Flooring Events & Industry Training Throughout North America
Every conscientious flooring professional wants to know and understand the products they deal with. Proper training and updating skills is essential to the successful flooring professional. Socializing and networking with peers is also important to those who have a passion for the flooring industry. We look to industry organizations and product manufacturers to support our goal to bring these opportunities to all floor covering professionals.
Below is compiled a list of articles and press releases concerning floorcovering training and other industry events. The Floor Pro Community Forums is where you can find and participate in the many discussions about industry organizations, educational ideas and goals, as well as other training information not included in these pages. Anyone can read the Industry Training & Organizations Forum, but only registered PROs can participate in those discussions.
If you know of future flooring educational opportunities, or are the host of events and training that are not listed here, please bring it to our attention. If you are a registered PRO member, start a new topic in the forum linked to above, orcontact the administrator.
Hand Safety in the Flooring Industry
Flooring professionals need their hands for just about all the work tasks they do and we all need healthy hands to perform daily activities. Hand safety is very important. Hand injuries are painful as well as disabling, and can easily require you to take time off work. Fixing and healing hands is often a difficult and lengthy process. Treat your hands like the valuable assets they are: make it your priority to protect them. Unfortunately, not enough flooring professionals, or workers in general, are heeding this advice. (more…)
TJ Scimone is founder and CEO of Slice, Inc., maker of unique and safer cutting tools. All tools feature patent-pending finger-friendly® ceramic blades and ergonomic handles. Slice hosts a Workplace Safety Blog to provide resources and information about safety at work for employees and management.
Why Industry Standards?
The IICRC standards director provides an introduction to standards and an overview of the benefits of using standards and engaging in the standard-development process.
Industry standards are established by consensus and provides rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results. Standards are developed by technical experts who work together to meet a common marketplace need.
The term “voluntary consensus standard” describes a document developed through a process where all views and objections are considered and where affected parties (including government, consumers and business) have reached substantial agreement on its contents. This is the type of standard developed by the Institute for Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). (more…)
Greg Brooks has advanced complex ideas, policies and technical issues to the press, the public, elected officials and stakeholder groups for nearly 30 years. He is principal of West Third Group and leads all engagements.
IICRC Summit Conference Adds CIRI Science Symposium
The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is adding a Science Symposium to its Technical Conference, held Aug. 9 – 11, at the Big Sky Resort in Big Sky, Mont. The Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI) will join the IICRC for a special discussion on a major new trend in cleaning science and disaster restoration and its impact on business strategy and hygiene practices.
The symposium titled, “The Microbiome and its Impact on Cleaning, Contracting and the Restoration Sciences,” will take place from 1-5 p.m. on Aug. 11 and will feature discussions by Dr. Gene Cole and Dr. Greg Whiteley. (more…)
The University of Ceramic Tile and Stone’s (UofCTS) Online “Tile Installer Thin-set Standards (ITS) Verification” Course has been Updated
Education is the fastest and easiest way to increase sales and profits!
The University of Ceramic Tile and Stone (UofCTS) just released an updated version of the popular Tile Installer Thin-set Standards (ITS) Verification course. Both the USA version and the Canadian version of this course were updated, as well as the Spanish version.
The updated course offers a comprehensive review of the current industry installation standards, methods, and practices for ceramic tile, porcelain tiles, glass tile, concrete tiles, and natural stone tiles. (more…)
Registration Open for NWFA Expo 2017
Registration is now open for the National Wood Flooring Association 2017 Wood Flooring Expo. The NWFA Expo 2017 event will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, April 11-14.
(more…)
The National Wood Flooring Association announced details about the NWFA University at its Wood Flooring Expo in Charlotte, NC. Along with the start of a new year of NWFA membership, the University will launch July 1, 2016.
The NWFA University is an online platform that gives individuals an opportunity to participate in wood flooring training when and where they want it. (more…)
2016 FloorTek Expo Partners With
NICFI/NAFCT/Floor Inspectors Educational Guild
American Floorcovering Alliance (AFA) has partnered with NICFI, National Academy of Floor Covering Training (NAFCT) and The Flooring Educational Guild for 2016’s FloorTek Expo, Technical Training Conference & Trade Show, October 18-22, 2016, held at the Dalton Convention Center in Dalton, Georgia.
For more information about FloorTek Expo 2016, please visit their website at www.Floor-Tek.com. For information about the Technical Training Conference & Trade Show, please contact Paul Pleshek via email at Paul@nafct.com.
(more…)
The Carpet and Rug Institute Unveils Important Changes to Leading Carpet Installation Standards
— Industry-Led Updates to CRI’s 104/105 Carpet Installation Standards Focus on
Proper Planning and Preparation —
The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) today announced important updates to its CRI-104 and CRI-105 Installation Standards for Commercial and Residential Carpet. Developed by a team of industry leaders, these changes address industry innovations that require new approaches to carpet installation, particularly planning and subfloor preparation. (more…)
Impact of Plywood Underlayment Direction¹
By Frank Woeste and Peter Nielsen
Beginning in 2007, the TCA Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation listed in bold print the following requirement for two-layer wood sheathing installation methods:
- face grain of plywood shall run perpendicular to joists for maximum stiffness.
Should the tile contractor or other interested parties be concerned whether or not the plywood underlayment runs perpendicular to the joists? (more…)
The Most Comprehensive Glossary of Ceramic & Stone Tile Terminology Online
Although this may be the most comprehensive list of tile terminology you can find, it is by no means complete. Glossaries and tile articles from around the Internet have been researched to compile this list and it is an ongoing project. If you know a term related to ceramic or stone tile that is not listed here, please use the comment form to add it. In return, we will link to your professional flooring related website. You might also spot a mistake in our glossary, or feel additional information should be provided. Please use the comment form below to inform us so we can continue to make this the finest place for flooring information on the web. (more…)
American Floorcovering Alliance (AFA) has partnered with NICFI, National Academy of Floor Covering Training (NAFCT) and The Flooring Educational Guild for 2016’s FloorTek Expo, Technical Training Conference & Trade Show, October 18-22, 2016, held at the Dalton Convention Center in Dalton, Georgia.
The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) today announced important updates to its CRI-104 and CRI-105 Installation Standards for Commercial and Residential Carpet. Developed by a team of industry leaders, these changes address industry innovations that require new approaches to carpet installation, particularly planning and subfloor preparation.