Floor Covering News

MAY 13, 2024

In a landmark move for the flooring industry, the first-ever Flooring Sustainability Summit will take place July 17-18 in Washington, D.C. The event, co-hosted by organizations including the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), Natural Stone Institute and North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA), is billed as a watershed moment for sustainability in flooring.

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Why Tile

MAY 13, 2024

This year, the Coverings ceramic tile and natural stone exhibition and conference held April 22-25, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia, centered around four key tenets — Health and Wellness, Sustainability, Outdoor Spaces, and Timeless Luxury. The show opened on Earth Day, setting the stage for sustainability topics and activities to reign large throughout the week.

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Rubble Tile

MAY 14, 2024

For the past four years, Rubble Tile has proudly represented Mosa, a renowned European tile manufacturer, in North and South Dakota. This partnership has brought Mosa’s innovative and sustainable tile solutions to the region’s talented designers, architects, contractors, and tile dealers. With a strong commitment. The post Rubble Tile’s Partnership with Mosa: Four Years of Sustainable Design in the Dakotas first appeared on Rubble Tile.

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JG Kitchens

MAY 15, 2024

Take a look at this counter intelligence feature and let me know your thoughts! (Some industry pros shared theirs in the piece.) The post New Technology From Spanish Brand Streamlines Kitchen Countertops comes to you courtesy of Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS, MCCWC, Wellness Design Consultant and Author.

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The A to Z of Building

MAY 16, 2024

New modelling reveals that low-carbon concrete developed at RMIT University can recycle double the amount of coal ash compared to current standards, halve the amount of cement required and perform exceptionally well over time.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 13, 2024

Floor Covering News ’ annual “People making a difference” special section is a tribute to those in the flooring industry who go about their daily business lives striving to make a positive impact. This year’s list represents all facets of the flooring industry—manufacturing, distribution, retail and installation. Some are well-known executives, names familiar to flooring industry observers; others are more of the unsung hero variety, albeit people who step up in their roles.

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Life of an Architect

MAY 19, 2024

We are finally conceding to a request that’s been made a thousand times – do an episode on starting an architectural business – a topic that I have resisted for essentially 6 years, and I think I’ve finally broken. This is not as easy of a topic to discuss as you might think because there are a million different ways you could answer a question this broad.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 15, 2024

Atlanta , Ga.— Coverings, the leading international ceramic tile and natural stone event in North America, captivated the tile, stone and design-build industries with an electric show and conference. Nearly 25,000 industry professionals from all applicable business sectors converged at Coverings 2024 , held here. The event drew a remarkable influx of first-time attendees, young professionals and other key audiences from around the world.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 13, 2024

Spoiler alert: This article will not be reflective of my own personal thoughts, ideas or experiences. In recognition of May being “National Skilled Trades month,” I thought it would be more appropriate to provide a few quotes directly from some of our industry’s finest installers. These are the individuals who dedicate their time and energy to help make our industry better and promote quality training and education.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 15, 2024

Flooring retailers have embraced Godfrey Hirst for its wool carpets and timeless designs. Shown is Novel Flair. Mohawk is giving Godfrey Hirst a brand refresh in 2024, providing the renowned wool supplier with the requisite sales resources to seize an opportunity in the trade-up fashion space. Ever since acquiring Godfrey Hirst in 2018, Mohawk has sought to grow the brand while creating a distinct path for it to avoid any overlap between Mohawk and Karastan.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 17, 2024

Chicago—As more than 40,000 people from across the global design community gather in Fulton Market District from June 10–12 for Chicago’s Design Days , an annual showcase of the latest in commercial products and design, Tarkett will welcome design professionals into its showroom (215 N. Peoria Street, Floor 10) for a firsthand look at the company’s newest initiatives and products.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 13, 2024

I recently had the opportunity to attend a private press tour of the first Floor & Decor location within New York’s five boroughs (see story on page 3). The massive, 129,000-square-foot store carries about 3,400 SKUs of product. Many of you already compete against Floor & Decor and have determined your competitive advantage. After all, they are in 36 states with 230 locations.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 17, 2024

Every two weeks, FCNews seeks out flooring retailers across the country to offer their advice on hot topics of the day. This week, we asked: How is the home remodeling business in your market? Here are their responses: “We are busy with home remodeling mostly because the homes have gotten so expensive in our area that it is less expensive to stay in your current home and remodel.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 16, 2024

Washington, D.C.—With mortgage rates averaging above 7% for the past four weeks per data from Freddie Mac, builder sentiment posted its first decline since November 2023. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes was 45 in May, down six points from April, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).

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Floor Covering News

MAY 16, 2024

A multifamily condominium is under construction. Washington, D.C.—Confidence in the market for new multifamily housing declined year-over-year in the first quarter of 2024, according to results from the Multifamily Market Survey (MMS) released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The MMS produces two separate indices; the Multifamily Production Index (MPI) had a reading of 47, down three points year-over-year, while the Multifamily Occupancy Index (MOI) had a reading of 83, up on

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Floor Covering News

MAY 16, 2024

Chattanooga, Tenn.—After almost a decade in the flooring industry, Seth Gladden, the former head of marketing for Taylor Adhesives and the Flooring Division of Meridian Adhesives Group, launched his own agency, the Gladden Group. “Our full-service agency aims to revolutionize brands with a focus on marketing, consulting, and branding,” Gladden said.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 13, 2024

Lancaster, Pa.—Ecore has expanded its Ecore Athletic portfolio with the introduction of Performance Motivate Plus. The company that transforms reclaimed materials into high-performance products that make people’s lives better has created a product engineered for functional, selectorized strength, free weight and cardio training. Designed from customer feedback and tailored specifically for light strength and conditioning workouts, Performance Motivate Plus complements Ecore’s Performance Beast f

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The A to Z of Building

MAY 17, 2024

RMIT’s pilot computer modeling software, created in collaboration with Dr. Yogarajah Elakneswaran of Hokkaido University and detailed in the journal Cement and Concrete Research, is now being utilized to estimate the time-dependent performance of innovative concrete mixtures.

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The A to Z of Building

MAY 16, 2024

A study from the University of Rome presents a catalog of optimized, sustainable solutions for energy-efficient building retrofits. Using standardized and prefabricated insulation methods, the research targets prevalent roof types in national residential building heritage, enhancing thermal performance by over 66% and promoting environmental sustainability.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 18, 2024

Attendees packed the exhibition space at the Starnet 2024 spring conference. Amelia Island, Fla.—Many of North America’s largest and most influential commercial floor covering contractors assembled here this week for the 2024 Starnet spring conference. In keeping with tradition, the event offered attendees valuable educational opportunities while providing a forum for members to network and share best practices.

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The A to Z of Building

MAY 15, 2024

A study on Lipowiec Castle in Poland uses black crust analysis to gauge regional air pollution, showcasing historic sites as environmental indicators. Results highlight industrial influence despite rural location, emphasizing the study's significance for heritage preservation and pollution management.

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The A to Z of Building

MAY 17, 2024

Hope's Windows, Inc., the nation’s leading manufacturer of custom-designed, solid steel and bronze window and door systems, highlights that its classic Old World SuiteTM can be enhanced with Thermal EvolutionTM technology.

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The A to Z of Building

MAY 14, 2024

This study compared the embodied carbon (EC) of a mass timber structure with a steel equivalent, focusing on Adohi Hall at the University of Arkansas. Mass timber showed a 19% reduction in carbon emissions compared to steel, highlighting its environmental advantages and potential for sustainable construction practices.

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The A to Z of Building

MAY 13, 2024

A recent study in Water journal devised a novel rainstorm-induced waterlogging risk warning model tailored for Beijing's historical and cultural districts. Integrating advanced modeling techniques and standardized warning systems, the model exhibited high accuracy and efficiency, offering precise early warnings to mitigate disaster risks and enhance emergency response capabilities.

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The A to Z of Building

MAY 13, 2024

In an innovative project, researchers from UCLan are creating sustainable concrete from crushed shells, which are typically destined for landfill, and this could potentially aid in preventing flooding.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 14, 2024

Dalton—The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) released a new “Tuesday Tips” this week. In the series, WFCA experts presents short video tips for improving customer service and optimizing staff performance. In the end, it’s all about understanding the importance of being 1% better than your competition. In this week’s “Tuesday Tips ,” Tom Jennings, retail training expert discusses the problem with the customer interview process.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 13, 2024

It’s been said that artificial intelligence (AI) can transform internal business operations through chatbots that act as personal assistants, helping to manage emails, maintain calendars and provide recommendations for streamlining processes. What’s more, chatbots can help retailers grow their business by handling customers’ inquiries online. The man who said it, Pawel Rajszel, CEO and founder of Leap Tools (parent company of Roomvo), uttered those words during a recent FCA Network convention.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 16, 2024

Shanghai, China—i4F, a group of companies providing patents and technologies to the flooring industry, is participating as an exhibitor at this year’s Domotex Asia/ChinaFloor show taking place on May 28-30, 2024, here. i4F’s entire Asia team and senior management members will be present in the booth. This year’s i4F booth is designed for visitors to “Experience Innovation” through a “try, touch and feel” approach.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 16, 2024

Lancaster, Pa.—Ecore, a global leader in recycled rubber and performance-driven surfaces and solutions, has appointed Shweta Srikanth as chief circularity officer. In this new role, Srikanth will spearhead the company’s commitment to sustainability and circular economy practices, driving strategies to reduce environmental impact and enhance overall sustainability.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 16, 2024

From advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to browser-based business management software to digital samples data, the world of flooring software is rapidly expanding, which is a good thing for today’s flooring retailer looking to up their game. To help those retailers on their way, we spoke to the industry’s top providers to find out what they’re bringing to the table.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 15, 2024

Well, you did it. One of your long-time reps just convinced you to accept another tower or step-up display featuring a dozen wood- grain patterns in a 7 x 48 luxury vinyl plank. Great! We all know that in six to 12 months, if his company has not dropped that line of LVT , you are going to put that display and all its untouched samples in a dumpster behind the warehouse.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 14, 2024

Charlotte, N.C.—At the Quail Hollow Club the Wells Fargo Championship PGA Tour tournament was green in multiple ways. In addition to its sweeping fairways, the event showcased a new standard in sustainable, eco-friendly outdoor flooring options, provided by Mohawk Industries. Mohawk introduced the event to an innovative product that’s 100% PET-recycled carpet.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 13, 2024

Elk Grove, Calif.—Benchwick, a Northann Corp’s full subsidiary and leader in 3D printing home improvement solutions, announced a strategic partnership with Adornus Cabinetry, a South Carolina-based manufacturer of luxury cabinetry. The partnership will focus on combining Benchwick’s pioneering 3D printing technologies with Adornus’ expertise in high-quality cabinetry design and manufacturing.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 13, 2024

Saskatchewan—HQ Living, a leader in home comfort innovation, announced its partnership with Canada-based Buckwold Western, making its premium carpet cushions more accessible to Canadian customers. This collaboration brings HQ Living’s advanced flooring solutions to a wider audience across Canada. “Partnering with Buckwold Western marks a significant milestone in our mission to enhance home living spaces across Canada,” said a Darren Wright for HQ Living.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 13, 2024

Chicago—Fulton Market District will once again welcome top design professionals and enthusiasts to enjoy product launches, exhibits and events from June 10 – 12, during the second annual Fulton Market Design Days (FMDD) here, which coincides with NeoCon, held at the Merchandise Mart. With over 40,000 professionals visiting last year’s inaugural FMDD, show organizers said the neighborhood of brands in the area have once again joined together to further enhance this year’s events and logisti

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Floor Covering News

MAY 13, 2024

Dalton—The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) announced the upcoming session of its highly acclaimed SEAL (Seeking Excellence As Leaders) Leadership Development and Certification Program, starting June 3. The program is designed to equip participants with essential leadership tools and mindsets for success in their professional and personal lives.

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Floor Covering News

MAY 13, 2024

Triangulo’s Murilo Granemann and Christina Hack. In an age where European white oak, domestic red oak and hickory reign supreme (and for good reason) it may behoove retailers and distributors to know that they have other hardwood flooring options to help them stand apart from the “me-too” pack. That’s precisely where exotic hardwoods—also known as imported “tropical” species—come into play.

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