National Floor Trends articles from October 2008

National Floor Trends archives from October 2008

Market study: tile & stone stays solid.
October 1, 2008... The good news for those working in the tile and stone segment is that even in the face of a challenging environment, there are clear signs that the category is strong and poised for increased sales in the near future. The 242 retailers...

In a challenging market, resilient emerges as a bright spot: eye-catching designs and better performing products spur interest as consumers hunt for value.
October 1, 2008... While much of flooring is feeling the sting of a sluggish economy, there are some segments that are bouncing back. A case in point is resilient. Manufacturers and retailers say they are beginning to see an uptick in consumer sales, particularly...

Blame the adhesive? Sorry, that charge won't stick.(Focus on Resilient)(water based adhesives)
October 1, 2008... I recently participated in an advisory committee meeting in Houston to discuss concrete moisture problems. A concrete engineer made the statement, "The problem with the flooring industry is they use water-based adhesives." I had to object. In...

A hard look at hardwood: recent changes in this important product segment may hold clues for what's in store in the future.(changes in floor covering industry)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When I started my career back in the '80s, 98 percent of what I did was install, sand and finish 2 1/4" and 1 1/2" Red Oak flooring. My coworkers and I always looked forward to working with something out of the...

WFCA consumer study: shoppers do their homework.(World Floor Covering Association)(Editorial)
October 1, 2008... Floor covering retailers should know three things about today's consumers: They have done their homework (usually online) before visiting the store. They are aware of what your competition has, particularly the big box stores They expect you to...

'Cozy, inviting, consistent': retailers give high marks to Shaw's revamped Design Center.(Flooring Insider: News/People/Places/Events)(Shaw Industries Inc. (Dalton, Georgia))
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Shaw Industries officially launched the newest version of its Shaw Design Center store concept at Plant 71 in Dalton, Ga., recently. The revamped layout aims to enhance store lighting, improve the flow of the...

QFloors: "we'll be ready when things turn back on".(Flooring Insider: News/People/Places/Events)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Retailers on hand in Salt Lake City for the QFloors' annual users conference, were reminded that sophisticated retail technology, including the company's software system, can make all the difference in a challenging...

Beaulieu's Ultimate Home garners NFT Styling nod.(Flooring Insider: News/People/Places/Events)(National Floor Trends)(Beaulieu of America Inc.)(Editorial)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Editor's note: The following is another in an ongoing series of profiles highlighting the winners of this year's NFT Styling Excellence Awards. Entries were judged earlier this year by showgoers at Surfaces and by readers online. A complete...

Upcoming industry events.(Calendar)
October 1, 2008... 2008 FIANA Convention--St. Louis. Oct. 16-19. (817) 326-2615. NAFCD Distributor Marketplace--Shaumburg, Ill. Oct. 29-30. (312) 321-6836. NeoCon East--Baltimore. Oct. 29-30. (800) 677-6278. CTDA Management Conference--Rio Grande,...

Mohawk's triple play: flooring maker adds 3x the TV spending for fall sale.(Flooring Insider: News/People/Places/Events)(Mohawk FloorCare Essentials )(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Mohawk Anniversary Month, the company's flagship fall selling event running through Nov. 1, will feature triple the TV spending as part of a package of enhanced advertising tools for dealers. The TV spending includes "over 1,200 additional...

1 Mohawk Rarity floors include Uniclic system.(Products)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mohawk presents Rarity, a collection of exotic hardwood floors. The line is offered in several distinctive looks, including: Dividia, a 9/16" long strip with the Uniclic installation system; Elysia, a 1/2" engineered...

2 A real 'Renaissance' rug: CMI unveils Sunbrella styles.(Products)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Colonial Mills Inc. (CMI) has partnered with Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, maker of the Sunbrella performance fabric, to roll out the Renaissance collection. Featuring recycled Sunbrella yarn from Glen Raven's...

3 MAPEI's UltraColor Plus now features DropEffect tech.(Products)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MAPEI has reformulated its Ultracolor Plus grout with DropEffect technology. DropEffect is designed to make water-based liquids bead up on the surface of the grout so it can be easily cleaned away. Ultracolor Plus...

4 Wood Flooring International adds Queensland hand-scraped.(Products)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wood Flooring International has launched the Queensland Collection of rustic hand-scraped hardwood. The product is offered in a 3/8" thick by 5" wide Australian Hickory plank in four colors. The flooring is...

Alliance Flooring launches EcoChoice hardwood, cushion.(Products)
October 1, 2008... Alliance Flooring has added two new products to its EcoChoice Flooring brand. EcoChoice Hardwood is an engineered floor designed with responsible forestry in mind. EcoChoice Premium Carpet Cushion is made from "natural oils" and features a...

5 Shaw's 'Jubilee': four hickory looks.(Products)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Shaw has taken the wraps off of Epic Jubilee, the newest addition to the company's Epic line of Green hardwood flooring. Jubilee features four hickory colors with naturally random variations. The floor is offered in...

6 No PVCs, VOCs in Estrie's Viera.(Products)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Estrie introduces Viera, a next generation Green flooring featuring no PVCs or VOCs. The resilient flooring is made using limestone, natural pigments and a non-PVC polymer along with 45 percent pre-consumer recycled...

7 Picasso rug from Balta offers high-pile frise.(Products)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Balta Rugs presents Picasso, a polypropylene frise rug featuring what the company calls "voluminous pile" comparable to the density of wool. The collection features hand-carved relief patterns for a distinctive,...

8 Kale Group's Feza wall tile inspired by Turkish history.(Products)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Canakkale Seramik and Kalebodur have unveiled Feza, the newest addition to the Kale Group's Orientile collection of wall tile. Featuring motifs inspired by Turkey's historic Seljuk culture, Feza offers a hexaganol,...

Monterey collection is latest from Carlton Hardwood Flooring.(Products)
October 1, 2008... Carlton Hardwood Flooring brings a mix of hand-scraped designs and contemporary colors to its Monterey collection. Offered in 6 1/4" wide planks in 6' random lengths, the flooring is offered in a range of species including American Hickory,...

'Measuring' up: RFMS adds floor software subscriptions.(Products)
October 1, 2008... Resource & Financial Management Systems Inc. (RFMS) is offering a subscription service for its popular Measure estimating software. Five versions of the software are available to access via a monthly subscription: Desktop, Desktop w/DISTO,...

The dirty truth about selling floors.(Flooring Solutions)
October 1, 2008... I'm on a crusade. I want to encourage people in the flooring industry to look at a tremendous opportunity that is consistently ignored: floor care and maintenance. It is a simple yet complex area that is seldom talked about. If done correctly,...