roofing
material. The FCM unit comes with a laminated, low-E2, argon
gas-filled glass that passes the large- and small-missile tests
required for openings located within 30 feet of the ground, as
required by Miami-Dade. Wasco's E-Class units also pass both tests
and feature a one-piece flexible flashing that makes sealants and
step flashing unnecessary. For more information, contact
Velux-America, 800-888-3589, http://www.veluxusa.com, and Wasco,
800-388-0293, www.wasco1.com
Sliding-Glass Security
Vinyl-framed, impact-resistant sliding
doors
Simonton Windows offers impact-resistant vinyl sliding doors in
what might be the largest array of opening sizes for vinyl-framed,
impact-resistant sliding doors on the market. StormBreaker Plus
doors come in two- and three-panel configurations in sizes ranging
from 5 feet by 6 feet 8 inches to 12 feet by 8 feet, with tan or
white vinyl frames. The doors are made with one pane of tempered
glass and one pane of impact-resistant laminated glass. Various
glass package options are available to meet Energy Star guidelines,
including Solar E low-E glazing and greylite (turtle glass) —
a tinted glass that cuts down on radiant heat gain with minimal
reductions in visible light transmission for a tinted glass.
Fiberglass hideaway screens and stainless steel hardware are
standard. For more information, contact Simonton Windows,
800-746-6686, www.simonton.com
Soft, Hard Flooring
Not your average resilient
flooring
Armstrong flooring offers a new line of flooring floor called
CushionStep that defies categorization. It's dubbed a hard-surface
flooring that looks like wood, slate, or stone, making it something
closer to a floating laminate hardwood than your average sheet
flooring. But like a resilient floor material, it's a complex
sandwich of synthetic materials that's impervious to water, making
it suitable for kitchens, baths, and basements. The CushionStep
sandwich starts with about a 1/8-inch-thick high-density foam
backing overlaid with a glass-fiber web for strength. This is
topped with a "design layer" coated with a thick, clear wear layer,
which is itself coated with a urethane surface layer that protects
against staining, fading, and scratching. This assembly is stiff
enough to be installed using either a "modified loose lay"
installation method that uses an acrylic double-face tape or a
"full spread" method that uses an adhesive. The modified loose lay
method requires that the flooring be cut about 1/4 inch away from
any vertical surfaces such as walls and cabinets. This gap will
then be covered by a molding. For more information, contact
Armstrong, 800-233-3823, www.armstrong.com
Rubber Soil
Recycled rubber provides ground
cover
GroundScape — a shredded rubber ground cover — provides
a nontoxic, natural-looking alternative to sand, stones, and
pavers, and it reportedly won't mold, rot, attract insects, or get
as dusty as wood chips, bark, and other mulches. Because of its
greater density and interlocking characteristics, the manufacturer
claims GroundScape won't blow or wash away like ordinary mulch. The
shredded rubber is designed to look like and replace fine
triple-shred landscape mulch or to be used as a rubber safety
surface under a child's play structure. You can also place it
around decks, gazebos, pools, and gardens and in areas where grass
will not grow. For more information, contact GroundScape
Technologies, 877-922-7529, www.groundscapelandscape.com
Metal Munchers
Improved recip-saw blades
Milwaukee introduced the Ice Edge reciprocating saw blade, an
improved metal cutting blade targeted at the HVAC and plumbing
trades. Featuring a bi-metal construction with 8% cobalt, the new
blades employ an innovative heat-treating process that the
manufacturer says improves the hardness, wear resistance, and
dimensional stability of the new blades. The steel in these blades
is reportedly more flexible and less prone to shattering. In
addition, a radiused back face on each tooth that increases tooth
strength, combined with a positive rake and deeper gullets that
removes chips faster, helps the blade cut faster and last longer.
Ice Edge blades are available with a universal shank to fit in any
recip saw, not just Sawzalls. For more information, contact
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp., 800-729-3878, www.milwaukeetool.com