[ad_1]
The Canadian Contractor team attended the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas this week. There’s too much there to see it all, but here are some things that jumped out.
Doors are not getting any smaller. Yep, that’s an 18-footer by Panda.
That’s more like it. Here’s the VanAir interior door, made proudly in B.C. This cool product has air channels running through the core, allowing air pressure to equalize from one side of the door to the other. Interestingly, the air gap acts like the cavity in insulating glass to actually dampen sound passing through the door, making a quieter environment. But the pressure equalization is a secret sauce for net zero builds (which often require mechanical ventilation) because it enables builders to ventilate the house from fewer or even just one location, saving major cost and time.
Typar had a lot going on. Their peel-and-stick wrap looks easy to use and could be an advantage during blower door testing. Plus they claim it’s stronger and more resistant to temperature changes than the competition.
That’s an acryllic clear flashing tape from Typar. You can see the nails and sealant through it and it’s quite tough and sticky.
Here it is on a window.
Liquid flashing. It seems frightening, but Typar swears it works.
Apparently there was some issue with Typar’s wrap meeting Canadian standards but not their tape. Well, now the tape is certified too and Typar can sell an integrated system.
Toilet manufacturers continue to work hard to add features hoping that some day, some way, North American consumers will embrace the multitude of cleaning, scenting and sanitizing options that are popular in other parts of the world. There may be some progress with bidet sales, especially DIY add-on bidet seats, taking off massively in the last few years. Above, Toto was showing off a toilet that blasts the bowl with UV light after use (left), sterilizing any bacteria in it. On the right, the return water is run through an electrolyzer that converts some of it into a weak hydrogen chloride (bleach) solution, then sprays the underside of the seat and rim for a sparkling finish.
Wall-mounted toilets are another design that continue to be more popular elsewhere in the world than in North America, in part because we tend to have enough space in our bathrooms for an exposed tank (making it much easier to get at the mechanisms). But if the homeowner goes with a wall mount, there is the possibility to install a toilet that looks like an alien egg pod, like this fashion-forward design from Laufen.
Maybe you didn’t know you needed a bathtub that lights up, but you really do, according to Laufen. The very cool thing about this one that is hard to see in the photo is that the material is translucent. The light you see is shining from the other side of the tub wall.
Many of the bathroom fixture designers think bolder colours are a trend.
Some U.S. jurisdictions are banning power outlets on the sides of counters and kitchen islands and, according to Legrand, Canadian code officials are looking at doing the same thing. That’s because cords for cooking equipment (think air fryers) dangling off the sides of counters present a danger that children will pull on them, spilling the hot contents. Legrand’s solution is these countertop outlets that are rated for flood resistance and install quite easily with a smaller hole and less protrusion above and below the counter than other systems.
Dekorators has Canada in mind with its Voyage composite decking that is formulated for high stability and resistance to thermal growth/shrink. A longer-term solution for cold, snowy environments.
A general design trend is traditional/contemporary fusion. Clean lines and simple shapes coupled with old-school hardware and ornamental flourishes from yesteryear.
IBS returns Feb. 17 to 19 2026 in Orlando, Fla.