The 15 Best Picks from the 2004 Builders' Show

2004 International Builders' Show The 15 best picks from the 2004 Builders' Show. BY ROY BERENDSOHN Published in the June 2004 issue.

WATER-CONSERVING TOILET KOHLER $270 Kohler's Cimarron uses only 1.4 gal. of water per flush. But it gets the job done without clogging by using a 3-1/4-in.-dia. flush valve and a 2-1/8-in.-dia. trapway that is fully glazed for maximum smoothness. Also, its Drylock system does away with the bolt holes through the tank. Instead, a pair of 1/2-in. bolts are engaged on a gasket-sealed bracket on the tank bottom. Set the tank on the bowl, then tighten the bolts. The Cimarron is sold at plumbing supply houses. For more information, contact Kohler Co., Kohler, WI 53044; 800-456-4537. www.kohler.com

PANELIZED TILE FLOOR EDGE FLOORING $3.50-$7 (SQ. FT.) A free-floating tile floor was impossible until this product. It uses ceramic or stone tiles attached to snap-together panels. You roll out its underlayment sheet, snap the panels in place, then seal the joints with grout from a pressurized can. The manufacturer also supplies a special tile-cutting circular saw blade. The underlayment costs $15 per 30-sq.-ft. roll, and the grout is $10 per can (enough for 20 to 40 sq. ft.). The saw blade is about $30. The flooring is sold exclusively at Lowe's Home Improvement Centers. For information, visit your local store or contact Edge Flooring, 200 Howell Dr., Dalton, GA 30721; 866-914-3343. www.edgeflooring.com PHOTOVOLTAIC ROOFING ATLANTIS ENERGY SYSTEMS $12,000 (100 SQ. FT.) Sunslates are fiber-cement roofing slates with a unique difference: They generate electricity. The photovoltaic panels glued to each slate create direct current, which is fed to an inverter that produces 120-volt alternating current for residential appliances and lighting circuits. The slates are hung from the roof with stainless steel fasteners and are designed to withstand snow loads and 120- mph winds. A completed roof looks like an ordinary slate roof when seen from the ground. A typical residential installation requires 300 sq. ft. of the slates and costs roughly $36,000. The system provides 60 to 80 percent of a house's electrical needs. Contact Atlantis Energy Systems, 9275 Beatty Dr., Suite B, Sacramento, CA 95820. www.atlantisenergy.org

COMPOSITE RAILING SYSTEM TIMBERTECH $25-$35 (LINEAR FT.) Mix sawdust and plastic resin and you have the beginning of a great railing system. Whitesand composite railing is assembled from 6- and 8-ft. lengths of top and bottom rails with precut balusters. The railing's smooth top surface, combined with the highly reflective pigments that give it color, provides a secure grip that's comfortable to hold even in hot weather. You can purchase the railing at lumberyards and home centers. For more information, contact TimberTech, 894 Prairie Ave., Wilmington, OH 45177; 800- 307-7780. www.timbertech.com ULTRAPURE WATER FILTER PUREFECTA $1700-$1900 (INSTALLED) Water should consist of two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen and nothing else. The Purefecta Drinking Water Purifier delivers that by taking out everything from common chemicals to viruses. Water passes through its prefilter, a reverse-osmosis membrane, a virus-removing filter, a carbon post-filter and a bacteria-removing post-filter. After 500 gal., the system is flushed by the installing dealer and filters are replaced ($300 to $400). It's sold at Kinetico dealers. Contact Kinetico, 10845 Kinsman Rd., Newbury, OH 44065; 800-944-9283. www.kinetico.com

WINDOW WITH HIDDEN JAMB LINER KOLBE & KOLBE $600 (STARTING PRICE) An ugly jamb liner detracts from a window's beauty. That's why Kolbe & Kolbe did away with a visible jamb liner on its Sterling series. The liner, block-and-tackle balances and all vinyl components are blissfully out of sight. The window's dual-position lever locks the two sash and unlocks the window, permitting tilt cleaning. To find a dealer, contact Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork, 1323 S. 11th Ave., Wausau, WI 54401. www.kolbe-kolbe.com COMPACT 1/2-IN. DRILL MILWAUKEE $160-$200 Is the 3/8-in. drill obsolete? Milwaukee's Compact Series 14.4-volt tool is the size of a 3/8-in. drill but packs a 1/2-in. chuck, 19 clutch positions and two speed ranges. It comes with two batteries and a charger that works on 9.6-volt through 18-volt batteries. Its gimbal-like device, called a Clip-Lok, enables you to secure the drill to your belt while permitting full movement of the tool. It includes a carrying case, and is sold at hardware stores and home centers. Contact Milwaukee Electric Tool, 13135 W. Lisbon Rd., Brookfield, WI 53005; 800-729-3878. www.milwaukeetool.com

RETROFIT FAUCET MOEN $150-$250 What do you do when you have a 3-hole sink and you want to use a single-lever faucet? Answer: Install the Moen Monticello. The latest addition to the Monticello line is designed for retrofitting 3-hole sinks. It uses a washerless cartridge and a simplified drop-in installation. It's available in a range of finishes from polished chrome to brushed platinum. Contact Moen, 25300 Al Moen Dr., North Olmsted, OH 44070. www.moen.com HIGH-POWERED 9.6-VOLT DRILL HITACHI $80 Hitachi's DS9DVF is petite, but it packs a punch. The 9.6-volt tool weighs only 3.2 pounds but is rated to drill through 3/8-in.-thick steel. Its 3/8-in. keyless chuck is backed by a 22-position clutch and two speed ranges: 0 to 280 rpm and 0 to 840 rpm. Included are seven bits, two batteries, a charger, a carrying case and a flashlight. Contact Hitachi, 3950 Steve Reynolds Blvd., Norcross, GA 30093. www.hitachi.com

HEAT-RECOVERY GAS FIREPLACE HEATILATOR $5000-$6000 (INSTALLED) Heatilator's FreshAir gas fireplace uses an aluminum-core heat-recovery ventilator to reclaim the heat in the combustion waste gas. Then it power vents the gas outside. That way you have a nice, clean gas fire that heats living areas without combustion byproducts entering the space. Neat trick. The fireplace is available with either a glass front or an open front. To find a dealer, contact Heatilator, 1915 W. Saunders St., Mount Pleasant, IA 52641; 877-427-8368. www.freshairfireplace.com

SYNTHETIC ROOF LOOKS LIKE CEDAR ENVIROSHAKE $375 (100 SQ. FT.) The Enviroshake looks like a No. 1 grade taper-sawn cedar roof, but it's 95 percent recycled materials. To be more specific, it's molded from plastic, fibers and tire-derived rubber. It starts out as a brown-gray and weathers to the same silver-gray color of cedar shingles after a couple of years. The product can be installed over plywood or skip sheathing, and is fastened with ordinary roofing nails. Note that pricing varies widely depending on region. Contact Wellington Polymer Technology, 650 Riverview Dr., Unit 5, P.O. Box 1462, Chatham, Ontario, Canada N7M 5W8. www.enviroshake.com SABRE SAW BOSCH $170 A saw is only as good as its ability to stay on the cutline. Bosch's 1590EVSK grips its T-shank blades with a 3-point blade holder and a second lower clamp to prevent the blade from wandering. Toolfree blade changes, a soft start, and electronics that monitor the load on the 6.4-amp motor and adjust its output are among the saw's industrial features. Four orbital settings adjust the saw's cutting aggressiveness. It's available at hardware stores and home centers. Contact Bosch Power Tools, 4300 W. Peterson Ave., Chicago, IL 60646; 877-267-2499. www.boschtools.com

COMPOSITE PORCH FLOORING TENDURA $6.50 (SQ. FT.) It used to be that porch floors had to be painted. No more. Tendura 1 x 4 composite porch flooring is solid gray throughout its thickness, so you'll never get wear marks in high-traffic areas. It's made from recycled plastic resin and sawdust. It locks together with tongue-and-groove joints fastened with stainless steel ring-shank nails driven through predrilled holes. For a distributor, contact Tendura, 1220 S. Brundidge St., P.O. Box 827, Troy, AL 36081; 800-836-3872. www.tendura.com DUAL-MODE CLOTHES DRYER MAYTAG $1200-$1500 Maytag's Neptune Drying Center combines a tumble dryer with an upper drying cabinet for garments that need a gentle touch. You can hang nine garments on a rod that sways back and forth as warm air blows through the cabinet, or you can lay five garments on removable mesh shelves. Hooks on the cabinet's doors provide a place for you to hang small items. Below the cabinet is a 7-cu.-ft. tumble dryer. It is sold at appliance dealers. Contact Maytag, 403 W. Fourth St. N., Newton, IA 50208. www.maytag.com

DUAL-FUEL RANGE BOSCH $1800 Maximum cooking capability for the money is what the 30-in. Bosch free-standing dual-fuel range is all about. This appliance has a continuous grate over its four gas burners (5500 to 15,000 BTU) and a broiler element and convection oven below. A telescoping full-extension oven rack and two standard racks that can be set at six positions let you put the food just where it needs to cook. The stove is available in black, white and stainless steel at appliance dealers. Contact Bosch Home Appliances, 5551 McFadden Ave., Huntington Beach, CA 92646; 800-921-9622. www.boschappliances.com