Welcome to Floor Covering 101

There was a time when floor covering technology meant a locking system or maybe adopting an online presence with a website — a very basic one at that. From a product perspective, there continues to be advancements in installation methods and performance attributes such as stain and scratch resistance and of course water-resistance. But this conversation too has expanded to include digital printing technologies that enhance the look and feel of flooring. Everything that makes up a floor from top to bottom and below is being re-engineered to offer the customer more for their money. Many of the latest technology advancements aren’t readily visible so learning about the impact on the business, the consumer journey and ultimate installation satisfaction is critical and will surely support the sale on the showroom floor.

Flooring can be a complicated purchase — understanding the lingo and language of a product’s details from wearlayers to thickness, installation methods and more is daunting even for the experts. But at the end of the day, what the consumer wants is something that meets both their lifestyle needs and style aesthetics. Inside this 101 Guide, you will hear from the experts and see some of the latest trends they’ve identified.Take a read and get inspired.

There are a lot of promises and claims being made about rigid core as a category. What we do know to be true is that it is propelling the luxury vinyl tile category forward in market share gains not seen by any other flooring surface today. A lot of that momentum is coming from the constant innovation in the category. Everything from design technology to performance attributes, suppliers continue to improve what has been a category with meaningful promises. Rigid core floors are indeed made to perform and as you go through this Floor Covering 101 Guide, you will learn about each subcategory of rigid core, what its performance promise is, how it compares to sister products, what spaces it will work best in and the latest in sustainable practices.

Millennials, the largest consumer cohort coming up, place a significant value on sustainability — the environmental and social impact of what they do, products they buy and how they live their lives. It is part of their decision making process. It is a conversation critical to converting them to a sale. But how can you effectively have this conversation and provide meaningful information to the customer that will help support the sale of product? It really comes down to the story that a particular product and the company that makes it has to tell. How are you effectively telling these powerful stories online and then in store in a way that creates a conversation ending in a sale? FCW’s Selling Sustainability 101 Guide is the first in what will be an annual publication. Take a look inside and prepare to sell the largest buying cohort in history confidently.

The resilient category is quite possibly the most complex flooring segment. There are several subcategories within resilient — sheet vinyl, flexible luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and rigid core, which has its own different segments. While there are commonalities — each has a degree of water-resistance or waterproof properties, for example — there are differences in construction, performance and installation abilities. This Guide to flexible LVT is primarily a deep dive into flexible LVT and sheet vinyl. But to tell the full story and understand the overall value proposition of each segment, we’ve included some information on rigid core as well. For the complete rigid core story, see the Floor Covering 101 Guide to Rigid Core that comes out each spring. This is an exciting category but it also requires deep understand so you can help the customer select the perfect product for them. And to see how these products stand up against other flooring segments, see FCW’s Floor Covering 101 Guide library on FCW1.com.

The laminate flooring category has grown into its own offering many key attributes that hold meaning with today’s consumer. In general, the consumer is looking for a product that meets their design vision, fits with their lifestyle needs and is attainable within their budget. And with laminate, there are in fact many powerful points of discussion to have with the customer on the showroom floor. Laminate today is not the laminate of years ago. Investments and innovation have pushed the category forward. After years of taking substantial market hits, it is elevated again and seeing growth.

While not a newcomer to the flooring scene, tile and stone are often overshadowed by lookalikes and other highly touted hard surface products. But the truth is, tile is one product that has the ability to be installed in nearly every space in and outside a home while its style and design variety has the ability to literally transform a space. This Floor Covering 101 Guide will take you through everything tile has to offer from a style and design perspective because that is where a lot of the conversation begins. But tile also offers an important performance story.

What’s interesting about hardwood is it is both traditional and cutting edge. Hardwood is the undisputed aspirational flooring. Hardwood simply adds value to a home. Nearly 27 years ago when I bought my first home, what attracted me to it were the hardwood floors throughout the house. It made me feel as a young adult that I was buying something of value with equity and substance. And while this category offers that confidence in a home investment, there is more to it today than there was back 20-some years ago. Innovation, technology, investment all have led to a better product. Because in addition to wanting beautiful floors, today’s customer demands more to meet their lifestyle needs. And hardwood has delivered. This is the sixth Floor Covering 101 Guide to Hardwood Flooring. With so much innovation happening in the category, looking back over the years charts the transformation of this category as it marries a rich past with a forward-thinking future.

According to a recent retail research survey we ran, more than 50 percent of customers come into a retail store asking specifically for waterproof or pet-friendly flooring. This has been great for flooring, but while it is a blessing, it can be a bit of a curse too if you aren’t transparent about what each product you promote as waterproof or water-resistant can really withstand. It is indeed imperative to give waterproof true meaning — beyond a buzzword — and manage the customer’s expectations. This Floor Covering 101 Guide to Waterproof & Water-resistant Flooring will help guide you through all of these conversations and empower you with the knowledge needed to take the customer’s shopping journey to the next step.

There have been meaningful investments made in the carpet category and it is worth taking the time to get to know today’s technology and how it is creating products that meet today’s consumer needs and wants. Technology around fiber, for example, is helping to create carpet that has additional attributes than the category has traditionally offered. It’s always been great for sound abatement but today’s fibers and yarns are made to fight spills and stains and are engineered to be softer. And carpet is not just for the bedroom. It can be perfect in other parts of the house from playrooms, home offices and hallways to stairs and living rooms. It’s cozy and comfortable, good for absorbing noise and can offer beauty as well. Top that off with some of the unique selling stories you’ll read inside, carpet can easily be your go-to in meeting the consumer’s needs.