Builders’ ‘must have’ items

Some of the new products at the recent International Builders Show were real attention-getters, and any one of them could be a “must have” for your next project.

No mow

Composite and synthetic materials have entered virtually every aspect of the building industry. Some products are more like the real thing than are others.

Synthetic lawn is one category that’s “growing” rapidly, and with good reason – it looks and feels like the real thing but requires none of the maintenance headaches. No watering, mowing, thatching or fertilizing – and best of all, it remains green all year long.

And synthetic lawn isn’t just green in color, it’s environmentally “green” as it reduces pollution caused by gas-powered lawn equipment, conserves water and helps prevents fertilizers from running off into the water supply.

However, be prepared to lay down some “green” for this green — it runs about $3-$5 per square foot, installed.

Visit www.synlawn.com for more information.

No fog

Fixing your hair or shaving after a steamy shower can be impossible with a foggy mirror. You might even have to spend more time blow-drying your mirror than your hair.

That was before a company called A Bright Idea introduced its clever new Fog Free Reflections, a defogger made of ultra-thin flexible carbon panels that mounts behind any size mirror to quickly eliminate shower steam, condensation and mist.

Small electrical copper conduits are safely sandwiched between ultra-thin flexible carbon/Mylar panels. The device connects to an existing light fixture and begins defogging whenever the light is turned on, using about as much energy as a 75-watt bulb.

It’s available in several sizes and can be custom-made. On average, it costs less than $100.

Visit www.abiproducts.com for more information.

Give that junk a lift

One of the fastest-growing building-related categories is home storage and organization.

Into that realm comes SpaceLift, a sort of cable car that transports items to and from your attic storage space using a remote-controlled platform that rides along tracks on a stairway.

It enables you to load materials on the ground or in the attic and move them from one place to the other without breaking any more sweat than comes from pushing a button.

As with conventional fold-down ladders, the SpaceLift stairway disappears into the ceiling when not in use. When the stairway is deployed, the SpaceLift platform remains stowed in the attic, out of the way of the access hole, providing easy attic access. When activated, the platform, suspended by four steel cables, moves into position above the attic access hatch and is lowered to the floor along the stairway tracks.

The SpaceLift costs $2,995. A similar version uses a vertically traveling platform without stairs and lists for $2,295.

Visit www.spaceliftproducts.com for more information.

Make room

Need more room? Look between the studs. That’s the company slogan for In Wall Cabinets.

Its clever line of recessed cabinets are made to fit perfectly between the studs of a two-by-four wall. The cabinets, which look custom-made, can be used where there’s no room for a traditional freestanding cabinet.

Some suggested uses include a display or “curio” cabinet (with optional lighting); coat rack with umbrella storage; liquor bar or wine storage cabinet (both with decorative glass storage); display cabinet for sports memorabilia; and billiards cue cabinet.

There are smaller versions that can be used as a dart board closet or medicine chest, or as a cabinet for billiard balls, CDs or fireplace tools.

One might even be used as a pantry for canned goods in or near the kitchen.

The cabinets are available with or without doors.

In Wall Cabinets range from $150-$490 depending on size, finish and options.

Visit www.inwallcabinets. com for more information.