Hardwood Floors June/July 2024

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Craftsmanship, Creativity, and Community on Display at NWFA’S NEW HOME

By Libby White Johnston The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) recently moved its headquarters into a new building near St. Louis, Missouri. As one might expect, wood floors take center stage throughout the facility, which, in addition to serving as the home for NWFA staff and technical training, also is imagined as a hub for members to host trainings, architect and designer events, and customer outings. The floors featured throughout the facility represent what the NWFA is all about: promoting beautiful real wood floors, providing the education and training to have successful installations, and bringing the wood flooring community together.

Wood floors cover around 6,000 square feet of the building, with different floors installed in 20 rooms. NWFA members answered the call to be part of it with incredible generosity. More than 35 companies donated products, from flooring and finish to adhesive and abrasives. On top of that, nearly 30 volunteers gave their time to assist with the installation, as well as nearly 20 students from an NWFA Advanced Installation Course. “Like our last headquarters, we wanted the students to design and install the office floors based on the material that was donated,” says Brett Miller, VP of technical standards, training, and certification for NWFA. “We had amazing products to work with, and the students created some unbelievable floors. We were focused on using domestic species throughout, showcasing different cuts, styles, patterns, colors, and categories while embracing craftsmanship, as well as simplicity. As always, the end result exceeded our expectations.”

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