#MAPEITechTip: Flooring Associations—their key role in moving the industry forward

Have you ever wondered why there are so many Flooring Associations?  Or have you ever felt isolated within your area of expertise when problems arise, or you feel that you could use some additional training to further hone yours skills?  If you have ever run into a flooring issue that was a ‘real head scratcher’ you quickly realized the ‘value’ of your membership in one of these Associations.  Members of an association recognize that they represent more power and influence, as a united front, than tackling these issues on their own.

Associations’ primary goal is to provide industry-training, improve communications between members and the industry, and be a sounding board when installation issues arise.  Additionally, Flooring Associations participate in committees to review, revise and develop new and existing Standards (ASTM, ISO & ANSI) and Installation Guidelines—substrate preparation, tile/stone, wood flooring, carpeting or resilient flooring, specialty coatings and toppings.  In order to bring ‘real value’, Associations understand the need to ‘bridge the gap’ between floor covering and installation product manufacturers and its members—keeping its members fully informed and empowered to effect changes as products and methods evolve within the flooring industry.

In addition to these industry driven services, Associations encourage participation in community programs such as ‘Gary Sinise Foundation veterans programs’ or ‘Habitat for Humanity’.  As part of this community outreach, Associations and their members, along with flooring and installation product manufacturers look for opportunities with Grants & Scholarships and other Incentive Programs designed to attract the next generation of industry installers.

Although floor covering and installation product manufacturers provide ‘product training & product documentation’, manufacturers recognize the installation expertise that make up these Associations. When Association Members from all over the Americas, participate on Standards and Installation Guideline Committees they are able to develop installation methods and practices that have been vetted by their fellow ‘peers’—improving the quality and consistency of installations within the flooring community.  In addition to these Standards and Installation Guidelines being published for its members, eg: TCNA Handbook, NWFA Guidelines, there is also a concerted effort to provide practical training to its members, with certification programs like CTEF (Certified Tile Education Foundation), CFI (Certified Flooring Installers) & NWFA (National Wood Flooring Association) Certified Professionals to name a few.  All of these various services are available to members, improving our skills and strengthening the flooring industry.
 
I hope that I have whet your appetite to check out a membership within your field of expertise.  Why not take a few minutes and call or talk to a member of an Association at the next Industry Tradeshow, you might be surprised what an Association can do for you and your business!
 
The following Flooring Associations are just a brief overview of the many associations that are available. 
 -International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) provides technical guidance for repair and restoration of concrete.  ICRI also has published CSP (Concrete Surface Profile) #1-9 recommendations for profiling a concrete surface prior to a repair of or application of a coating.
-National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) provides technical assistance to help resolve technical wood flooring installation issues, through NWFA Guidelines, Hardwood Floors Magazine and Forum, and Technical Training Classes.
-Certified Flooring Installer (CFI) is an association of flooring professionals to identify, train and certify flooring installers.
-Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI) educates the industry about carpet and rugs related to health, environmental, indoor air quality and the lifespan of carpet.
-National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) is the voice of the tile installer improving the trade through education and training, participation in the development of standards and methods, and communication of our initiatives to related trades.