The largest share of the flooring market is obviously taken up by tried-and-true mainstream products: Carpet, resilient, hardwood, tile and laminate. While these may be the focus of most retailers’ and contractors’ selling efforts, they are far from the only products available on the market. Those looking to differentiate their store might also consider some of the “alternative,” “niche” or “specialty” flooring such as cork, bamboo, rubber and hybrid products.
The following is a look at what is considered to be the more popular specialty types and the ones that are the easiest for dealers, designers and contractors to offer their everyday customers.