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Residential FlooringShows and Events for FlooringBusiness InsightsHardwood Flooring

NWFA Members Project Growth Despite Challenges at 40th Anniversary Expo

By Tanja Kern
NWFA Expo Opening Session

More than 2,500 wood flooring professionals attended the 2025 NWFA Expo. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 

NWFA Expo Awards

The NWFA 2025 Community Service Award was presented to Ashley and Jeff Do Carmo, Brown Oaks Flooring. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 

NWFA Expo Community Service Award

The NWFA 2025 Ambassador Award went to Jorge Perez of Epic Hardwood Floors. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 

NWFA Expo WIFI event

Women in the Floorcovering Industry collaborated with NWFA on networking breakfast that drew nearly 100 attendees. Photo: Floor Trends & Installatiion. 

NWFA Expo 2025 Gary Sinise

A special moment at the event was the celebration of the 10-year partnership between NWFA and the Gary Sinise Foundation's RISE program. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 

NWFA Expo 2025 AHF Products Kevin Whaley

Kevin Whaley, VP of sales and marketing at AHF Products, discussed solid wood business and consumer preferences for more pattern. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 

NWFA Expo CFI

CFI's John McHale and Ralph Falavinha. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 

NWFA Expo Happy Feet

The team at Happy Feet at the 2025 NWFA Expo. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 

NWFA Expo Kahrs

Renee Tester of Kahrs showcases new products at 2025 NWFA Expo. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 

NWFA Expo Divergent Adhesives

The team at Divergent Adhesives at the 2025 NWFA Expo. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 

NWFA Expo Opening Session
NWFA Expo Awards
NWFA Expo Community Service Award
NWFA Expo WIFI event
NWFA Expo 2025 Gary Sinise
NWFA Expo 2025 AHF Products Kevin Whaley
NWFA Expo CFI
NWFA Expo Happy Feet
NWFA Expo Kahrs
NWFA Expo Divergent Adhesives
April 24, 2025

The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) celebrated its 40th anniversary at its annual Expo from April 15-17 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, with more than 2,500 wood flooring professionals from around the world. Under the theme "Go the Distance," the event offered hands-on demonstrations, innovative product showcases, educational sessions, and networking opportunities, featuring more than 40 speakers and 232 exhibitors.

"Success isn't about starting strong, it's about endurance," said Steve Brattin, NWFA board chair and owner of SVB Wood Floors in Grandview, Missouri. "It's about the craftsmanship that stands the test of time, businesses that adapt and thrive, and professionals like you who commit to lifelong learning and improvement."

In the opening session, Dana Cole, executive director of The Hardwood Federation, provided legislative updates, emphasizing the importance of industry participation in policy discussions. "Government downsizing and budget cuts could potentially impact programs that serve the industry," Cole warned, encouraging members to engage with political candidates and join the Hardwood Federation's activities in Washington, D.C.

A special moment at the event was the celebration of the 10-year partnership between NWFA and the Gary Sinise Foundation's RISE program. Actor Gary Sinise personally thanked the organization for providing wood flooring, logistics and installation services for 86 mortgage-free, specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders across the United States.

"As you celebrate your 40th anniversary milestone and we share our 10th anniversary milestone together, I am truly a grateful American," Sinise told attendees, recognizing NWFA members' contributions to projects like the recent home renovation for Meredith Absolon, a St. Louis police officer and single mother who has recovered from stage three breast cancer.

Industry leaders emphasized that the key opportunities for growth in the coming year include product diversification, attracting new talent, improving operations, and educating consumers on the benefits of real wood flooring.

Looking ahead, Brattin emphasized the organization's focus on growing membership. "As the years go on, I would like to see us get membership up even more and start getting more and more of these contractors involved and get them to the shows," he said, noting that the organization is developing membership drives and working with volunteer members to be more active at contractor days at distribution centers.

The Expo also highlighted the redesigned NWFA Sales Advisor Program and Competitive Edge Series, which offer comprehensive training on wood flooring sales, products, job site evaluation, and installation methods, with an emphasis on effective sales strategies. These programs feature responsive course interfaces designed for on-the-go professionals.

The NWFA Leadership Development Summit will return in October 2025, following the success of its previous iteration. "The feedback last year from that was just phenomenal, and we have multiple people already asking when that's going to take place," Brattin said. Registration for the summit and the annual Nerve Golf Tournament, which benefits the Flooring Futures Initiative, will open in late July.

In an interview with Floor Trends & Installation, Brattin said the association finalized plans for its CEO search following the recent departure of former NWFA President and CEO Michael Martin. A search committee has been formed and will begin reviewing applications and resumes on May 1. Interviews are scheduled to take place from May 1 to June 30. 

NWFA honored many wood professionals during the Expo.

2025 NWFA Service Award honorees included: 

  • Ambassador Award: Jorge Perez, Epic Hardwood Floors
  • Community Service Award: Ashley and Jeff Do Carmo, Brown Oaks Flooring
  • Hall of Fame Award: Sprigg Lynn, Universal Floors Inc.
  • Hall of Fame Award: Neil Moss
  • Vanguard Award: Steven Skutelsky, PID Floors

2025 NWFA Wood Floor of the Year Awards honorees included: 

  • Best in Circles/Curves/Bent Wood: J.L. Vivash Custom Wood Floors Ltd. – Paris, Ontario, Canada
  • Best in Color/Finish and Textured Wood: Custom Floors Unlimited – Houston, Texas
  • Best Historic Restoration: Universal Floors Inc. – Washington, D.C.
  • Best in Marquetry/Inlays: Custom Floors Unlimited – Houston, Texas
  • Best Parquetry: All American Floor Sanding and Installation – Summerfield, Florida
  • Best Use of Technology: MP Caroll Hardwood – Buffalo, New York
  • Best Staircase: Henschen Hardwood LLC – New Knoxville, Ohio
  • Manufacturer Spotlight: Woodwright Hardwood Floors – Dallas, Texas
  • Member’s Choice: Grain Design Flooring – Florence, Kentucky

Hardwood Market Insights

Libby White Johnston, NWFA VP of media, shared key findings from the association's 2025 industry outlook, revealing that more than 60% of NWFA members expect sales increases this year, while approximately one-third anticipate steady performance.

"Longer, wider boards remain in high demand. Engineered with boring continues to grow, and white oak remains the dominant domestic species," Johnston reported, noting that nearly 70% of members expect demand for white oak to increase further.

The shift toward natural wood colors and finishes continues to dominate market preferences, while darker stains and heavy character options are declining in popularity. Most contractors report installations in the three- to five-inch plank range, with herringbone and other pattern installations gaining popularity.

"We're starting to see some of those classic, medium brownish tones starting to come back," Brattin said. "It's funny how we go through these trends and they almost repeat themselves, just like herringbone and chevron. We were doing tons of that in the '90s, then it faded away, and we moved into a lot of pattern work. Well, now we're back into this herringbone/chevron again."

Kevin Whaley, VP of sales and marketing at AHF Products, confirmed this trend, noting a significant shift in consumer preferences.

 "One thing I certainly do see is the consumer's willingness to try patterned floors now where we've tried and tried and just not been able to do it," Whaley said. "But we've sold quite a bit of inventory of herringbone floors in the U.S. now, so people are stocking it."

NWFA reported that labor challenges persist as a significant industry concern, with nearly 60% of members reporting difficulty finding skilled workers. Kährs echoed the trends of pattern and the need for easier installation solutions with the recent introduction of European Renaissance, a collection that offers a traditional Dutch parquet look with easy installation. It features planks that are 7.5 feet long and 7.5 inches wide, covering over four square feet at a time. 

Bjelin also showcased its new Woodura Herringbone 2.0, which redefines a timeless pattern with modern technology. The Woodura Herringbone 2.0 uses patented Woodura surface technology to maximize raw material usage while creating three times stronger floors than traditional engineered wood. This versatile flooring supports multiple installation patterns, including traditional herringbone, double, triple, ladder, and block patterns.

"NWFA is an essential event for us," said Bob Naida, Bjelin's residential and commercial national sales manager in the United States. 

Whaley also highlighted AHF Products' strategic move into the unfinished business, citing improvements in manufacturing technology that allow for more precise milling and better vertical integration. "We're very close to being completely vertically integrated without owning land," he explained, noting this gives AHF the ability to provide select and better products for the unfinished market while maintaining good margins on number one and number two grades as pre-finished products.

At the Expo, Happy Feet International debuted a streamlined engineered wood line featuring nine colors — four hickory and five oak options. CJ Johnson, co-owner of Happy Feet, explained the company's strategic approach: "We want to service wood well with lower SKUs, but deep inventory."

Johnson revealed that this launch is just the beginning of the company's wood flooring expansion. "This is the first line of many this year. Our plan of investment is we're going to lower our SKU counts in vinyl plank and add to our wood collections," he said, adding that future releases will include half-inch products at different price points, with plans to eventually expand into higher-end goods.

Competition from wood-look products continues to impact real wood sales, with approximately 70% of members citing aggressive marketing and lower price points as factors. However, more than 80% of members report successfully positioning real wood as a premium product.

Brattin noted this positive trend in Kansas City, where builders are moving away from LVP products in basement installations. "We're starting to do a lot of prefinished engineered glue downs in these basements, and unfinished engineered glue downs. We're seeing a lot more hardwood on the basement side. On some of these new construction houses now, we're getting that additional 1,000 square feet down in the basement level."


Read more: NWFA Goes the Distance at the 40th Annual Expo and NWFA Expo Product Preview: Wood Flooring Installation Products to Take Your Projects to the Next Level  


KEYWORDS: National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)

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Tanja Kern is the associate publisher and editorial director of FLOOR Trends & Installation. She is also the host of the FLOORtalk podcast, where she explores the changes and challenges facing the flooring community's thought leaders and creatives. Tanja has been writing about business, design, and lifestyle for two decades, and her work has appeared in publications such as American Way, Better Homes & Gardens, Fine Interiors, Fodor's, Food Channel, CA Modern, Chicago, Fine Interiors, and Los Angeles.

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More than 2,500 wood flooring professionals attended the 2025 NWFA Expo. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 
The NWFA 2025 Community Service Award was presented to Ashley and Jeff Do Carmo, Brown Oaks Flooring. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 
The NWFA 2025 Ambassador Award went to Jorge Perez of Epic Hardwood Floors. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 
Women in the Floorcovering Industry collaborated with NWFA on networking breakfast that drew nearly 100 attendees. Photo: Floor Trends & Installatiion. 
A special moment at the event was the celebration of the 10-year partnership between NWFA and the Gary Sinise Foundation's RISE program. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 
Kevin Whaley, VP of sales and marketing at AHF Products, discussed solid wood business and consumer preferences for more pattern. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 
CFI's John McHale and Ralph Falavinha. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 
The team at Happy Feet at the 2025 NWFA Expo. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 
Renee Tester of Kahrs showcases new products at 2025 NWFA Expo. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 
The team at Divergent Adhesives at the 2025 NWFA Expo. Photo: Floor Trends & Installation. 

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