New Products For Your Renovation

When you begin to plan your renovation, it's a good idea to spend some time exploring what products and materials are available. In addition to the many well-known traditional products, there is a steady stream of new products being introduced, as manufacturers seek to meet ever growing consumer and industry demand for choice, low maintenance, durability, easy installation and homeowner comfort and safety.

Here is a brief look at a few products that have recently come on the market or become more commonplace in home renovations. For detailed information about these and many other options, talk with professional renovators and building material suppliers

Construction products and materials

• Engineered wood joists. It's easy to achieve today's open look, whether you add to your home or decide on a major overhaul of your existing space. Manufactured wood composite joists can span up to 30 feet without support. The joists also eliminate floor squeaks.
• Concrete piers. Made of high-density plastic, these lightweight, tapered concrete forms for decks and additions reduce the risk of frost heaving and are easy to install. The forms are back-filled and compacted before being filled with concrete; a safety top keeps out rocks and dirt until just before the cement goes in.
• Roofing. The roof is an integral part of the appearance of your home and can further enhance the beauty of your home. The latest products include long-lasting concrete tiles available in a variety of colours and styles such as slate or cedar shake; lightweight concrete tiles permit re-roofing without needing to reinforce the trusses. Similarly, roofing made from recycled plastic and rubber materials are produced in a number of shapes, sizes and styles.
• Waterproof membrane. Water seepage from the outside through cracks between the old foundation and a new addition is a common problem. A waterproof membrane on the outside of the new foundation, extended well past the corners of the old one, can eliminate this problem.
• Subflooring. Aimed at the basement renovation market, interlocking engineered wood panels with a bottom layer of stiff plastic and protruding dimples are quick to install and make for a dry sub-floor ready for final covering.
• Floor leveling system. "True and square" renovations can look out of place in a well-settled older home. Traditional cement sub-flooring follows the laws of gravity; a new cement-based compound can be worked and will dry off-level to match the lines of existing floors.
• Infloor radiant heating. Looking to increase the comfort and coziness of your home? With heating coils embedded right into the floor, radiant heating eliminates cold floors-great on wintery mornings in the bathroom, for instance.
• Composite and plastic lumber for your deck. When planning a new deck, you may want to check out the latest maintenance-free decking materials. Composite lumber is made from wood or other organic products (e.g. sawdust or rice hulls) mixed with recycled plastics, while plastic lumber contains 100% recycled plastic. Available in a range of colours, these products can usually be installed like conventional decking materials. Other no-maintenance decking options include vinyl, which comes in a range of top coverings and snap-together systems.

Finishing products and materials

• Exterior cladding. Plan to resurface your entire home or blend in an addition? Engineered wood siding is made with compressed wood fibres with a variety of surface textures and a baked-on finish that will not require repainting for years. Fibre cement lap siding is highly resistant to moisture and durable. It must be painted once installed, but repainting is not needed for many years. A new generation of brick is particularly suitable for resurfacing older homes-thin, lightweight, tongue-and-groove bricks are stacked without mortar and screwed directly into the frame of the house.
• Brick paint. Matching the exterior of a new addition with an existing home has become easier. A special no-gloss, slightly gritty paint, available in many shades, can be applied to new bricks before they are laid.
• Self-cleaning windows. Sounds like a dream come true? This new invention is designed to eliminate dirty panes and risky cleaning of hard-to-reach windows. A special coating reacts with ultra-violet rays from natural daylight to break down dirt; as rain or water runs off, it takes the dirt with it, leaving no streaks or drying spots. The coating lasts the lifetime of the glass.
• Pre-finished flooring. With factory-finishing, you can enjoy the advantages of hardwood flooring without having to live with the inconvenience of sanding, sealing and coating right in your home.
• Floating flooring. Made of fiberboard and laminates, this versatile and durable flooring may be glued or "clicked" together and "floats" on top of the sub-floor, not anchored to it-an advantage in basements, for instance, where variations in humidity levels can cause wood to alternately swell and shrink. It comes in different looks and colours, including natural wood.
• Plaster board. The "veneer plaster system" combines the convenience of drywall with the look and feel of old-fashioned walls and ceilings. Plaster board can be finished in many different styles and textures, and it's perfect for period houses when matching original plaster.
• Plaster mouldings. Pre-fab crown mouldings add elegance to any room at a reasonable cost. They are easy to install and eliminate the need to finish joints where a wall and ceiling meet. They are also a good way to conceal wiring or indirect lighting.
• Automatic dustpan inlets. Connected to a whole-house vacuum system, dustpan inlets are most often used in kitchens or entranceways for quick clean-ups. They are installed in baseboards or the kickboard of a cabinet and activated with a toe switch.
• Storage. The kickboard under the kitchen cabinet can become convenient, space-saving storage for a fold-up stepstool.
• Keyless entry systems. A keyless entry system can eliminate awkward fumbling with keys at the door or getting locked out of your home. Systems range from remote control units to programmable keypads. They can be battery operated or hardwired. Some are designed to replace existing deadbolts with little or no modification to your door.

Source: Canadian Home Builders' Association