Hardwood Floors December 2024/January 2025

CONTENTS

Industry Insights

PUBLICATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE Robert McNamara | Chair, Sheoga Hardwood Flooring Jason Elquest | Blackhawk Floors Inc. Steve Brattin | Chair Michael Martin | CEO Anita Howard | COO Brett Miller | VP, Technical Standards, Training, & Certification Stephanie Owen | Executive Director, NERF NWFA LEADERSHIP

18 Government Affairs Election 2024.

By Dana Lee Cole

22 Market Matters Strengths and threats to the economy.

By Santo Torcivia

26 Design Trends Flooring set to embrace

By Bryan Hodges

optimism and bring joy to interiors.

Business Best Practices

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

30 Technology Protecting yourself

By Chad Ogden

from credit card fraud. 32 Marketing Reaching the next generation. 36 Special Content Tools for small businesses.

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 Amy Burris | Digital Manager | amy.burris@nwfa.org Bridget Norlie | Engagement Manager | bridget.norlie@nwfa.org PUBLICATION TEAM

By Tyler Powell

By Doug Howard

42 Sponsored Content Luxury wide plank hardwood flooring.

By Olde Wood Ltd.

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

At the Site 72 Education International collaboration for education. 76 Sponsored Content A proven paradigm in finish technology.

By Jon Namba

By Odie's Oil

78 Tech Talk Getting creative with tools at the jobsite. 80 WFOY Winner Spotlight Best Parquetry: H&M Flooring Design Inc.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Burt Bollinger Steve Brattin Dana Lee Cole Grete Heimerdinger Bryan Hodges

Jon Namba Chad Ogden Tyler Powell Santo Torcivia

Doug Howard Libby White Johnston

Reid Lambright Michael Martin Brett Miller

By Burt Bollinger

Product Focus

ADVERTISING SALES

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

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

Also in this Issue

6 Chair’s Cut

By Steve Brattin

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 © 2024 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.

8 Business Briefs 12 Wood Stock

By Burt Bollinger

40 Emerging Leaders Empowering the future of the

By Reid Lambright

hardwood flooring industry. 82 Special Content NWFA welcomes new Certified Professionals. 92 TISE Preview 96 Special Content NWFA joins USFS in establishing forest and wood product carbon data platform 98 New Products

100 Overheard on NWFA Podcasts 102 Wood Talk: Michelle Kingsbury 103 Ad Index

104 Final Coat: CEO’s Message

By Michael Martin