I was told the Builders’ Show wouldn’t be as big or exciting as it was in 2008 when I was last here. It’s true that the show has half as many exhibits, but it is just as exciting. I covered much of the show floor yesterday, but there’s still a lot to see, and I haven’t made it to the outdoor exhibits or the New American Home.

I’ve already found some notable products. Huber, maker of the much-lauded AdvanTech subflooring and Zip roof- and wall-sheathing systems, has introduced a new sheathing panel with a layer of polyiso on the back. The R Sheathing panel is meant to help builders achieve the new energy-code requirements without switching to deeper studs or dealing with the complications of attaching siding over foam sheathing.

There aren’t many tool companies at the Builders’ Show, but one very cool tool caught my eye right away. Bullet Tools’ EZ Shear cut fiber cement, vinyl siding, VCT, laminate flooring–even 3/4-in. oak strip flooring. The tool is dust free and very fast. It seems solidly built, and prices seem in line with other dust-free methods for cutting fiber cement. Bullet Tools has some other cool stuff on its website too. 

Having done a pair of tile showers in my life, I was really excited by Tile Redi’s Tile Ready shower base. The molded plastic one-piece shower pan is waterproof and ready for tile. It’s available in dozens of configurations with left, right, and center drains. The upturned sides of the pan are 1/2-in. thick, so they line up with traditional tile backers on the shower walls.

You can see some of DeWalt’s new product introductions timed to coincide with the Builders’ Show here.

HEADLINES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDERS’ SHOW 2012
	IBS 2012: Day 1 New sheathing panel with a layer of polyiso on the back is meant to help builders achieve the new energy-code requirements without switching. Read more…
	IBS 2012: Day 2 Crawlspace Depot’s Bora-Foam is an expanded polystyrene insulation that’s code approved for crawlspace use without further fire protection. Read more…

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