Articles

“U.S. floor covering sales remained weak in the first quarter of 2025, and we are not surprised by the slow start,” the company stated. Sales continue to be impacted by slowing building construction spending, sluggish housing starts and weak existing home sales. The rise in interest rates in the first quarter stalled any recovery in these primary drivers of demand. Read More

As the luxury vinyl tile (LVT) market faces dual pressures from rising tariffs and increasing demand, manufacturers showcased strategic pivots at Q1 2025 trade shows, revealing an industry in transition. With Chinese imports now subject to a 45% tariff—up from 25% just months ago—and the global LVT market projected to reach $52.86 billion by 2030, North American manufacturers are ramping up investments in domestic production while exploring alternative supply chains throughout Southeast Asia. Read More

2024 was another year of struggles for the U.S. ceramic tile market. Tile consumption decreased for the third straight year largely due to issues in the residential market, with which the tile industry is closely connected. Feeling the pinch from high mortgage rates, inflation, rising material costs, labor shortages, increasing home prices, and nervous buyers, the housing market continued to decline. Total new home starts fell for the third consecutive year for the first time in fifteen years. The 1.36 million units started in 2024 represented a 3.9% decrease from the previous year. Read More

Thursday, March 13, 2025, from Tile Letter WASHINGTON, March 7—The construction industry added 19,000 jobs on net in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis… Read More

Thursday, March 13, 2025, from Floor Daily New York, NY, March 13, 2025-In January, ceramic imports were up 17.5% in quantity and 18.5% in dollars,… Read More

Friday, March 7, 2025 from Floor Covering Weekly Trends & technology lead tile’s 2025 offerings [Las Vegas] At The International Surface Event (tise) 2025, new looks… Read More

Every year, the tile industry eagerly anticipates the unveiling of the latest trends that will shape design and architecture. In celebration of National Tile Day on February 23, Coverings, North America’s premier ceramic tile and natural stone event, has announced the must-see tile trends for 2025. This year’s selection presents a dynamic blend of timeless craftsmanship and groundbreaking innovation, highlighting the enduring appeal and sustainability of ceramic tile in a wide range of applications. Read More

Sika has fully acquired HPS North America, a supplier of building finishing materials. HPS distributes Schönox branded products, manufactured by Sika Germany, in the U.S. market. Fully integrating this business into Sika USA will create a strong platform for further expansion in the building finishing segment and lead to significant efficiency gains. Read More

Home buyers continue to look toward smaller homes, with the median home size dropping from 2,200 square feet in 2023 to 2,150 square feet in 2024 — the lowest in 15 years — after holding strong at 2,300 square feet from 2019-2022. The same thing is happening to median lot sizes, which has dropped about 1,000 square feet in the last 15 years to 8,400 square feet. Read More

Lowe's reported net sales for Q4 were $18.6 billion, virtually even with Q4 2023’s $18.6 billion. Comparable sales for the quarter increased 0.2%, driven by high-single-digit Pro and online comparable sales, strong holiday performance, and rebuilding efforts in the wake of recent hurricanes, partially offset by continued near-term pressure in DIY discretionary spending. Read More