CertainTeed extends its industry-leading color palette with the addition of new shades to both the Monogram™ 46 and MainStreet™ product lines. The new enhancements to the Monogram™ 46 color offering are Hearthstone, Mountain Cedar, Spruce and Terra Cotta. These colors are available in Double 4" Clapboard. Also, the popular Sandpiper and Suede colors are now available in the Double 5" Clapboard and Double 5" Dutchlap.

MainStreet™ Double 4" Clapboard, Double 5" Clapboard, Double 4" Dutchlap, and Double 5" Dutchlap are now available in Buckskin, Sandpiper and Suede, while the two Dutchlap styles and 5" Clapboard are also available for the first time in Autumn Yellow.

The newest addition to our Northwoods® line is Single 9" Staggered Rough-Split Shakes. The Single 9" panel is in addition to the two other Northwoods profiles: Single 7" Straight Edge Rough-Split Shakes and Single 10" Random Hand-Split Shakes. All three of these attractive products feature TrueTexture™ finish, which is molded from real cedar shakes.

New products for 2009 are all about easier installation and greater flexibility. A new, shorter 12' length makes it easier for contractors to handle, transport and store trimboards. The shorter length also reduces waste on smaller jobs. This new length is available in both the smooth and TrueTexture styles. The 12' length is available in 4", 6", 8", 10", and 12" widths of 1" trimboard and 4", 6", and 8" widths of 5/4" trimboard. For bigger jobs, trimboards are also offered in a 16" width.

Exterior trim now comes in six new profiles: J-Channel Brickmould, Adjustable Back Band, Rams Crown, R83 Casing, WM 356 Casing and Lattice. Deeper J-pocket options have also been added. For custom fabrications, you can now order 1-1/2"x 10" x 18' trimboards and 1-1/2"x 4' x 8' sheets

In 2009, CertainTeed continues to offer a wide array of fence, railing and deck products and options. New Edgewood™ vinyl railing is the first product to offer an authentic woodgrain texture in a railing product line. With the natural beauty of painted and stained wood in an easy-to-maintain vinyl material, Edgewood uses an "I-rail" design for both top and bottom rails for easy installation and long-lasting performance. Edgewood is available in White, Almond and Sierra Blend colors, as well as octagonal and square baluster design options.

The Panorama™ line of composite railing now features a new colonial baluster that resembles a wood-turned spindle and installs using patented baluster shoe plugs. It is available in Colonial White and Desert Tan.

CertainTeed Selects™ Arlington with CertaGrain® brings a wider range of natural design and color options to its vinyl privacy fences. Arlington with CertaGrain features an authentic wood-like appearance in an easy-to-maintain vinyl design; it is available in Sierra Blend.

Make your web site work for you.

Is your current web site meeting your needs? CertainTeed now offers WebCheck, a web site assessment service. WebCheck will analyze your site and give you specific, practical suggestions to make your web site easier to read and use. Our professional web designers will look carefully at your site and analyze the four major areas that impact the effectiveness of a web site:

• Design and layout
• Customer usability and ease of navigation
• Content
• Ease of finding your web site

Based on industry best practices and a thorough knowledge of the construction and remodeling industries, the WebCheck analysis includes general advice on strategies and tools to help you build customer loyalty and market your company through your web presence. Available to 5-Star Contactors, WebCheck is your opportunity to make your web site work harder for you.

Don't Have a Web Site?

If you don't have a web site, you need one now. Business is tougher than ever, and a web site is a cost-effective way to increase your visibility among homeowners who are looking for professional contractors. To that end, CertainTeed has put together an affordable, professionally designed web site just for 5-Star Contractors. This package offers you all you need to create an effective, engaging web presence without breaking the bank or over-complicating the process. Your custom-designed web site will include the type of company information homeowners are looking for: Home Page, About Us, Services, Testimonials, Project Gallery, Contact/Request Quote Form, Products, and Resources and Links. In addition, you'll receive training in managing and updating your new site.

To learn more about the 5-Star benefits, contact your CertainTeed representative or go to www.certainteed.com to learn more.

After you finish reading Trade Talk, make sure you log on to www.certainteed.com. Our new, easy-to-navigate web site has all the information you need in one convenient place. On it, you'll find links to CertainTeed products, specifications, installation instructions, special contractor programs, and more. Everything you need is just a click away.


The new "American Great Room" offers versatility and value.

New research unveiled at the 2009 International Builders' Show® reveals that the majority of homebuyers want a front porch. In fact, according to the NAHB's "Home of the Future" study, the front porch will be a standard feature on homes by 2015.

Homeowners across the country are discovering the versatility and opportunities a porch offers as a place to play, entertain, relax, and work. A porch, or "The American Great Room™," as CertainTeed calls it, increases a home's usable space without expensive additions. And by thinking "outside the walls," you can offer this popular, versatile space to your customers. A new 16-page, color brochure from CertainTeed is available to help you demonstrate the beauty and versatility a porch will add to any home.

CertainTeed offers everything you need to help your clients create the porch of their dreams: EverNew® railing, porch, and deck systems are low maintenance, stylish alternatives to wood porch and decking. CertainTeed offers the industry's broadest range of roofing styles and shades, with designs that complement every style. Our vinyl soffit is ideal for porch ceilings or under eaves and overhangs, while our polymer and vinyl siding make the perfect backdrop for a beautiful porch. Finally, you can choose from vinyl or Restoration Millwork™ PVC trim to customize and add character to every style.

If you'd like some great ideas for adding a porch to your next remodeling job, ask your distributor for CertainTeed's brochure "Porch: The American Great Room," or download it at www.certainteed.com. Click on "Fence/Railing/Deck," then "Literature."

Access these valuable tools for marketing, education, and valuable rewards.

As you move into the busier spring and summer months, don't forget these valuable tools that can help you market your company and grow your business. For more information on each of these programs, go to the "Design & Building Professionals" pages at www.certainteed.com.

5-Star Contractor:   As a 5-Star contractor, you can separate your business from other contractors in your market, increase your market share by promoting your professionalism, receive training for you and others in your company on the latest products and techniques, and earn rewards for your loyalty to CertainTeed. Qualify as a 5-Star Contractor by completing the CertainTeed's Master Craftsman programs for vinyl siding and Restoration Millwork® and the VSI Certified Installer program.

Master Craftsman:   The Master Craftsman program offers advanced education and training for building professionals. Pass courses on CertainTeed and Wolverine Vinyl and Polymer Siding and Restoration Millwork® Trim or EverNew® Vinyl Decking and Railing, Panorama Composite Railing and CertainTeed Selects Vinyl Fence, and you'll receive preferential listing on our online contractor locator site and a certificate designating you as a Building Solutions Specialist. Participation in the Master Craftsman Program is also the first step to becoming a 5-Star Contractor. Completion of the Decking and Railing courses also qualifies you to receive a free copy of the CertainTeed CADQuest design and estimating software.

Award of Excellence:   The Award of Excellence salutes our best customers, builders, contractors and remodelers who create outstanding projects using CertainTeed products. This program acknowledges those who demonstrate creativity, craftsmanship and business professionalism. As a winner, you will receive recognition that you can use to help market and promote your company.

Show Me the Money:   Buy CertainTeed products and we'll show you the money. Every time you buy eligible products and submit your proof of purchase, you'll receive a rebate that will be loaded onto a custom CertainTeed Rewards Visa card. As a special bonus, 5-Star Contractors will receive a refund for the VSI Certified Installer Program registration fee, and will continue to receive an additional 10% bonus rebate on qualifying products throughout the program. Don't delay. Show Me the Money extends through October 2009.


VSI Certified Installer:   Are you looking for a way to enhance your reputation as a contractor and build your vinyl siding installation business? The Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) sponsors a Certified Installer Program that recognizes experienced installation professionals who demonstrate knowledge of proper vinyl siding application. All you have to do is verify your installation experience, take a course, then pass an exam that tests your knowledge about vinyl siding installation. Once you complete the course and pass the test, you'll receive a card that identifies you as a VSI Certified Installer, and join the elite contractors listed on VSI's registry of Certified Installers. For more information about the Certified Installer Program, go to http://vinylsiding.org.

CertainTeed and its parent company, Saint-Gobain, are honored to be selected as a 2009 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for Energy Management by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This prestigious award recognizes Saint-Gobain and all of its North American businesses, including CertainTeed, for their accomplishments and leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency.

"This award is proof that CertainTeed is proactive in its approach to sustainability through our commitment to energy efficiency and our partnership with ENERGY STAR," says Peter Dachowski, President and CEO for CertainTeed Corporation. "CertainTeed will continue its commitment to sustainable manufacturing and in developing new products that enhance the energy-efficiency of homes and buildings and their impact on the environment."

ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award winners include Fortune 500 companies and small business, all dedicated in reaching annual goals to shrink energy use. Introduced by the EPA in 1992, ENERGY STAR works with more than 12,000 organizations to improve the energy efficiency of products, homes and businesses. ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award winners were selected from the organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

A deck featuring drab green peeling paint does nothing to enhance the beauty of this two-story, expansive home in Lowville, NY.

Scott Hayes of New York Sash, Whitesboro, NY, replaced the windows on this house and installed EverNew® decking and railing to create this wrap-around porch that lets the beauty of the home shine. Homeowners Ronald and Susan Rockwood access the porch through newly installed patio doors. Erie Materials, Marcy, New York, supplied CertainTeed windows, siding, decking, and rail.

Perfection Shingles prominent in "Idea Home."

This year, Coastal Living selected a classic cottage-style home in Scarborough, Maine, as its Idea Home. To achieve the look of natural cedar shingles, the three-story home renovation featured Cedar Impressions® Triple 5" Straight Edge Perfection Shingles. The shingles, which complement the cottage look of the home, are a particularly good choice because they can withstand the harsh conditions of the coastal environment. The siding is virtually maintenance free and comes with a lifetime limited warranty.

Remodeling Magazine's 2008 Cost vs. Value Study conducted by publisher Hanley Wood shows that as a national average, foam-backed insulated vinyl siding replacement is the second best cost vs. value (return) on an upscale project and one of only three categories that showed an increase in value from the previous year. To see the entire report, click here.

by Bob Werner

The 2009 "Vinyl and Polymer Siding Installation Guide" (CTS 205) is now available. The newly revised manual contains updated recommendations for lapping CedarBoards™ siding, new advice for replacing a damaged Cedar Impressions® panel, an updated Materials section, and more. Contact your CertainTeed representative or distributor to find out how to get your copy, or log on to www.certainteed.com.

Increased interest in energy efficiency has prompted a surge in installations of CedarBoards insulated siding. Before you begin to install CedarBoards, note that insulated siding requires a slightly different measuring technique. When installing CedarBoards, butting the foam on the back of the panel sometimes does not result in the 1" lap you are used to creating with standard vinyl siding. When this occurs, you have to take a different approach to measuring CedarBoards panels.

When you are filling in a piece to end a course of siding, hold the tape tight into the receiver of the corner post, J-channel, or other trim, and measure the distance to the foam backing of the piece of siding that is already in place. Subtract the proper amount for expansion and contraction. As you then mark the full piece that you will cut, take your measurement from the foam on the factory end that will butt to the existing piece. This will ensure a butt fit on the foam and the proper room in the receiver for expansion and contraction.

Dave Welch of Welch Roofing, East Hartford, CT. As our thanks for sending us the following sales tip, Dave will receive a 120GB iPod Classic.

Dave writes, "Times are tough, and unfortunately some companies aren't going to make it. Search the Yellow Pages for large display listings of companies that have gone out of business. You can usually buy the disconnected phone numbers after about six months to a year. With ads, repairs, existing customers, listings, and referrals, these numbers can have a two- to five-year life. For only $20 to $40 a month, the ROI is tremendous."

Thanks, Dave. While we're never happy about taking advantage of another's bad fortune, this is an innovative way to increase market share during slow economic times.