Home Improvement News Bureau

What’s Hot In Home Improvement

Trends and New Products From the National Hardware Show

MONEY PIT NEWS BUREAU - May 5, 2006:  The 2006 National Hardware Show will showcase for everything new in home improvement.  According to Tom Kraeutler, home improvement expert and co-host of the syndicated radio show The Money Pit, hot product trends include items that protect the home from weather, “smart” products that make life easier, and outdoor living.

“With more than 3200 exhibitors and nearly 2 million square feet of exhibits, the National Hardware Show and the co-located Las Vegas Gourmet Housewares Show has the newest products in every category relating to your home,” says Kraeutler. “It’s the ultimate home improvement experience with new hardware, lawn and garden, housewares and home improvement products all under one roof.”

With so many products and so little time Kraeutler and his Money Pit co-host, Leslie Segrete, conducted some fancy pre-show footwork to offer a preview of some of their favorite products and trends:

“The statistics are frightening,” says Segrete.  “ A burglar breaks into a home every 15 seconds – yet two out of three homeowners have handed out house keys to contractors and various services, increasing the likelihood that the keys will fall into the wrong hands.” The Master Lock NightWatch ™ Deadbolt provides new technology to “lockout” all outside keyholders. This feature has a special safety release to guard against accidental activation of NightWatch mode and accidental lock out.   The NightWatch deadbolt is fast and easy to install and retails for just under $29.99.  NightWatch is available at Target, Meijer and other key retailers.  Visit www.masterdoorlock.com for more information.

“Extending your living space into the outdoors isn’t new, but it is a trend that continues to expand,” says Kraeutler, “This includes complete outdoor kitchens and living spaces, as well as all types of gardens.”  Moen has a new unique single-hand, single-hole hot-cold sill faucet for outdoor use.  The technology is similar to that in a shower valve, allowing both hot and cold water to flow outdoors.  It’s perfect for cleaning your car, washing the dog or filling the baby pool with warm water.  Easy-to-install, it is available at plumbing wholesalers for $65.  For more information visit www.moen.com.

Rain Bird Corporation, the leading manufacturer of irrigation products for the lawn and garden, has a new product for gardeners, too.  The Rainbird Garden Drip Irrigation Kit includes everything necessary for even the most novice gardener to install the system to an outdoor faucet or an underground irrigation system.  Once the kit is installed, it distributes water slowly and consistently directly to the plants’ roots, helping plants to thrive while using less water.  The Garden Drip Irrigation Kit will retail for $39.99 at select garden centers and home center stores.  Visit www.rainbird.com for more information.

 “With severe weather ranging from hurricanes to tornados and severe winter storms, new products to help weather-proof your home are important to add to the shopping list,” notes Segrete. She suggests the new all-in-one product King Kaulk™ by Red Devil.  King Kaulk is multi-purpose caulk that puts an end to the need for a variety of tubes.  It works like a caulk, sealant and adhesive.  It is strong and durable, paintable and doesn’t shrink and can be used indoors or out.  King Kaulk is available for $7.99.  For more information visit www.reddevil.com.

“The Remodeling Market has nearly doubled in the past decade and is estimated to reach $275 billion this year,” says Kraeutler, “with home owners usually spending about $2,000 a year on home improvements.  This continues to drive the demand for both products and kits for homeowners as well as tools that make improvements and fix-ups easier.”

QUIKRETE®Epoxy Garage Floor Coating Kit is an all-in-one, easy-to-use kit that both enhances and protects concrete garage floors against damage from hot tires, gas, oil, scuffs and wear and tear.  It costs less than 30 cents a square foot and features advanced formula Bond-Lok™ concentrate to degrease, clean and etch in one easy step.  It provides a coating twice as strong as concrete in one coat and is available for between $70 and $79 at most home improvement stores.  For more information visit www.quikrete.com.

The new Loctite Sumo Glue is a super-strong waterproof polyurethane glue that sets three times faster than traditional glues and with less foaming.  It can be used on a variety of surfaces including wood, stone, brick, metal or concrete.  Like wood it is sandable, paintable and stainable.  It retails for $4.97 at Lowes.  For more information visit www.sumoglue.com.

For tools to make the project easier, or to get a start on Father’s Day shopping, consider the Drill Doctor 350X Drill Bit Sharpener.  Drill Doctor is a durable, precision drill bit sharpener featuring a 3-year warranty.  It’s fast and easy to use sharpening dull and broken bits in less than 60 seconds.  It works on twist bits from 3/32” to ½” and most common bits including high-speed steel, carbide, tin-coated, cobalt and masonry bits.  It’s available now for the special promotional price of $49.95 at Sears, Lowe’s and HomeDepot.com.  For more information visit www.drilldoctor.com.

Another great product for home improvement projects is the Evolution Rage Saw, the first multi-purpose circular saw that cuts wood, steel, aluminum and even wood boards with nails.  The RAGE Saw design and blade work together as a team to cut straight and capture hot shavings that would otherwise burn your hands, forearms and clothing.  It features a replaceable window safety shield that allows you to see exactly where the blade cuts.  It also produces a thinner cut reducing the amount of material wasted.  Retail?  For more information, visit www.evolutionrage.com.

The National Hardware Show runs Tuesday, May 9  through Thursday, May 11 2006 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  For more information visit www.natonalhardwareshow.com.

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