When it comes to hard surface flooring of any type, substrate preparation is critical to a successful installation.

Each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses; so know your strengths and capitalize on those. When it comes to your weak areas, network with professionals to make your business stronger.

It goes without saying that today’s tiles come in more sizes, shapes, patterns and colors than ever before. Along with this availability comes virtually endless creative possibilities.

Floorcovering professionals say goodbye to our industry for a variety of reasons, but leaders in our community have found solid methods to prevent it.

Tapping into new markets and recruiting new blood. Retention. Training the labor force in terms of both availability of training and the quality thereof. These are just a few of the major challenges the construction industry faces today. INSTALL, intent on solving these issues, recently spearheaded a leadership conference in conjunction with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters Interior/Exterior Systems division, June 25-27.

For our annual Moisture Mitigation Case Studies feature, we spoke with contractors from around the country to find out how they deal with moisture problems while on the job.

We spoke with manufacturers about the pros of cons of each type of hardwood flooring finish, what to expect when working with these products and what new technologies are available.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are as beautiful as they are functional, but they are very greedy when it comes to the space needed around them to absorb any movement.

Self-levelers, patches and skimcoats are designed to make installers’ lives easier and their jobs more profitable. We spoke with industry manufacturers about what novices and pros alike should know when working with these materials.

Have you invested in some new tools for this year? The right tools will make your installation easier.