Our roundup this month includes a wide range of interior and exterior wall and wall-surfacing options, from a new breed of siding (featured below) to handcrafted wallpaper to interior wall products that may help those who are building green projects to breathe a little easier. — Rita Catinella Orrell
 

Hand-printed stone
StoneImpressions has created a unique process for permanently hand-printing designs and images on stone, according to the manufacturer. Using Botticino marble, tumbled Durango, and Light or Noce Travertine, the stone tiles are handmade by skilled artisans using an artist-developed, patented process. The murals, listellos, and wall accents are ideal for kitchen backsplashes, baths, offices, or entryways. The company can custom create designs to your specs or recreate a period design. Stone Impressions, San Diego. www.stoneimpressions.com

[Reader Service: February 2008 #224]
 

Stud options
TimberStrand LSL 3X studs that are 2.5'' thick for light commercial buildings are available in a variety of dimensions, including 3'' x 8'', 3'' x 10'', 3'' x 12'', and 3'' x 14''. The single-piece, long-length studs are produced to standard dimension lumber sizes, helping architects and engineers avoid the potential for design errors and hassle of mixing standard-size and non-standard-size studs in a single wall. iLevel manufactures the studs in lengths up to 48', and they meet code requirements for lateral loads from earthquakes and high winds. iLevel by Weyerhaeuser, Federal Way, Wash. www.ilevel.com

[Reader Service: February 2008 #225]

     

A tree grows in L.A.
Sorelle Fine Arts is run by Laura Capitanio and Cristina Capitanio, Italian born, L.A.-based sisters who are specialists in creating one-of-kind frescoes, wall paintings, trompe l’oeils, faux finishes, and gold/silver leaf decorations. For the Burbank Buena Vista Branch Library project, the Capitanios crafted a digital mural, a rotunda mural, and the decoration of the entrance to the children’s library. The highly tactile rotunda mural, located where children sit and read, depicts a forest and incorporates 3D tree trunks, branches, and needles made of resin. The entrance to the children’s library is an acrylic mural depicting a prairie and includes an arch form fabricated of resin made to look like real stone. Sorelle Fine Arts, Culver City, Calif. www.sorellefinearts.com

[Reader Service: February 2008 #226]

Greener particleboard
TemStock-Free is a new composite panel product from Temple-Inland made from 100 percent recycled/recovered fiber content with no added urea formaldehyde. TemStock-Free is available in thicknesses from 1¼4'' to 11¼8'' in 4'-wide sheets from 8'–24' in length. The particleboard offers a smooth surface for laminating and is suited for wall panels, flooring, furniture, cabinets, and architectural accents in projects such as hospitals, schools, and civic facilities. Temple-Inland, Diboll, Tex. www.templeinland.com

[Reader Service: February 2008 #227]