15 New Building Materials Revolutionizing Home Construction and Design

TYPAR’s Clear Acrylic Flashing simplifies the installation process, lowers the number of mistakes, and reduces callbacks. Because it’s clear, you can easily see that it’s correctly covering seams, and that makes checking off inspections quicker, too. The acrylic material is self-sealing, waterproof, and UV-resistant for 9 months.

Henry’s Blueskin VPTech is a 3-in-1 product that’s all about energy and time efficiency. As you install the panels around the exterior, you get R5 continuous insulation, an air and water barrier, and seam sealing without any additional materials or steps. Its use lowers the building’s HERS score and contributes to Energy Star and ZERH (Zero Energy Ready Home) requirements. Plus, you’ll get all those benefits with roughly 30% faster installation time.

Weather Shield’s VUE Pivot Doors are an upgrade for building projects that demand to make a serious design statement. Pivoting in the center rather than on traditional hinges, you can create custom entryways up to 14 feet tall and 8 feet wide. With a wide range of materials and colors to choose from, your high-end clients and their guests will be impressed.

Pella’s Wood Sliding Patio Doors aren’t new this year, but they are redesigned to address several needs. Standard for 3 and 4-panel and optional for 2-panel designs, knockdown frames make installation easier. Models that feature Pella’s Lifestyle Series triple pane glass are more energy efficient while exterior aluminum cladding improves durability. There are also new modern styles to keep up with current home design trends.

Some new building materials look great and improve your home’s function. I use my garage ceiling for storage, so Clopay’s VertiStack Avante design resonates with me. Rather than maintaining its full length on tracks or rolling up on itself, the panels lift up and then stack into each other, taking up a much smaller footprint and leaving a much cleaner look. There are a variety of sizes available to meet your client’s needs. These were previously available in a commercial design and are now available for residential installs.

As a Florida homeowner, I know how big of a deal roofing materials can be. When you want the look of shingles (or your HOA demands it) but want a more durable roof, Westlake Royal Unified Steel Stone Coating Roofing is a very attractive option. Backed by a 50-year transferrable warranty, it lasts up to 3x longer than asphalt shingles. It’s wind rated up to 120 MPH, can be installed to improve energy efficiency, has an underlayment option for a Class A fire rating, carries a Class 4 impact rating, and has a Very Severe Hail impact classification. The benefits of a metal roof with the aesthetics of shingle… what’s not to love?

While these technically aren’t new building materials, contractors involved with storm response will love what the Hurri-Tarp has to offer. Instead of causing additional roof damage by nailing it in place, you lay the Hurri-Tarp over the damaged area, and then fill it with water. Once filled, the tarp’s weight keeps it in place and since there are no fasteners involved, it’s reusable. Each 10 x 10 Hurri-Tarp is $150.

If you’re looking for a DIY-friendly way to add a ground-level deck, Moisture Shield’s Instadeck is brilliantly simple and easy. Start by leveling the ground, add the Instadeck frames, and then snap your choice of MoistureShield deck boards into place. There are no posts to install, no spacers to deal with, and no screws to drive. With several decking color and design options to work with, it’s an easy way to improve your outdoor living space in a hurry.

NCP Industries’ ECO₂LUXE focuses on outstanding aesthetics and CO2 reduction for exterior stone products. By incorporating CaptureCrete in the mix, these products absorb C02 from the air, trap it, and actually get stronger as they absorb. Even if you break them up, ECO₂LUXE stone profile and pavers won’t release the carbon dioxide back into the air. If you’re looking for ways to offer your clients a lower carbon footprint on building projects, ECO₂LUX can play a key role.

When you need a caulk that matches your paint or stain, it can be tough to get it just right. Sascho’s eXact Color Caulk not only makes it happen, it’s also easy to prep in the field. The tube has a gap so there’s room to add your water-based paint or stain using the included syringe. The caulk is thin, so you can shake the paint in to distribute the color. Then, add the included thickener, shake it up, wait 30 minutes, and you’re good to go. Since it’s all built around a high-performance caulk, it has the durability and flexibility to stand the test of time.

Rubio Monocoat’s Oil Plus 2C is a two-component plant-based, hardwax oil wood finish. Containing no solvents, water, or VOC’s, just a single application gives you the durable finish you need for flooring, cabinetry, furniture and nearly any other wood project thanks to a molecular bond to the surface fibers. The two parts include an accelerant and a hardener that you premix before applying. You don’t have to worry about lap lines, it maintains the natural look of the wood, and it’s easy to maintain.

Radiant floor heating installation is getting easier, much faster, and more cost effective thanks to MP Global Products’ Quiet Warmth. Simply unroll the mats and route the leads. You can cut the mats to length and start your floor install the same day. The mats are super-thin and work via conductive ink. Because of their thin profile, you don’t have the leveling or encapsulation complications other systems do. With specific design for floating floors, tile, and over joists, it’s a whole-home solution both your clients and installers will love.

While some of the new building materials on my list are for the look, this one is all about efficiency. ClearLOC is a new take on press fittings for plumbing that can save you significant time on installs. Made with a transparent PPSU body, you can easily see that your PE-RT, PEX, Copper, or CPVC is set to the correct depth, eliminating the need to measure and mark. ClearLOC fittings are tested to exceed ASSE 1061 pressure requirements by 300%, are removable/reusable, and come with a 25-year warranty, making them a clear winner in the category.

As you’re considering new building materials on a build or remodel, don’t neglect how items like tubs and sinks affect the overall ambiance. Few things make a bathroom look luxurious like a freestanding tub, but the Acrylic Haven from Hammock Bath is on another level. Having the appearance of floating above the floor, the hammock shape is distinct, even in the freestanding class, and offers your clients a statement piece that’s as luxuriously functional as it is aesthetic. Made from molded acrylic, it’s stain-resistance and durable. As they say, a picture is worth 1000 words, so maybe just stare for a few minutes and imagine what your next custom bathroom design could be.

I can appreciate solid aesthetics, but I’m a practical guy at heart, which is why I love Elkay’s new Crosstown Workstation Sinks. The sink is made from 16 or 18-gauge stainless steel with a professional look, deep bowl, and sound-dampening pads and undercoating to reduce noise. A ledge at the top makes room for Elkay’s Workstation cutting boards, colanders, drying racks, and other accessories that make your sink more than just a sink. If you’re like me and enjoy the culinary arts, you’ll appreciate the form and function these sinks bring to your kitchen.