House Coat. Huber ZIP System wall and roof
sheathing panels have breathable, water-resistant coatings
— rated at 12 to 16 perms — so they need no
housewrap or roofing underlayment. Seaming tape completes the
seal. According to the maker, the sheathing delivers a rough
dry-in period of 120 days, and no H-clips are needed for roof
panels. It’s sold in 8-, 9-, and 10-foot-long sheets for
$11 and up. Huber Engineered Woods,
800/933-9220,
zipsystem.com.
Wood Counters. Craft-Art’s Heritage
Wood Collection Countertops come in a range of species and
designs. The company’s dealers template, fabricate, and
install the tops, though sometimes they can provide simple
pieces — fabricated only — based on your
measurements. Installed tops cost $90 to $750 per square foot.
Craft-Art, 404/352-5625,
artisan-collection.com.
Utility Light.
There was a time when closet lighting meant a light bulb and a
string, but fire and electrical codes have put a stop to bare
bulbs in enclosed spaces. Leviton’s Energy
Star–rated #9860 Fluorescent Ceiling Lampholder is an
affordable option for utility lighting. It has a 13-watt lamp
that uses less energy (and generates less heat) than an
incandescent of similar brightness and a tough polycarbonate
lamp guard. It costs $15. Leviton,
800/323-8920,
leviton.com.
Clean Edges.
Azek’s smooth and rustic textured PVC trim boards are now
available with the company’s Edge technology, which Azek
says produces smooth, sealed edges that are truly square. The
treatment also purportedly helps edges stay cleaner throughout
handling and installation and makes them easier to clean
afterward. Prices for 1x6 trim range from $1.85 to $2.20 per
linear foot. Azek, 877/275-2935,
azek.com.
Thick Trim. Versatex’s new 6/4
Trimboard is 1 1/4 inches thick — so you don’t have
to laminate pieces to get thick trim. The cellular PVC boards
come in nominal sizes in 10- and 12-foot lengths, and in
4-by-8-foot and 4-by-10-foot sheets. A 4x8 sheet costs $255.
Versatex, 724/857-1111,
versatex.com.
No-Bolt Anchors.
With Simpson Strong-Tie’s embedded anchors, there’s
no need to mark and drill sill plates. The new MASA Mudsill
Anchors are a one-to-one replacement for heavier, 5/8-inch
J-bolts. They work in stem-wall or slab foundations and attach
directly to the edge of the forms. The 16-gauge steel wraps
around the sill plate for nailing — or you can nail it up
the side of a stud. The anchors cost 85 cents to $1 apiece.
Simpson Strong-Tie, 800/999-5099,
strongtie.com.
Corded Wrap. Some housewraps are crinkled to
leave a drainage plane behind siding, but Pactiv’s
GreenGuard RainDrop Housewrap has vertical cords to ensure that
even the tightest siding installation can’t close the
gap. It’s nonperforated to resist air and water
infiltration, can be left exposed for 120 days, and has a perm
rating of 10. A 9-by-100-foot roll costs $122.
Pactiv, 800/241-4402,
green-guard.com.