The Top 10 Exterior Products of 2017

by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for The House Designers®

It's finally time for our top exterior home building products of the year! Constructing your own home comes with a lot of choices, not the least of which is how to dress it up for optimum curb appeal. There are so many different styles of siding, roofing, windows, etc., to consider. If you need some exterior inspiration, here are the products that got our attention in 2017!

Impact-Resistant Composite Slate Roofing

A slate roof does wonders for curb appeal, but natural slate is heavy, fragile, and expensive, and quarrying causes extensive environmental damage. You can get the aesthetic quality, including authentic texture and color options, without the concerns with composite slate tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes! Not only do they deliver on curb appeal, but they have Class 4 impact and 110 mph wind ratings—protection you’ll want if you live in a hail and storm-prone area. Check out cool roof options, too, which reflect sunlight to increase your home’s efficiency and reduce cooling costs!

Model: DaVinci Roofscapes Multi-Width Slate in Slate Gray | Contact for a Quote

Scenic Doors to Blur Interior and Exterior Living

It's no secret that today's new homes and renovations are designed to banish partitions and blur spaces, and that's why you'll have no trouble finding wide expanses of glass available from Marvin® Windows and Doors. Their Scenic Doors transform walls into panoramic views! The Ultimate Bi-Fold Door is one of the most expansive doors you will ever see, available with up to sixteen panels spanning 55 feet. Don't worry—there's a swinging access panel for everyday convenience. And with 91 design configurations, you can build the perfect patio solution with appeal both inside and out!

Model: Marvin Ultimate Bi-Fold Door | Contact for a Quote

A Historically Inspired Entry Door with Clean Lines

It’s important to find the perfect door for your home, so it’s fantastic when collections grow to incorporate more styles! That’s what Therma-Tru® Doors did this year with their Smooth-Star® Collection, which introduced Shaker-Style Doors & Sidelites that have simple, clean lines and glass. Suitable for transitional designs, these entries are made for today’s modern farmhouse and Prairie homes, but they are adaptable by nature and might offer just what you’re looking for no matter your architecture. They’re paintable, too, so choose a great color to make your entry pop!

Model: Therma-Tru® Smooth-Star® Shaker-Style Door | Contact for a Quote

Stylish Modern Garage Doors with Wood Looks

Don't let garage doors be the weakest link in your home's curb appeal! Clopay® has a collection for every type of architecture, including new options for modern and contemporary styles. Our favorite is the new Canyon Ridge® Collection Modern Series, with its clean lines and mid-century modern flair. These garage doors have convincing faux wood overlays, an insulated steel core, and come in six customizable designs. Durable, efficient, and quiet, they are a major low-maintenance upgrade you'll be glad to come home to every day!

Model: Clopay® Canyon Ridge® Collection Modern Series in Plank Design with Windows down the Side | Contact for a Quote

A Customizable Wood-Burning Fireplace

There's nothing quite like the feel, sounds, and smells of a real wood-burning fireplace, especially one that can be enjoyed outside! Eldorado Stone introduced the Sherwood™ Wood Burning Fireplace this year, delivering a fire-crackling experience with a tailored design. Just choose a stone veneer to finish it and you'll have an outdoor fireplace that complements your patio and whole home. You can make it super sleek or rustic by using different stone shapes and color palettes. Not often do you get practically limitless style choices from an exterior product!

Model: Eldorado Stone Sherwood™ Wood Burning Fireplace with Silver Lining Stacked Stone Veneer| Contact for a Quote

Efficient Windows with Tons of Design Possibilities

No matter what kind of home you're building, you'll find reasons to include casement windows! They are adaptable, offering totally open sightlines for modern homes and plenty of lite options if you want a more traditional look. Wood-Ultrex Casement Windows from Integrity® have beautiful pine interiors and durable Ultrex® fiberglass exteriors to weather the elements. There are insulating, tripane, and tempered performance glass types to meet your efficiency needs, but casement windows are already the most efficient operational window due to construction alone!

Model: Integrity Wood-Ultrex Casement Windows | Contact for a Quote

Architecturally Accurate Craftsman Crossheads

Certain types of homes have very specific exterior features, so when it comes time to accent your architecture, choose products made for it! Fypon® has durable polyurethane moulded millwork in every style, but this year they made a point to expand the options for Craftsman designs with two new crossheads. As one of our best-selling styles, we know people will be excited to imbue authentic Craftsman character into their homes with stepped and built-up crossheads. Both are offered in lengths up to 216 inches—so they'll work for doors, windows, and even garage doors!

Model: Fypon® Craftsman Stepped Crossheads | Contact for a Quote

Durable Steel Siding with Color Fused to the Panels

You probably know all about wood and vinyl siding, but have you given consideration to steel? Ply Gem® recently introduced steel siding, and it offers a host of benefits like a Class A fire rating, protection against hail and strong winds, and stability in temperature swings. It's also made with about 50% recycled materials and is completely recyclable, making it an environmentally friendly choice. This siding comes in Double 4", Double 5", Single 8", Double 5" Dutch Lap, and Board and Batten 10" styles, in weather-resistant, factory-finished colors with a 35-year chalk and fade warranty!

Model: Ply Gem® Steel Siding in Natural Slate Color | Contact for a Quote

Smart Home Security with Plenty of Style

High-tech home products usually only come in one look, but the Baldwin Evolved™ handlesets released this year pair smart lock technology with classic door handle styles and finishes—you can't tell that they can be locked and unlocked by phone or use digital eKeys! Perhaps you're looking for a chic modern complement for your home, a truly traditional old-world forge, or something in between? There are 18 handlesets and three deadbolts, all available in 18 finishes ranging from warm to cool and polished to distressed. And for people who don't like using keys or smartphones, there are fobs for easy touch-to-open access!

Model: Baldwin Evolved™ Boulder Full Knob Handleset in Distressed Antique Nickel Finish | $1,025.00 MSRP

Home Solar Power Like You've Never Seen Before

Have you ever wanted to live in a greener home, but rooftop solar panels were out of the question? Now, you can harness energy from the sun with a beautiful and intelligent system from SmartFlower Solar™, a newcomer to the North American solar market! The smartflower is composed of petals of photovoltaic cells that track the sun throughout the day to produce 40% more energy than traditional solar systems. It can be placed almost anywhere on your property and folds itself up at night and in high winds to protect itself from damage. The best part is that smartflower asks nothing of you; it operates autonomously after setup!

Model: SmartFlower Solar™ smartflower | Price Varies by Location

The Top 10 Exterior Products of 2017

Must Reads