In Episode 44, the S+H team examines the October issue’s feature story on respirable crystalline silica. Also, Suzi Craig, vice president of workplace mental health at Mental Health America, joins the podcast to discuss normalizing conversations and attitudes around mental health in the “Five Questions With …” segment. 

Washington — A long-anticipated Mine Safety and Health Administration final rule intended to reduce miners’ exposure to silica has been sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review.

Introducing a new super brand dedicated to all things flooring: FLOOR Trends & Installation.

Scott Carothers, academic director for the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation, explains when to use grout, caulking or sealants for your tile installations. 

Many tile manufacturers place installation tips and techniques on the cardboard box, and many are based on the industry standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and industry recognized best practices.

Proper water management can help avoid failure with the installation of tile or natural stone on an exterior roof deck or balcony.

Scott Carothers, academic director for the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation, highlights how shoddy tile work around a bathroom drain in a restaurant could have been avoided if the tile installers had referenced ANSI Standards, industry best practices—and a little common sense. 

Scott Carothers, academic director, Ceramic Tile Education Foundation, walks us through the industry standards that are in place to help you achieve a successful cementitious backer unit installation under tile. 

The industry is preparing for 2025 with a focus on improving installation processes and attracting new talent. Initiatives include Mohawk's CFI certification for product development teams, IFC's partnership with FCEF for workforce development, and various educational programs. 

For the month of October, the talented crew of installers with Ballin Knows Best, the first-ever AI-driven flooring installation chatbot, contribute content written by installers for installers in this editorial takeover. 

The recent CFI FCICA Convention in Orlando challenged the industry to raise the bar on installer recruitment, expand high-quality training, and expand awareness of the latest installation techniques and technologies.

Smartlift's SL 609 Outdoor series is designed for mounting glass, marble, granite, and steel. 

Taylor Adhesives 710 is designed for a variety of applications, including: applying seaming tapes, joining padding, sealing raw edges, securing binding, patching carpet, replacing damaged nap and reinforcing seams and weak backings.

Designed to allow for an easier install process for hardwood flooring contractors by mitigating moisture on concrete and wooden subfloor systems, Bona launches Bona RollGuard.

USA Flooring announced the launch of a Partner Rewards Loyalty program, designed by The Incentive Group for Pro Customers, with support from Shaw Industries. 

David Gross, executive director, INSTALL, shares his experience, how he came to land in a union organization and provides next steps for flooring installers who are interested in moving into another role within the flooring industry.

The INSTALL Warranty Contractor designation is a unique offering in the flooring industry because it guarantees that the installation work is of the highest quality and stands behind that guarantee with a free extended warranty on labor.

After losing family members to gun violence, Charity Adeoti discovered her passion for making a difference. Learn how this graduate of the Floor Covering Education Foundation 10-week installation program aims to inspire youth to get off the streets to pursue careers—and successful futures—in flooring.

Leslie Del Pozo, vice president of marketing content & communications, QEP/Roberts has been supporting the installation community in a variety of ways for several years now, including sponsoring our Installation Awards for the second year in a row. Here, we dive more into her flooring journey, what supporting the installation community means to her and the importance of just showing up.

David Winkler, regional director of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 5, discusses the importance of training, provides insight into the inner workings and benefits of IUPAT and dispells some common misconceptions about trade unions. 

No doubt, artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay, but how is it being utilized in flooring installation? App developer and installer Jason Potts walks us through the newest features of AI bot Ballin Knows Best and what it means for the future of installation.

Nineteen flooring manufacturers, including AHF Products, showcased a curated selection of products and met with architects and designers from the greater New York City area. 

The Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF), in partnership with the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Innovation Center, Drake State Community College, and the Industry Task Force, announced the completion of its first pilot cohort for the Flooring Installation Technicians course.

Oatey Perfect Slope installs a perfect tile shower pre-slope that ensures half the mortar and half the time required.

The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) is constantly working with industry leaders to maintain information and training about safety practices and updates on safety equipment on construction sites. Here, they share more about their practices to keep you safe on the jobsite. 

Reuben Potter, owner of Floors By Southern Boys, reveals the marketing efforts that are helping him grow his business in 2024.

The International Surface Event (TISE) named the winners of the third 2025 regional installation competition held in Dalton, Georgia on October 26, 2024 at the Certified Flooring Installers (CFI) headquarters and training facility. 

The project, which is being funded by the California Energy Commission, kicks off in September 2024 and is expected to span a two and a half year period.

The moisture parameters for hardwoods and subfloors that are required for successful hardwood floor installations depend on several factors. Executive Director David Gross shares INSTALL’s guidelines for moisture testing prior to hardwood installation. 

Taylor Adhesives Director of Technical Services Gary Scheidker walks us through the process of bidding a commercial healthcare project from material and product selection to choosing the right installer for the job to maintenance of the flooring after project completion.

Floor Trends & Installation Managing Editor Beth Miller shares her experience attending the International Certified Flooring Installers (CFI) Association LVP, Laminate, and Hardwood Technical Certification alongside the Mohawk and Performance Accessories product teams at the Mohawk Training Facility in Dalton, Georgia.  

MAPEI Corporation's advanced sports-flooring products transformed the center court of the 2024 Red Bull Half Court tournament into a work of art designed by Carolina De La Cruz Rodriguez.

The 11th Annual Installation Awards celebrates skilled flooring installers in residential and commercial settings. This year’s winners showcased unique projects and challenges, and we welcomed several new faces to this year’s contest. 

Big D Floor Covering Supplies in Phoenix, Arizona hosted the fourth and final 2025 TISE Regional Installation Competition. Cesar Haro-Pena with Mike's Custom Flooring won the luxury vinyl plank category, and Hugo Gutierrez with Golden State Contract Flooring won the carpet category.

Schluter-Systems introduces Schluter-Ditra-PS peel and stick uncoupling membrane and Schluter-Primer-PS, a brand-new primer specifically designed for use with Schluter peel and stick membranes.

Shower installation and accessories technology for 2023 combines design elements, ease of installation and innovation in this roundup.

Daniel Koutavas, territory business manager for Fishman Flooring Solutions’ Southeast Region, offers basic guidance for selecting and installing flooring transitions.

Jack Ulstrom with Artistic Finishes answers a few common questions about profiles, trims and transitions.

The Versaflex collection features seven different flexible molding and trim options, in addition to flooring and stair solutions.

Laticrete’s Ben Lampi offers advice on pairing color and finishes to take a tile installation to the next level. 

Installing tile on walls can be more challenging than working on floors. Oscar Barradas, owner, OBF Tile, shares a couple of tips to ensure your walls are prepped properly. 

Baeumler and M-D PRO, which is based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, will engage with contractors and installers through a series of educational initiatives on social media. The collaboration aims to educate pros on using installer-friendly solutions that increase efficiency, reduce costs, and maintain quality. 

Don't let your groundbreaking flooring creation go unnoticed. Submit your new product entry by September 11, 2024, and let the flooring community experience the future you're building.

By eliminating the need for high-impact knee kickers, the tool allows professionals to achieve a precise and even stretch while significantly reducing wear and tear on their bodies. 

At the Starnet 2024 fall meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, flooring industry veteran Robert Varden introduced Advanced Flooring Technology's (AFT) new commercial carpet installation certification program, designed for non-union contractors. The three-day program combines training and evaluation and focuses on pattern correction, adhesive application, and technical skills. 

BentallGreenOak paid $60 million for a Medley warehouse with a tenant locked in for the next two decades. An affiliate of BentallGreenOak, a New York-based real estate investment firm led by co-CEOs Sonny Kalsi and John Carrafiell, bought a cold storage facility at 7600 Northwest 82nd Place, records and real estate database Vizzda show. Food […]

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by Anonymous

Please vote as if you want stress to become eradicated. Please vote as if a solution to gentrification is needed to be found. Don't let the disaster capitalists continue to have the loudest voices in the room. Please vote to free us from private equity's grip. Please vote that bouncing forward not resilience can become an aftermath of any disaster. Please vote that the new form of feudalism is not okay and should not continue. . Please vote to continue to capturing consensus in the public sphere. Please insert yourself into the public sphere as much as you can after the election so the consensus model can truly expand. Thanks for the read! xoxox

​​This done, see that you take no longer days, But send the midwife presently to me. -Aaron Titus Andronicus        Act IV, scene ii      Line 166 Let's be clear here. The 'this done' that the speaker is referring to is the burying of the body of the nurse he just killed. And the reason he...

The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe has taken over as the new leader of The Episcopal Church, declaring at his installation service that the denomination must unify and “finish the job” of witnessing to a “hurting world.”

Following an investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO), a Jasper County grand jury indicted a fire safety equipment installer on two counts of tampering with a government document.