Paints & Coatings

Just the Flax. Made entirely from linseed (flax) oil and natural pigments, Allback Organic Linseed Paint lasts up to 50 years on exterior applications, says the maker — provided it's maintained every five to 10 years with a coat of clean boiled linseed oil. The Swedish-made solvent-free product is purportedly the only paint allowed on Scandinavian royal structures. It comes in 20 colors and costs about $35 per quart, which covers approximately 150 square feet. Viking Sales, 585/924-8070, www.solventfreepaint.com

Patch Up. A scratch or a chip on a hardwood floor, cabinet, or piece of furniture can damage client relationships and take a bite out of your profit. Fortunately, you can fix these mishaps with a line of specialty products originally developed for cabinetmakers and furniture manufacturers. Konig's Basic Service Kit contains everything needed to touch up chips and gouges in any finish; its secret ingredient is a hard wax that's applied with a butane-powered hot knife. I've seen the product demonstrated, with impressive results. It costs about $340. Konig North America, 215/426-6216, www.konigtouchup.com

Before

After Spray-On Masonry. Tastes change and colors go out of fashion — and that can be a real problem for masonry buildings. Boral Bricks' ReCote premixed masonry coating makes updating a brick faade a lot easier. Applied with a textured sprayer, the coating comes in 30 colors and in $80 pails that cover approximately 250 square feet. Boral Bricks, 800/526-7255, www.boralbricks.com

Builders' Hardware

Disappearing Act. One of the coolest ways I've seen to hide a television is to use Reversica's Gyre 6300. Unique hardware allows this unit to rotate so that a 50-inch (or smaller) TV can switch places with a cabinet or bookcase. A heavy-duty cable tray keeps wires from getting damaged or tangled during operation. The Gyre 6300 supports up to 375 pounds total and costs about $3,000. A video on the company's Web site shows how it works. Reversica, 888/887-6887, www.reversica.com Open and Shut. Pocket doors can be a great space-saving solution — but installing them as part of a remodel is often a pain, especially when ducts or pipes are in the way. Johnson's 2610F Wall Mounted Sliding Door Hardware can help. The kit holds doors weighing up to 125 pounds and comes with tracks up to 192 inches long. Prices start at $43. L.E. Johnson Products, 800/837-5664, www.johnsonhardware.com.