Metal Roofing, Sound-Deadening Wallboard and Fire Retarding Insulation

International Home Builders’ Show Series

This post is in partnership with CertainTeed.  All opinions are my own.

Metal Roofing that Looks Like Tile or Shakes

Metal roofs are not particularly new, but this one, from Certainteed, certainly has a new look. Actually, two new looks:  clay tile and shake single. The advantages are impressive. Larger panels translate into faster installation. The roof is guaranteed for 50 years against chalking and fading and can withstand winds up to 150 mph. It’s also lightweight allowing it to be applied on top of a single layer of shingles.

Spray Foam Insulation with a Built-in Fire Retardant

Spray foam insulation is ideal for unvented attics and high cathedral ceilings.  It's proven to be an excellent insulating choice when it comes to eliminating drafts as well as hot and cold spots. It’s also vapor permeable which means it allows moisture to move from inside an unvented attic to the outside. However, the big news about this product, called CertaSpray X is that it has a fire retardant built-in.

Sound Deadening Wallboard Cuts Noise

Until now, reducing noise transmission through interior walls took some doing.  In fact, some solutions called for building two walls separated by an airspace. There simply had to be a better way and Certainteed found it. Enter SilentFX, noise-controlling wallboard that goes up pretty much like standard drywall. The product is made by sandwiching two specially formulated gypsum boards on either side of an elastic polymer core that absorbs sound and vibration.  Instead of noise passing through, it’s soaked up by the wall.