Articles

For several years now, the U.S. ceramic market has been going through a period of transition with the expansion of U.S. manufacturing, removal of Chinese imports from the market through tariffs, significant instability in raw material sourcing and increases in raw material costs, and developments in technology that have enabled advancements in aesthetics and formats. And over the course of the last year, the market has worked to fi nd its footing as a result of these dynamics. At the same time, ceramic manufacturers and importers are fighting the same battles that many other flooring categories are—working to maintain ceramic’s market share, as LVT continues to steal square footage from virtually all other flooring categories; seeking solutions to the shortage of flooring installers; and communicating its value to the various end user groups, many of which do not yet understand that, while costly up front, ceramic carries a significant useful life, offers great durability, and has a strong green story. Read More

The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI), issued by Dodge Construction Network, advanced 1.9% in February to 203.0 from the revised January reading of 199.3. In February, the commercial component of the DMI rose 1.4%, and the institutional component increased 2.9%. Read More

The truth of the matter is that for many aspects of residential construction such as framing, tiling and finish carpentry, construction techniques haven’t changed a lot over the years. A recent academic paper titled “The Strange and Awful Path of Productivity in the U.S. Construction Sector” points out that while labor productivity has doubled across the U.S. economy over the past 50 years, it has been falling or, at best, stagnant for the construction sector. Read More

A new year means new trends, and 2023 is already off to a strong start! From sustainability and safety to durability and style, this year’s top 10 trends manifest every imaginable merit of tile. The following trends were gathered and forecasted by Ceramics of Italy, Tile Council of North America, and Tile of Spain – the three leading international tile associations and sponsors of Coverings – and highlight the most popular, on-trend styles from the global marketplace. These trends are also a sneak peek of the immersive displays that will be at Coverings 2023, April 18-21, in Orlando, Florida. Read More

In this article, we aim to expand your thinking about the cost of materials to account for the costs borne by individuals and fenceline communities who are exposed to toxic chemicals every day. The bottom line is that some products can be sold cheaply because someone else is carrying the burden of the true cost. Read More

Houses and apartments built or remodeled in the last decade tend to have one thing in common: The floors are usually covered in “luxury” vinyl plank, often in a sickly shade of gray. The material is cheap, and by scanning wood to make a print, manufacturers can somewhat convincingly mimic the real thing. But as the material gets more popular—it’s now the most common type of flooring in the U.S.—it’s also causing more problems. Read More

Our celebration of National Tile Day and countdown to Coverings continues with a second 2023 tile trend we’re calling “Cobbled.” This trend represents any tile design that appears to be pieced together. With the same intrigue of a mosaic, we are drawn to cobbled looks for their unique configurations and casual elegance. Here’s why we love it: Aggregate looks ranging from time-worn terrazzo to Byzantine mosaics can visually ground a space with a foundation of history, but also with the modern material technology of porcelain panels. It’s the best of both worlds: You can enjoy the old-world charm of cobblestone — without posing a threat to your stilettoed guests. To show you what we mean, let’s take a look at some of our favorite “cobbled” tile options. Read More

The International Surface Event (TISE): Surfaces | StonExpo | TileExpo, held on Las Vegas January 31 to February 2, experienced a 67% increase in attendance over the 2022 event with double-digit increases again over events going as far back as before 2019. Read More

Lowe’s announced Q4 2022 sales were $22.4 billion, a 5% increase compared to $21.3 billion in Q4 2021. Comparable sales for Q4 decreased 1.5%, and comparable sales for the U.S. home improvement business decreased 0.7%. Read More

Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: FND) (“We,” “Our,” the “Company,” or “Floor & Decor”) announces its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 29, 2022. Read More