Hardwood Floors April/May 2017

CONTENTS

Tommy Maxwell | Chairman Michael Martin | CEO Anita Howard | COO Bree Urech-Boyle | CFO Brett Miller | VP, Education & Certification NWFA LEADERSHIP

Industry Insights:

PUBLICATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE Julie Russell, Chair & Board Liaison | Glitsa, a division of Rudd Company Rose Mary Cummings | Maxwell Hardwood Flooring Len Daubler | Shaw Industries, Inc. Galen Fitzel Avi Hadad | Avi’s Hardwood Floors Inc.

18 Government Affairs Understanding how the Farm Bill impacts our industry.

By Dana Cole

22 Designer Insights Designing spaces that will live up to the daily wear of tiny (or large) paws. 24 Market Matters U.S. Wood Flooring Market opportunities and threats in 2017.

By Emily Morrow Finkell

Lenny Hall | Endurance Floor Company, Inc. Kevin Mullany | Benchmark Wood Floors, Inc. Jenny Riddle | Distinctive Hardwood Floors Adam Williams | Palo Duro Hardwoods

By Stuart Hirschhorn

PUBLICATION TEAM

Business Best Practices:

Stacy Brown | Publisher/Editor | stacy.brown@nwfa.org Brett Miller | Technical Editor | brett.miller@nwfa.org Laura Boyle | Creative Director | laura.boyle@nwfa.org Megan Lhamon | Industry News Editor | megan.lhamon@nwfa.org Katie Schenk | Media Production | katie.schenk@nwfa.org Jodi O’Toole | Web Development | jodi.otoole@nwfa.org

28 Finance Talking across the generations about finances. 30 Sales Savvy The greatest sales tool is your end-to-end customer experience.

By Bree Urech-Boyle

By Paul Reilly

34 Customer Corner Selling hardwood floors in a humid climate.

111 Chesterfield Industrial Blvd. Chesterfield, Missouri 63005 P : 800.422.4556 Local : 636.519.9663 F: 636.519.9664 E: news@hardwoodfloorsmag.com W: www.hardwoodfloorsmag.com

By John Shepard

40 Technology 10 ways to use technology to engage your multigenerational workforce. 43 Marketing How do you build a marketing plan that spans the generations?

By Jodi O’Toole

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Roger Barker

Jodi O’Toole Stephanie Owen Roy Reichow Paul Reilly Aaron Schaalma John Shepard Scott Taylor

Wayne Lee Megan Lhamon Michael Martin Tommy Maxwell Brett Miller Josh Neuberger Kjell Nymark Katrina Olson

By Katrina Olson

Matt Beaudreau Bree Urech-Boyle Dana Cole Jason Elquest Emily Morrow Finkell Lenny Hall Stuart Hirschhorn

At the Site:

56 Sponsored Content The lowdown on using natural penetrating oil finishes.

By Josh Neuberger

ADVERTISING SALES

58 Technical Troubleshooting Evaluating wood substrates. 65 Technical Troubleshooting Evaluating concrete substrates. 72 Subfloor Focus Minimizing moisture over concrete.

By Brett Miller

Libby White Johnston Media & Advertising Sales libby.johnston@nwfa.org | 337.794.9232

By Brett Miller

By Roger Barker

Hardwood Floors Magazine (Print: ISSN 0897-022X and Online: ISSN 2475-5125) is published on a bi-monthly basis, plus the annual Industry Guide, by the National Wood Flooring Association and distributed without charge to its member companies and their employees, as well as qualified individuals throughout the wood flooring industry. Publication office: 111 Chesterfield Industrial Blvd, Chesterfield, MO 63005. Phone: 800.422.4556. Printing office: Walsworth, 306 N. Kansas Ave., Marceline, MO 64658. Printed in the U.S.A. Standard postage paid at St. Louis, MO, and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Hardwood Floors Magazine, 111 Chesterfield Industrial Blvd, Chesterfield, MO 63005. Single copy price is $8, annual Industry Guide is $50. Subscriptions: $40/year (includes 6 issues and Industry Guide) in the U.S. and Canada. Copyright © 2017 by National Wood Flooring Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

78 Tech Talk What are some of the common By NWFA causes of subfloor squeaks?

Regional Instructors

80 Health & Safety Focus Safety walls and seatbelts. 83 Unique Techniques Add a little flair to your repair.

By Wayne Lee

By Aaron Schaalma

hardwood floors

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