Hardwood Floors August/September 2025

CONTENTS

PUBLICATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE Robert McNamara | Chair, Sheoga Hardwood Flooring Jason Elquest | Blackhawk Floors Inc. Steve Brattin | Chair Stephanie Owen | COO Anita Howard | Sr. VP, Industry Partnerships & Meetings Brett Miller | VP, Technical Standards, Education, & Membership NWFA LEADERSHIP

Industry Insights

16 Government Affairs Why is it so hard to pass legislation?

By Dana Lee Cole

20 Market Matters Slow growth during

By Santo Torcivia

economic uncertainty. 24 Design Trends Sharing real wood’s story at the United Nations. 28 Special Content Real wood reduces toxin risks during fires.

By Steven Skutelsky

Lenny Hall | Endurance Floor Company Inc. Kevin Mullany | Benchmark Wood Floors Inc. Jim Schumacher | Mirka

By Anita Howard

PUBLICATION TEAM

Libby White Johnston | Publisher | libby.johnston@nwfa.org Burt Bollinger | Editor | burt.bollinger@nwfa.org Brett Miller | Technical Editor | brett.miller@nwfa.org Rhonda M. May | Creative Manager | rhonda.may@nwfa.org Bridget Norlie | Engagement Manager | bridget.norlie@nwfa.org

Business Best Practices

32 Finance Keeping your small business

By Dana Rogers

finances organized. 36 Marketing Why structure equals marketing success. At the Site 62 Tech Talk Tools requiring basic

14 Research Park Drive St. Charles, Missouri 63304 P : 800.422.4556 Local : 636.519.9663 F: 636.519.9664 E: news@hardwoodfloorsmag.com W: hardwoodfloorsmag.com

By Welton Hong

level training for newcomers. 64 WFOY Winner Spotlight Best Use of Technology: M P Caroll Hardwood 66 Hardwood Hints Cutting and installing slivers. 68 Technical Publication Tip Fastener schedule.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Burt Bollinger Steve Brattin Dana Lee Cole

Steven Skutelsky Mike Somodean Jason Spangler Santo Torcivia

Libby White Johnston Brett Miller

Terry Patton Dana Rogers

Welton Hong Anita Howard

By Mike Somodean

ADVERTISING SALES

Product Focus

Katie Schenk Advertising & Media Manager katie.schenk@nwfa.org | 636.736.5230

70 Tools, Moisture Meters, Supplies, Nailers, and Fasteners

Hardwood Floors (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 as a membership benefit to its member companies and without charge upon request to qualified individuals throughout the wood flooring industry. 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. Publication office: 14 Research Park Drive, St. Charles, MO 63304. Phone: 800.422.4556. Printing office: Walsworth, 306 N. Kansas Ave., Marceline, MO 64658. Printed in the U.S. Periodicals postage is paid at Chesterfield, MO and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Hardwood Floors, P.O. Box 9147, Lowell, MA 01853. Copyright © 2025 by the National Wood Flooring Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Hardwood Floors' subscription base is AAM audited. An AAM audit provides advertisers and agencies with assurance that what they choose to invest in does, in fact, reach target audiences for specific ads. The AAM audit also helps media companies by documenting the quality of their audiences.

Also in this Issue

6 Chair’s Cut

By Steve Brattin

8 Business Briefs 12 Wood Stock

By Burt Bollinger

69 Special Content NWFA welcomes new Certified Professionals. 73 Seen at NWFA Schools 76 New Products 78 Overheard on NWFA Podcasts 79 Wood Talk: Brian Conklin 80 Ad Index

hardwood floors hardwoodfloorsmag.com

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