Kitchen & Bath
OUTDOOR KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
Grilling Powerhouse. Available in drop-in,
slide-in, and freestanding models, the Char-Glo outdoor
barbecue offers up to 80,000 Btu of cowabunga under the grill,
plus a rotisserie, a broiler, a gourmet smoker tray, and
electronic ignition. Unit prices range from $3,000 to $4,400,
depending on style and size (30-, 36-, and 48-inch models).
Thermador, 800/735-5547,
www.thermador.com
Blast the Cold. Frigid-climate clients who
spend a small fortune on an outdoor kitchen will freeze their
lobster tails all winter long without a Phoenix III Patio
Heater. The natural-gas or propane heater produces up to 40,000
Btu and provides a 20-foot-diameter zone of warmth, says the
manufacturer. It packs a suggested retail price of $749.
DCS, 800/433-8466,
www.dcsappliances.com
Backyard Gourmet. If you're starting from
scratch, the NPT BBQ Island provides one-stop shopping for
modular barbecue island components and proprietary appliances.
Island modules can be arranged in countless custom layouts, or
you can default to a stock configuration. The galvanized steel
framework is clad with precut cement board and can be finished
with stucco, porcelain tile, or faux or natural stone or brick.
Prices vary according to configuration. National Pool
Tile Group, 888/411-8453,
www.nptgonline.com
Get Out! Stirring? Frying? Take that
spattering mess outdoors where it belongs, over the wok ring
option mounted on a Built-in Grill. This comprehensive line of
outdoor kitchen components boasts stainless steel construction,
commercial styling, and 22,000-Btu burners. Components include
grilling and smoking units, refrigerators, ice-makers,
refreshment centers with water filtration, and more. Suggested
retail prices for individual elements range from $499 to
$3,499. KitchenAid, 269/923-5000,
www.insideadvantage.com
TILE BACKERS AND SUBSTRATESLightweight Backerboard. The 8-pound,
cement-faced, completely waterproof ProPannel promises to
change the way you feel about cutting and hanging cement
backerboard. Concerned about durability? This 3-by-5-foot,
1/2-inch-thick extruded polystyrene panel is rated for
light-commercial floor installation, where it can also function
as an isolation membrane. The panels retail for about $1.30 per
square foot. Bonsal American, 704/525-1621,
www.bonsal.com
Quick Work. A double coat of this latex
waterproofing and anti-fracture membrane can be applied in a
day and prepares shower walls, plywood underlayment, and
concrete slabs for vertical and horizontal thinset ceramic
tile. Spread D-222 Duraguard with a brush, roller, or trowel to
a recommended thickness of 20 to 30 mils; it will bridge cracks
and gaps of up to 1/8 inch wide. The product is packaged in
3.5-gallon buckets or in four-packs of one-gallon containers;
it's priced and sold by individual distributors. Bostik
Findley, 800/726-7845,
www.bostik-us.com/products
Two-Part Membrane. If brush-on waterproofing
and anti-fracture membranes appeal to you, but you're leery of
an unreinforced system, consider the AVM System 700 monolithic
waterproofing membrane. The 100 percent acrylic, water-based
product roller-applies over a heavy-duty polyester reinforcing
fabric to a finished 25-mil thickness. According to the maker,
the product adheres exceptionally well to plywood and concrete
substrates — and, as a cured membrane, it bonds just as
well with thinset. Retail cost runs between $1.20 and $1.45 per
square foot. AVM Industries, 888/414-1041,
www.waterproofingmaterials.com
Shower Prep System. With the Kerdi-Shower-Kit,
you've got everything you need to create a watertight shower
assembly without a mortar bed or special backerboard. The kit
contains a presloped polystyrene base and entry curb, a
proprietary drain system, and a polyethylene waterproof
membrane with fleece anchoring on both sides. The membrane can
be applied directly over ordinary drywall using thinset
adhesive. Full kits sell for $395; individual components can be
purchased separately.
Schlüter-Systems, 800/472-4588,
www.schluter.com