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WHAT’S HOT IN HOUSE SIDING FOR 2021?
HERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT ARE TURNING HEADS IN THE NEW YEAR.
1 TANDOSTONE
MFG: TandoStone WEB: www.tandobp.com INFO: TandoStone composite stone siding offers two new colors: Nordic Mist, part of the Tando Creek Ledgestone Collection, and Glacier Bay, under the Stacked Stone line. Creek Ledgestone emulates the rugged look of hand-picked stone with distinct grout lines, while Stacked Stone features a dry stack profile without grout lines between the stones. Nordic Mist is a cool gray with warm accents, and Glacier Bay includes an array of frosty gray hues. TandoStone features realistic design, easy installation, moisture resistance, expansive color options, and TruGrit technology—a matte texture that offers a low-gloss appearance and the rough, gritty feel of real stone. Impervious to moisture, TandoStone works for ground-level or roofline applications and can be installed in any climate. It’s also safe and easy to install as an accent on tall walls, so homeowners never have to worry about stones falling off the wall.
2 ASCEND COMPOSITE CLADDING
MFG: Alside WEB: www.alside.com INFO: Ascend Composite Cladding by Alside is a “first-of-its-kind” siding solution offering a color palette of 20 shades with the deeply grained look of real wood. Winner of a 2021 “Best of IBSx Award” for new building materials, Ascend is the world’s first cladding engineered with a combination of Glass-Reinforced Polymer and Graphite-Infused Polystyrene. This patented technology achieves superior performance in tests for wind load and impact resistance, workability and flame/smoke spread—all without the headaches of maintenance. Not only does the product’s light weight make it easy to handle, but its self-aligning stack lock makes it easy to install. Plus, no sealing, touching up, joint flashing or caulking is required—meaning less mess and less waste. Ascend siding is backed by a lifetime warranty.
3 DIAMOND KOTE SIDING
MFG: Diamond Kote Siding WEB: www.diamondkotesiding.com INFO: The No. 1 brand of prefinished LP Smartside, Diamond Kote Siding is an engineered wood product treated with a SmartGuard process, which allows it to withstand extreme temperatures, heavy humidity, freeze/thaws and everything in between. Diamond Kote Siding is backed by a 30-year No fade warranty, plus a 5/50-year limited warranty provides 5-year, 100-percent labor and replacement feature and a 50-year prorated limited warranty on the product. Its core strength resists airborne debris, and the warranty covers damage from hail up to 1.75-inch in diameter. Custom color options are available. Plus, the the siding is designed to install up to 22 percent faster than standard 16-ft. lap siding, due to its heavy-duty rear spline.
4 TRUCEDAR STEEL BOARD AND BATTEN
MFG: Quality Edge WEB: www.qualityedge.com INFO: TruCedar Steel Siding from Quality Edge replicates the popular vertical Craftsman style of board and batten siding available in wide (10-in.) and narrow (6-in.) profiles. Each TruCedar profile has a carbon-reinforced steel alloy core enveloped in CarbonTech60 zinc coating. This coating provides both a physical barrier and cathodic protection and prevents moisture and oxygen from reaching the steel core. The siding won’t peel, rot, fade, crack, mold or melt; it resists pest infestation, and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty.
The HIR team went on site with Mike Roberts and Justin McAllister of Lovelady Construction as they installed a beautiful blue TruCedar steel siding on a home in Thorsby, Alabama.
NEWSWIRE
T-REX BRUTE FORCE TAPE SETS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD
T-Rex Brute Force tape has set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the strongest duct
tape. To achieve the strongest duct tape title, Brute Force was tested against 19 other premium duct tapes of similar material and strength claims from around the world. Brute Force produced a tensile strength at break of 303.5 pounds per inch—outperforming the competitive tapes by more than 50 percent. To showcase T-Rex Brute Force tape, the brand teamed up with four-time World’s Strongest Man Brian Shaw to put the product through multiple lifts and strength tests—including lifting a 700-pound concrete block with just one loop of the tape and pulling more than 400 pounds. Check out all the lifts and stunts at TrexTape.com/Strongest.
Broan-NuTone's new connected indoor air quality system, Overture, connects a home's supply and exhaust ventilation to monitor the quality of air and turn on automatically when air quality levels are low. The system is fully integrated into a home's supply and exhaust ventilation and can be installed in new construction or remodels without the need for an incremental hub, meaning it can be controlled from the cloud. Overture operates with new or existing products using specialized switches and sensors. Installation is a breeze in either scenario. Sensors detect when humidity and pollutants are present and automatically switch on the appropriate Broan-Nutone ventilation fan, rangehood, ERV/HRV, or supply fan. It automatically mitigates the issue through a balance of exhaust and fresh air. Learn more at overture.broan-nutone.com.
RELIEF FROM HIGH LUMBER PRICES?
The American Wood Council released a report outlining the variety of issues that have spurred an imbalance between lumber supply and demand, and more importantly, what can be done about it. According to the report, Federal Reserve Chairman Powell was quoted recently saying that the recent fall in lumber prices is
an indicator that high-inflation readings "will start to abate. Prices that have moved up really quickly because of the shortages and bottlenecks and the like should stop going up. And at some point, they, in some cases, should actually go down. And we did see that in the case of lumber."
The AWC contends that the most meaningful opportunity to address constraints to lumber supply is to focus on transportation and workforce limitations, touting such programs as the DRIVE Safe Act to provide a framework from which young drivers can safely enter the transportation industry. The AWC says the Safe Routes Act legislation will provide for safer and more efficient transportation of logs, pulpwood, wood chips and biomass. Additionally, the bipartisan bill Promoting Women in Trucking Workforce Act would require the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to establish training and mentorship programs for women. Learn more at www.awc.org.
BUY A VISE, HELP A VETERAN
Wilton has joined with NAPA Auto Parts in a national, in-store promotion of Wilton’s Limited Edition 6-in. WS6 Shop Vise (63302IFH) in support of the nation’s Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF). For each Limited Edition vise sold during the July through September event, $5.00 will be donated to the care of military service members who suffer from the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress (PTS). The total amount donated through the promotion is set at $25,000. The Wilton Limited Edition 6-in. WS6 Shop Vise is available at participating NAPA dealers.
ASK MATT
QUESTION: Is it necessary to replace the jamb when upgrading an interior door?
ANSWER: For interiors, if your doorframe is in good shape, installing only a “’slab,” also called a “blank door,” should work because an interior door doesn’t need the same weather-tight seal as a pre-hung door that includes the jamb. You’ll need to measure the old door and buy a “blank” door the same standard size. Replacement usually requires you to measure the bottom of the new door and trim it down. You will need to mark and chisel out mortises to screw on the hinge plates, and you’ll need a drill plus a hole saw to install the lockset and doorknob.
QUESTION: I’m trying to determine board sizes and beam spans for a backyard deck. Can you clarify the meaning of “live” versus “dead” loads when designing the deck frame?
ANSWER: The concept of “load” in structural design generally falls into two major categories: dead loads and live loads, which are forces that cause stress or displacement to the structure and risk its failure.
The dead load of a structure comprises its completed weight before it goes into service. The floors, walls, roof, columns, stairs, permanent equipment and any fixed decor constitute a static load that normally doesn’t change over the life of the structure. In other words, the dead load is calculated before the structure takes on additional loads from occupancy or use (including the weight and movement of any people and components). Live loads refer to the dynamic forces from occupancy and intended use. They represent the forces that can move through the building or act on any particular structural element. These loads include the anticipated weight of people, furniture, appliances, automobiles, moveable equipment and the like. Because live loads depend on structural strength, it’s critical to know of the exact planned use of the structure—for example, whether the structure is a roof for a pergola or a deck intended to carry the weight of foot traffic. To pass building code requirements, a structure must also be built to withstand dynamic lateral loads, which can come from wind, snow loads, soil movement and even seismic activity. H
Need more info? Visit Matt’s blog at HomeImprovementAndRepairs.com.
