Articles

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

Throughout history, ceramic tiles have represented that perfect union of art and architecture. The richness of tile adorns our greatest buildings and historical icons. Think back to the most impressive spaces you can recall, whether a grand hotel lobby, the nave of an historic church, or even the lake house of a friend, whose cool and unruffled approach to indoor-outdoor weekending came thanks in equal part to tile surfaces and killer Bloody Marys. At the end of the day, all three share a common trait borne out by the same DNA: Great spaces are made memorable by their tiled surfaces. Read More

Easy to take care of and incredibly versatile, ceramic tile has long been a favorite option for kitchen surfaces. There’s more to tile than just its low-maintenance good looks, though: Tile, manufactured using only natural materials, doesn’t emit toxic fumes (unlike some other surface choices), and its hard surfaces are unfriendly to odors, allergens, molds and bacteria. Plus, tile doesn’t burn: hot kitchen pans or skillets can’t scorch or melt the surface of glazed ceramic tile! Read More

Ceramic tile is one of the healthiest flooring choices available—easy to clean, free of harmful irritants, and sustainable—all without compromising on artistic versatility. Read More

The Floor Covering Institute (FCI) has added Don Finkell as a business strategy consultant. Read More

By any measure, 2023 will be a challenging year for the floor coverings industry. Historically, every time mortgage rates increased housing demand declines. And when housing demand declines flooring sales suffer. The past year has been no exception. The nearly 80 percent increase in mortgage rates in 2022 resulted in housing demand (new completions, existing home sales, and manufactured housing) declining by about 14 percent. Read More

The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) has newly expanded training and education for professionals in the ceramic tile and stone industry for 2023. The new programs address the foundations of tile installation and practical training to prepare installers for the Certified Tile Installer program, as well as an enhanced inspection course and additional sessions of a historically popular program. Read More

Mohawk Industries, Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement to purchase the Vitromex ceramic tile business from Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS) for approximately $293 million in cash. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2022 and is subject to the approval of GIS’s shareholders, as well as customary government approvals and closing conditions. The Vitromex business is expected to be accretive to Mohawk's earnings. Read More