In 2020, we featured more than 70 building products from across the industry in Product Profiles. These are the Top 10 favorite building products of 2020 as voted by the readers of Rural Builder.
#1 Product: Snow Titan by AceClamp
Snow Titan® is a commercial-grade, heavy-duty alternative to our popular and easy to install Color Snap®. Featuring the same pre-assembled, non-penetrating metal roof clamps, Snow Titan delivers even greater snow-holding confidence by introducing our all-new triangular structured snow-rail. Snow Titan is designed to handle snow loads on roof panels with up to 42″ spans, depending upon the roof pitch and snow loads for your area.
Roofing avalanches can occur anywhere there is significant snow, but the dangers and liability to persons and property in these areas can be substantial. Terrifying snow slides can occur as snow begins to melt and suddenly slides off the roofs. Snow Titan is designed for projects in extreme climate areas that experience the heaviest snowfalls. Both homeowners and commercial property owners can rest assured knowing their property is ready for even the worst snowfalls.
Snow Titan utilizes the already familiar non-penetrating AceClamp® sliding-pin clamps and snap-in ice flags but delivers almost twice the strength and holding power of conventional snow retention systems. Multiple configurations are available in either one or two rail setups depending on the roof pitch and expected snowfall. To help assure long-term protection, Snow Titan’s rails and clamps, along with all of AceClamp’s products, are manufactured in the USA with non-corrosive materials such as stainless steel and aluminum. Available for SSMR, Slate, and Membrane roofing materials and in over 150 different powder coat options to complement your roof design.
Window Wrap® Self-Adhering Window Flashing Tapes by MFM Building Products
WindowWrap®, manufactured by MFM Building Products, is a patented series of self-adhering and self-sealing window flashing tapes designed to prevent the infiltration of water, moisture, air, and sound into the building structure. WindowWrap building products are suitable for new construction or renovation projects. In today’s economy, builders and homeowners demand maximum value from all their building materials. In the case of windows and doors, it means keeping out more than just water. WindowWrap delivers a family of products that go beyond the basics while providing maximum protection of your investment.
The WindowWrap family of products includes straight flash products, flex configurations for curved openings and sill flashing, as well as low-temperature products that feature a patented PowerBond™ adhesive system that can be installed in temperatures as low as 25°F. Regardless of the application, MFM can provide the proper product to do the job right.
WindowWrap PSX-20, WindowWrap PowerBond™ and WindowWrap White comply with AAMA 711 window flashing standards and meet ICC-ES AC148, Report ESR 2783. Meeting these industry standards offers a level of quality assurance for the building contractor.
Visit our website, www.mfmbp.com, for complete technical information, installation instructions, warranties and to view our WindowWrap video. Free samples can also be requested on the website or by calling 800-882-7663.
Doors by MWI Components
We, MWI Components, are honored to receive the Top 10 Product Award for our doors. We believe in providing quality building products to the post frame industry, and awards such as these continue to motivate us in our quest.
Doors are a leading aesthetic (and functional) feature you can add to your build; therefore, we offer several door options: Dutch Doors (& Fixed Dutch Doors), Double Dutch Doors, French Doors, Arcadian Slider Half Light & Double Buck Doors, Bale Doors, and Bale Windows.
Our Dutch and Bale Doors can be ordered as one assembled piece or in kit form. We also provide the option of knocked-down or welded frame (prepped with hinges). Our color-matched hardware will aid in providing the best possible aesthetic for your structure. Speaking of color, we offer thousands of color combinations!
Tips for MWI Dutch Doors Installation:
1. Frame opening needs to be plumb and square at 491/8″ +1/16″/-0″ wide x 873/8″ high
2. When specifying the swing of the door
i. Left Hand Swing = swings out to the left as viewed from the outside
ii. Right Hand Swing = swings out to the right as viewed from the outside
3. Attach bottom door panel to frame before top panel. Bottom hinge of top panel is left loose for access to bottom panel
MWI’s Arcadian Sliding Doors will bring a pop of attention to your entry or exit. Find these beauties in 26 standard sizes and as single or split doors. You can also choose between double cross-buck or half-light options. Again, choose between fully assembled or kit form doors and thousands of color combinations! We also offer the Arcadian Sabre Slim – an exterior, lockable latch with keyed entry. This polished, chrome-plated handle functions even when the exterior handle is locked – keeping you safe and looking great at the same time!
Tips for MWI Arcadian Sliding Doors Installation:
1. When ordering, identify door size as Width x Height, and allow for adequate door overlap to the rough opening at the Track Board (Header) and each Jamb
2. A flat clean surface should be used for door assembly
3. Check square of door rails by measuring diagonally and matching up the measurement
4. Start positioning box girts from the bottom of the door and work up to ensure all plywood seams are backed up by a box girt and anchored securely
5. To prevent unsightly issues from projecting through the sheet metal cladding, if required, spend time on the seams—leveling, flattening, sanding; then blow off dust for best adhesion results
6. Windows provided in Half Light Kits are sized ¾” under rough opening size
7. Dry fit sheet metal inserts and mark out locations prior to gluing inserts in position
8. To ensure good water shed, sheet metal inserts should be installed starting at the bottom and overlapping while working toward the top.
ColorGard by S-5!®
Year-after-year rooftop avalanches cause hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage, personal injury and even death. Snowpack can suddenly release and dump tons of snow below the eaves in a matter of seconds—endangering building elements, adjacent roofs, landscape, vehicles, property and even worse, pedestrians.
Inadequate snow guard systems or none at all create a life-safety issue and potential liability for building owners, designers and contractors. S-5! has mastered the art and science of mitigating this hazard since 1992 with a variety of fully engineered snow guard systems.
ColorGard by S-5!® is the ultimate snow guard solution for any metal roof when perfect color- and finish-matching to the roof is desired. It is the only system on the market designed and engineered on a site-specific basis. Manufactured in the U.S.A. from 100% non-corrosive metals—all designed to last the life of the roof—in our ISO 9001-15 audited plant, ColorGard’s prefabricated components are simple and easy to install with surprising speed and affordability.
ColorGard provides the safety and serviceability you need while complementing the look of your roof with a clean, non-conspicuous appearance. Load-tested on more than 500 roof profiles, all S-5! products come with an industry-leading and cost-free lifetime product warranty*. For more information, visit www.s-5.com.
ColorGard Features:
• Non-corrosive and maintenance-free, high-tensile aluminum
• Prefabricated components—provide simple, easy installation —even for DIY
• Perfect color- and finish-matching for the life of the roof, utilizing a strip of actual roof material
ColorGard Benefits:
• Compatible with all standing seam and exposed-fastened metal roof profiles
• Eliminates the need for painting or powder-coating
• Optional limited, lifetime system-performance warranty*
• Optional job-specific, low-cost P.E. wet stamp available
• Easy-to-use online project calculator for job-specific engineering
• Proven performance since 1995: 4,000+ miles of installations without a single documented failure
• Readily available from 40+ locations in the U.S. and Canada
• Endorsed by every major metal roof manufacturer in North America
*See S-5! website for warranty details
Building Packages by Wick Buildings
Becoming a Wick Builder helps to build your reputation as a provider of the highest quality buildings in our industry. Wick Buildings is a leader in the post-frame industry, providing buildings customized to the needs of the buyer since 1954.
What sets Wick Buildings apart?
Exceptional Engineering – Wick’s Licensed Professional Engineers (PE) stay current with the latest codes and building products technologies. Using those standards, Wick’s trained designers custom design each building to meet your customer’s needs and to stand the test of time.
Reliable, High Quality Lumber – Wick uses only machine graded or machine evaluated lumber for all structural components such as truss members, columns, girts, and purlins. It’s at least 15% stronger than regular lumber so you’ll see less maintenance down the road.
Extensive Warranty and Service – Wick proudly stands behind every building warranty and is an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau.
Durable Steel and Paint – Steel and paint are critical building materials for withstanding harsh weather conditions, 2x more impact-resistant. We use full-hard steel, 80,000 PSI hardness or better. It’s 2x the impact resistance of the 30,000 PSI commercial-grade steel used by other builders. You’re customer will appreciate that when hail falls on the roof or the mower throws stones at the wall—fewer dents and repairs are needed.
50% more corrosion protection. Our exterior steel is G-90 galvanized, compared to commonly used G-60, so Wick buildings will look great longer.
Warrantied not to chip or crack for 40 years. Besides our Akzo Nobel Ceram-a-Star 1050 paint warranty, it’s highly reflective for energy efficiency. What building buyer won’t like that?
And Wick builds everything—from industrial and light manufacturing facilities to banks and aviation buildings; from gas stations and churches to equine and livestock facilities. With clear spans up to 100 feet wide your customers will have an affordable and flexible space along with some of the best engineering in the industry.
When you choose to become a Wick Builder you’ll have a building partner with corporate strength and a name you and your customers can trust.
Full Nail Line by Maze Nails
Founded in 1848, Maze Company is celebrating 173 Years in business in 2021! There’s only one way to achieve that kind of longevity in the building products industry…and that is with unsurpassed quality. In addition, Maze is one of the very few remaining mills committed to manufacturing nails in the United States of America. Located in Peru, Illinois—Maze is preserving valued manufacturing jobs right here at home.
Maze has worked closely with the post frame construction industry for many decades. Every facet of a Maze Nail is designed with the builder in mind—with most of our developments due to builder comments and concerns.
HIGH CARBON STEEL—Nails are made from different grades of carbon steel. A short roofing nail does not need the same high grade of steel required by an 8″ ring shank pole barn nail. The Maze engineers worked closely with their steel suppliers to ensure that builders would not be high in the air—nailing purlins to trusses—only to have bending and snapping nail frustrations.
THREADED NAILS—Maze Co. (and their old division known as Independent Nail) invented spiral shank nails in 1930 and then ring shank nails in 1934. The concern at the time was that smooth shank nails tended to back out—and couldn’t give the high holding power needed when buildings racked and twisted as the lumber dried—or when the building was challenged by high winds. Many different thread forms were tried and tested—and in the end—ring shank was the winner.
RUST PROTECTION—Starting in 1916, Maze has been using the Hot-Dip Galvanizing process for putting a thick, uniform coating of zinc on nails for the ultimate in corrosion protection. This was done by hand until 1955—at which time Maze created the first automated process for actually DOUBLE Dipping nails to ensure a more uniform coating. Our competitors tried every galvanizing and coating method they could think of—but the Double Hot-Dipping quality was not duplicated. Even foreign competitors have pulled out their hair trying to emulate the Maze method. Bottom line—the MADE IN USA Maze STORMGUARD® coating works the best for ensuring no rust in treated wood and all other parts of post frame buildings nationwide.
AVAILABILITY AND DELIVERY—Top-quality building products are only truly valuable if you can get them—and get them fast. The Maze Nail plant prides itself on keeping extraordinary stocks of Hot-Dipped Post Frame nails, Rubber and Silicone washer nails, Gutter spikes, Connector nails, Oil-Quench Hardened nails (and many other types!) IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT. Even during the pandemic, Maze kept up with the industry demand so that nails would be the least of your worries.
The Maze family continues to run the operations—with the fifth and sixth generations actively involved with the company. President Roelif Loveland acknowledges, “It is because of our customers’ great support and enthusiasm for our carefully engineered and manufactured line of 100% Made in the USA nails that we’re still in business today.”
Walk Doors by Plyco Corporation
Plyco is honored for our doors to be chosen as a Top 10 product by the Rural Builder readers. Plyco has a long and illustrious history of having a wide range of high quality yet value-oriented building products. Plyco doors are expected to meet high standards that can be applied in most agricultural, commercial, and residential applications. All doors are manufactured to varying performance standards and have a quality assurance program through NAMI to ensure quality and consistency of product. Most doors also go through rigorous third-party testing—in particular structural (ASTM E330), and air infiltration (ASTM E283) to ensure durability and long-term low maintenance. Several of our door series are registered with the Florida Building Code and the Texas Department of Insurance.
Plyco currently has around 13 different series of doors, and several additional variations beyond that. What this means is that there is a unique door for any building application a customer may have. Our product lines range from economically oriented utility doors with several different frame profiles to thicker-gauge door panels needed in high-usage applications, and fiberglass or stainless steel doors with corrosion-resistant features. Our specialized thermal break line of doors whereby both the door and frame have a thermal break barrier has an “extra” high R value performance level of 4.17 (ASTM C1363). Many Plyco door series have a common feature of four colors to choose from: polar white, bronze, hickory moss, and chocolate. Plyco completes its door lines with a complete line of complementary hardware: knobs, levers, closers, deadbolts, kickplates, latchguards, electronic locks, crash chains, and various lite kits provide for almost any hardware options required. A final strength of the company is the men and women that make up our experienced workforce, and in particular our inside customer service group, engineering staff, and outside sales force that have daily customer contact. Our customers can call, email, or fax orders or quote requests and get immediate responses. If you have a field issue, or question on product or pricing, your territory salesperson can be there to help out. We pride ourselves and strive for exceptional service at all levels within our organization. Thank you again, Rural Builder.
AGED METAL RUSTIC PANEL by A.B. MARTIN ROOFING SUPPLY
Get the rustic look with a 40-year warranty. The Kynar, dual-coat finish has been increasingly popular for exterior and interior projects. Made to custom lengths in all panels—including the 1¼” and 2½” corrugated panels, ABM Panel, and 16½”-wide ABSeam Panel. Get inspiration on our website—order today!
www.abmartin.net
Metal Coil Coatings by Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings
Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings, formerly Valspar, offers a full range of high-performance architectural metal coatings in PVDF, SMP, and polyester formulas for metal wall panel systems, metal roofing, soffits, and fascia. Fluropon is its flagship coating, containing 70% PVDF resins, and offering premium protection against harmful UV rays, chalk, fade, and chemical degradation. Weather XL, the next generation enhanced silicone polyester coating, offers protection against weathering for years to come. Weather XL Crinkle Finish coating offers a unique textured
appearance. Each is extremely durable and have excellent film integrity and adhesion properties. Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings leads the industry when it comes to color innovation for coil and extrusion coatings. Our advanced color-matching technology allows architects to match nearly any color imaginable. We are continually creating new color spaces that have never existed before for coil and extrusion coatings. Whether you’re looking for a solid, mica/metallic, special effect or print we can formulate the perfect color for any building project need. Solar reflective (SR) formulations are also available to meet ENERGY STAR and LEED certifications.
Uplift Plates by Levi’s Building Components
Uplift Plates from Levi’s Building Components are designed to help the post-frame builder save time, money and meet or exceed the post uplift requirements for concreted posts. These inexpensive plates can be field applied with just a framing hammer, eliminating the need for extra tools and time associated with rebar and other uplift technology. They’re lightweight, easy to handle and easy to install. They are low cost and stronger than rebar and protect the center of the post by eliminating exposure to the elements, thereby resisting decay. RB
Looking for more top building products? Check out the winners from the Metal Roofing Magazine 2020 list.