Surfaces 2026 Review: Manufacturers put their best food forward at the year’s residential flooring show – March 2026

Surfaces focused on optimizing attendees’ experience, according to Dana Hicks, group director of Informa Markets, the London-based tradeshow host company that owns Surfaces (TISE), noting that today’s attendees are educated and have a better understanding of what they’re seeking. Hicks also notes that they’re looking to network, meet peers and also be part of traditional network opportunities. Along with its education schedule, Surfaces offered various receptions for retailers and distributors and other settings for the exchange of ideas. 

TRENDS AT THE SHOW

On the hard surface side-and it’s worth noting that flooring is now largely a hard surface business-the trend was what’s old is new again…with revisions. In terms of wood looks, which account for most of the visuals, last year the trend leaned toward paler, quiet white oaks and low-key naturals sharing space with honeyed hues, midtones and darker hues to provide some contrast. But this year, the pale white oaks took the backseat, as color, not seen since 2006, took center stage-we’re talking not just honey and caramel, but gunstock and orange and more ruddy hues. All that’s missing are the high gloss, chunky textured surfaces and narrower strip flooring, but we’re starting to see moves in the strip direction, as well. 

Wide plank formats still dominate, but there were plenty of thinner planks on display. Some of those thinner planks were in the form of herringbone constructions. Just about every major manufacturer of wood and wood looks had a herringbone. 

While there were some woods testing out chatter marks and other textures, most of the focus was still on various wirebrushed treatments, with a focus on character grades for visual impact. Some higher grades of wood, often with sumptuous linear expressions from rift and quartersawn boards, also stood out. 

In terms of species, faux or otherwise, hickory continues to trend, and there were plenty of depinked red oaks-the market isn’t yet ready for red. In fact, many hardwood manufacturers were reluctant to identify their oaks as red or white, hoping to break the white-oak spell that has held the industry in its thrall for a decade or more.

Another big trend shift was more new styles featuring stone and tile looks. For some resilient producers, stone and tile made up a full third of new products. Many of the stone looks were elevated and low-key, like Carrara marble visuals and softened limestones. Here and there were more dynamic travertines. Beyond the rectangles, there were plenty of hexagons on display. 

Matte textures still dominate, but there were some higher-gloss levels catching the light, mostly from wood displays. There were a handful of high-gloss gunstocks, which some attendees noted would find demand among those renovating and seeking to match finishes with other interior elements from the early aughts.

The trends on the carpet side were a mixed bag. While the higher-end brands, like Stanton, Prestige, Couristan, Kaleen and The Dixie Group’s decorative brands, are still pushing the envelope in terms of fibers, woven designs and strong patterns and color stories, the lower and middle of the market is a different animal, often dominated by texture products that tend toward a neutral field, frequently highlighted by colorful speckles. The difference this year, most visibly in Engineered Floors’ space, as well as at Shaw, was color in the fields. Instead of a neutral with colorful speckles, it’s a soft pink or avocado or smoky blue with colorful speckles. The effect is bold and transformative. 

The displays themselves were uplifted with these field colors. It’s as though a collective lightbulb went off in the residential carpet industry: add color to get people to pause and take a second look; it’ll draw them in, even if they leave with a neutral.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

Mohawk shifted the spotlight away from individual product launches and toward a broader strategy built around merchandising, storytelling and simplifying the retail sales process-an approach executives say reflects how dealers and consumers actually shop today. While new introductions across RevWood, PureTech, SmartStrand and Pergo filled the booth, the bigger message centered on making those products easier to present, compare and sell through integrated display systems and clearer performance messaging.

A major announcement underscored the company’s long-term outlook beyond product alone. Mohawk confirmed it has become the executive strategic premier partner of Certified Flooring Installers (CFI), signaling a renewed investment in workforce development as the market rebounds. “If you don’t have an installer base, our customers aren’t going to survive. And guess what? Neither are we,” said Jeff Meadows, president and chief commercial officer of Mohawk’s residential business, noting that installer recruitment and training will be critical as demand returns.

Merchandising dominated the booth’s layout and messaging. New waterfall-format destination displays and modular systems bring laminate, PVC-free resilient and LVT together in a single shopping environment, allowing retailers to present performance tiers side by side rather than across multiple racks. The hard-surface color wall alone combined more than 200 SKUs in a menu-style format designed to scale for different showroom sizes. “You have 200 different SKUs…it’s basically a menu-type item, and it’s been really well received,” Meadows said, adding that consumer research showed scratch resistance has become a stronger purchase driver than waterproof performance-shaping both product development and merchandising design.

That merchandising push was closely tied to product updates, particularly in laminate and resilient. RevWood saw its largest expansion since 2022 with 35 new introductions across Premier, Plus and Select tiers, broader species visuals and the addition of All Pet Gold warranties across the line. Updated display systems allow retailers to showcase up to 96 SKUs without increasing showroom footprint, reinforcing Mohawk’s goal of simplifying trade-up conversations. In resilient, PureTech continued its rapid growth as a PVC-free platform, with new styles spanning all performance tiers and updated displays that integrate scratch demonstrations directly into the selling environment. SolidTech and SolidTech R updates emphasized sustainability and multi-platform merchandising, while Pergo’s expanding WPC assortment targeted renewed interest in thicker constructions with Comfort Core builds and upgraded visuals.

Across categories, Mohawk positioned RevWood and PureTech as performance-driven alternatives to lower-end imported SPC products. “When you have those low-end SPC products, people look for a solution, and RevWood and PureTech’s a great solution for that,” Meadows said, pointing to domestic manufacturing and consistent product construction as key differentiators.

Soft surface introductions were anchored by a full reset of the SmartStrand Color Wall, combining updated styling with a new probiotic-based anti-allergen technology branded PurEase. The innovation-which earned Asthma & Allergy Certification during the show-uses beneficial microorganisms that help reduce allergens such as pet dander and pollen, reframing carpet’s role in healthier indoor environments.

Shaw Industries’ focus at Surfaces was centered on its three core residential brands-Shaw Floors, Coretec and Anderson Tuftex-along with its Philadelphia Commercial mainstreet brand and TotalWorx, the firm’s massive accessories business. It also did a brand refresh of Shaw Floors, including a new logo and revised brand vision, with updated displays, website and marketing asset to follow.

The big news on the carpet side included a major update of the Anso ColorWall, which has traditionally been all nylon 6. “The ColorWall actually goes from nylon to polyester,” says Jamie Welborn, Shaw’s vice president of carpet product, with the Anso brand covering both fiber systems. In addition, Shaw’s R2X soil- and stain-resistance technology is now being integrated into the fiber in the extrusion process.

Notable introductions include three additions to the Pet Perfect+ line-Secret Destination, Secret Adventure and Refined Beauty. The first two are level-cut loops with layered hues in an organic pattern with innovative designs that eliminate the need for pattern matching, while Refined Beauty is a soft cut pile that weighs in at a hefty 85 ounces.

On the hard surface side, the firm focused on market needs and gaps based on consumer insights. The firm extended Shaw Floors’ Pet Perfect carpet line to hard surface with LVT and laminate collections. The LVT, Briard, is a 6.5mm SPC made at Shaw’s Plant RP in Ringgold, Georgia. Other introductions include three 8mm Coretec Originals Premium WPC products, including Retro Revival, with a heavy focus on the trending golden and midtone hues. And also under Coretec were tile looks, including Natural Opula, a 12mm WPC in both marble and softened travertine visuals. 

Under the Anderson Tuftex higher-end brand, there were five new carpet collections featuring some notable patterned designs, ranging from riveting striated looks in the Harmony collection’s In Rhythm to deconstructed rug visuals in Modern Artisan-with added dimensionality conveyed through an overdye technique-to Arbor, a PET product from the Rooted collection with sumptuous patterning inspired by tree bark and wood grain. And the brand also added to its hardwood offering with 71/2” wide Artisan Oak and Valencia Walnut.

TotalWorx, newly led by Russ Rogg, an industry veteran who previously held leadership positions with HMTX and Wilsonart, is now in its fifth year as a market-facing Shaw brand, with a portfolio of over 900 standalone products and nearly 10,000 companion trims (with exact matching colors). This year, TotalWorx has added 13 floor prep components along with a new adhesive called Rock Hold that can be used as a wet-set traditional adhesive or as a pressure-sensitive adhesive for products ranging from carpet tile to resilient.

AHF Products made a big splash at the show with its booth, depicting its legacy brands through not just the products but also the design and architecture of the space. With the firm’s purchase of the massive SPC facility in Cartersville last November, AHF is now a domestic powerhouse in three core categories: wood, ceramic and vinyl flooring. According to Jennifer Zimmerman, the firm’s chief commercial officer, “As a wholly owned and revitalized AHF plant, it can deliver over 200 million square feet of HDPC capacity, representing roughly half of all U.S. rigid core manufacturing capacity.” HDPC stands for high-density fiberboard core, referencing the product’s dense core and closed cell construction, which also eliminates the need for acclimation.

Of the 60 or so SKUs of SPC showcased in the booth, 20 were in Armstrong Flooring, a highly recognized brand that is now back at retail after a few years absence. The SPCs range from 4mm to 8mm, with the better goods-8mm, 28 mil, embossed in-register, microbevels-going through Armstrong and also Robbins. The firm also showcased American Personality Pro, a 2mm gluedown LVT made from the firm’s glass-backed sheet goods. 

On the hardwood side, new offerings include Hartco’s Select collection, a 1/2” oak and hickory program made in Tennessee with a 3mm sawn AB-grade veneer, 71/2” width and random lengths up to 82”. And under Bruce, the firm added 31/4” widths to its a Natural Choice solid 5/16” oak plank for gluedown applications (over slab, for instance) with a 100% RH adhesive. And it expanded Bruce’s Dundee solid offering with a low gloss option (30%) and added a herringbone to Robbins’ Noble’s Way engineered line. Also, its Cambodia facility is coming out with Mizunara Woods, a higher-end offering of rift and quartersawn Japanese white oak, typically used for whisky barrels in Japan. 

Under its Crossville porcelain tile brand, AHF introduced Portland Cliff, with its new Visual Touch glazing technology that confers crisp texture. The fossilated limestone design comes in five colors and a compelling barrel mosaic. Also new is Cleve, a quartzite visual with the firm’s Feathersoft unpolished finish that is buttery smooth when dry and non-slip when wet. Both styles have matching outdoor lines. 

This year, Mannington Mills returned to its residential roots as a hard surface specialist, having exited its Phenix residential carpet business last year. The firm came out with a slew of new resilient products. In June, the firm plans on a substantial launch of hardwood and laminates.

New to the Adura Selling System, which offers more than 80 designs available in three constructions-flex, SPC and WPC-are Noble Oak and Lagos. Noble Oak is a soft but character-driven style that comes in four colors, while Lagos offers stone visuals in two colors, elevated by the use of high and low gloss.

The firm’s most affordable LVT line, Adura Pro, which comes in 5mm SPC and 4.5mm looselay, has been expanded with both wood and stone looks. All styles come with the same price point. 

In addition, Mannington also added to Adura Apex, its highest-end WPC with four new styles. Most notable is Lineage, which combines white oak, hickory and maple planks, each with its own unique yet complementary visual, achieved through carefully calibrated embossing texture and use of gloss. Also new to Apex is Luxxe, a tile and stone visual in four styles. Luxxe also comes in hexagons, with self-spaced grooves for grouting. Adura Apex is embossed in-register and features TruDetail, which uses two cylinders for enhanced visuals and expanded repeat. 

The firm also came out with a new Adura vinyl sheet style called Valencia with a Carrara marble visual. The style comes in two colors and three constructions-Silver (2mm), Gold (2.5mm) and Platinum (3.3mm)-in a 12”x24” format.

For hardwood, the firm introduced Artisan Walnut, a fumed 9/16” engineered walnut with plenty of character and a subtle color range that is 7” wide and up to 84” long. It also comes in herringbone, and Mannington also added herringbone to its Provence hickory offering. 

Engineered Floors (EF), which serves the retailer channel through its Dream Weaver brand, made some strong color choices for its carpet offering this year. For instance, in Spectrum I/II/III it came out with textured designs mostly offered not just in neutrals but in soft and dusty shades of blues, greens and some earthy ruddy hues. Another colorful offering was New Dawn. 

Also well received were the loop berber looks in solution-dyed PET, like Nimbus. Another notable introduction is Monarch, an LCL with a patterned texture in a loose medium-scale geometry. 

Engineered Floors also came out with a lot of hard surface offerings. It introduced 10mm laminates with AC5 ratings, including Transform and Evolve with in-register embossing and with pressed bevels on Evolve, the higher end of the two. Under its PureGrain Endure SPC the firm came out with Colonnade, a stone look with a complex surface texture, along with Pietra, another stone-look collection that includes a terrazzo design. 

EF also entered the looselay market with a 5mm product. And in its PureGrain High-Def SPC line made at its facility in Dalton, Georgia, it added six new colors to American Standard line, including pine, cerused oak and hickory. And it added seven colors to Nurture, which is an upgrade from American Standard.

The Dixie Group emphasized color, customization and premium positioning, using the show to introduce new soft- and hard-surface products while reinforcing its strategy of differentiating through design and manufacturing flexibility. A central focus was the company’s new color campaign, built around its white-dyeable nylon capabilities, which allows retailers to offer a broader palette at a time when residential carpet continues to lean heavily toward neutrals.

Executives noted that the ability to produce custom color quickly remains a key advantage, supported by domestic dye operations on both coasts. Through this process, dealers can create consumer-approved custom shades and receive finished product in a relatively short timeframe, giving retailers a way to stand out in a market often dominated by beige and grey solution-dyed offerings.

Across its Masland brand, the company showcased several new nylon introductions alongside updates to the 1866 decorative line, which blends wool and specialty fibers in high-end constructions. Extended color lines created through the white-dyeable nylon program were a major highlight, reinforcing Dixie’s push to bring richer, more design-driven options back into residential carpet.

At the luxury end, Fabrica continued to drive growth with new nylon and wool décor styles and hardwood updates aimed at elevating customization. Among the highlights were accent pieces designed for herringbone and basketweave installations. Revenue from Fabrica’s hardwood collection grew 20% last year.

Under DH Floors (formerly Dixie Home), the company introduced ten new carpet styles positioned around an “affordable fashion” message. The assortment balances nylon and polyester constructions to reach a wider audience while maintaining higher-than-average price points relative to the broader industry.

On the hard-surface side, the firm expanded its WPC lineup with updates to its TX1 collection, adding five new colors to an 8mm construction and introducing coordinating 5mm looselay options in the same visuals. 

For Stanton, a higher-end carpet producer with a growing hard surface offering, the big news is the streamlining of its many soft surface brands into just two: Artisan Studios for hand-loomed products and Signature Studio for machine-made constructions. 

Its 50 or so new soft surface intros was somewhat below the number that Stanton usually comes with, but there was no shortage of memorable looks. In terms of lush finishes, it’s hard to beat Manzanita, a cut-and-loop with a softly irregular linear design, with delustered acrylic fibers conveying the impression of velvety wool. Also noteworthy is Walsh, a tailored open plaid with a leather detail running across a hand-loomed field of New Zealand wool. 

Dover is a chunky sophisticated design of handspun rows of New Zealand wool stitched down across the weft, with irregular and sporadic color shifts creating a dynamic but elevated visual. A notable cut pile woven product made of polypropylene is Cherry Blossom, a simple and elegant floral in a set of distinctive colorways. 

On the hard surface side, Stanton came out with 12 hefty, high-end laminates-14mm thick and 5” wide. And it also showcased 12 engineered woods-the firm added hardwood last year-and 5mm looselay LVTs with painted microbevels.

Cali Floors’ booth this year celebrated its West Coast vibe through motifs drawing on great California small-city downtowns-cafés, surf shops and more. And for this show, there was a lot of focus on its hardwood program, marketed in a good/better/best format. First Press, a line of European white oaks from the Barrel line, comes in 12 colors and features knots and other character marks without looking too busy for an aesthetic both elevated and down to earth. 

Cali also added to its SPC, laminate, WPC and looselay programs. Hang Loose, its new looselay, is 5mm thick and embossed in register with a 22mil veneer. And it’s expanded beyond its Longboards SPC with Longboards Icons, a line of WPC in a range of wood looks, including some with plenty of character. 

MSI highlighted a broad mix of new flooring, tile and wall introductions, with an emphasis on evolving design trends and performance-driven technologies across categories. A central focus was the expansion of the company’s TileTouch surface technology, now featured in collections such as Girona, Cementique and Elbe, designed to deliver more dimensional porcelain visuals while maintaining the durability associated with hard surface tile.

In resilient flooring, MSI expanded its assortment with updates to WPC, SPC and flex LVT platforms. New introductions included the Studio collection, along with the debut of the Nove line, which features wider 9” planks and lighter, contemporary color palettes. The company also showcased its existing Shorecliffs hybrid rigid-core flooring, positioned around scratch resistance and stability.

Wall solutions were another area of emphasis, including acoustic wood slat panels offered in larger formats and new painted finishes designed to support both aesthetic and sound-control needs. 

One firm that has risen in prominence in recent years is Southwind, which got its start as a carpet mill and now has a wide range of hard and soft surfaces. At the show, the firm emphasized two areas of growth, WPC and looselay. Its WPC ranges in thickness from 6.5mm to 19mm (3/4”), and this year, some were recolored. One notable design in the New Traditions WPC line is Saddle Oak, in a deep reddened coloration. New to the Boundless SPC collection are Amarillo Hickory and Barnwood. Also new is an SPC stone-look collection called Cohutta Tile. 

Its looselay offering includes stone and tile visuals in the Contour Tile collection. And new to the Revive waterproof laminate line is Jasper Hickory, with a natural finish and harmonious character, with some vivid color contrasts to add interest.

On the carpet side, Drew Hash, president and CEO of the firm, noted that a growth area is patterned LCLs, and it came out with four new patterned goods this year, all solution-dyed PET. The firm’s wheelhouse is in the 35-ounce to 70-ounce range. 

Novalis came to the show with a focus on showcasing macro trends, which it illustrated with four vignettes. Portside is the coastal trend-more northern than Californian-with wood looks that are refined casual, including marble looks that are elevated but organic. Well Grounded is earthy and matte with a focus on wellness. Tailored Tradition is perhaps the most distinctive macro trend, a nostalgic and traditional look conveyed by Novalis through a square parquet design in medium and darker wood tones. And Future Forward is the most maximalist trend, featuring mixed metals, higher glosses and distressed concretes. 

Among the more notable styles is Forge from Future Forward, a heavily distressed higher gloss visual that looks like hardwood and concrete blended together. And Beacon Hill from Portside is a wood look with a softened overall visual, with subtle infusions of yellow, green and almost pinkish hues. 

This year, Novalis’ booth design, centered on an abstract tree design with vignettes of the four macro trends, was among the more compelling at the show. The firm serves the residential market through NovaFloor and Ava for commercial.

CFL Flooring underscored a major investment phase and signaled the next stage of its North American manufacturing strategy, positioning the year ahead as a turning point for innovation and domestic production. Company leadership highlighted a $200 million investment in U.S. operations, including a high-capacity facility capable of producing roughly 300 million square feet annually, allowing many of the technologies developed over the past decade to be manufactured domestically. Executives emphasized that expanding U.S. manufacturing gives the company greater flexibility amid shifting geopolitical and supply-chain dynamics. The company has ramped up a new Hymmen line in Adairsville that adds advanced texturing and realism to SPC products, enabling more design-driven visuals while increasing production efficiency.

Looking ahead, CFL hinted at a forthcoming product launch expected to debut later in 2026, described as a potential “disrupting” innovation aimed at reshaping the resilient category. Although specific details were not disclosed at the show, the company framed the upcoming introduction as a culmination of long-term R&D efforts paired with expanded production capabilities. 

Tarkett leaned into the growing intersection of flooring performance and indoor wellness, using its booth to spotlight products certified through the Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification program while introducing new residential designs across hardwood, sheet vinyl and LVT. Rather than focusing solely on aesthetics or installation features, the company framed its message around healthier interiors.

Working alongside the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America’s certification initiative, Tarkett highlighted sheet vinyl collections engineered to support better indoor air quality by reducing VOC exposure and making allergens easier to remove through proper maintenance. Dr. John McKeon, a physician involved in the certification program, emphasized that Americans spend most of their time indoors, and that flooring plays a critical role in managing common triggers such as dust mites, pet dander and pollen. Certification testing evaluates not just the product itself but also adhesives, installation systems and cleaning protocols, with large-scale lab simulations measuring allergen reduction and air quality during real-world maintenance scenarios.

The wellness message was paired with new product introductions, including expanded engineered hardwood offerings in European white oak and updated gluedown LVT visuals designed to replicate ceramic tile at more accessible price points. 

Forbo is best known as the leading global producer of linoleum through its Marmoleum brand, and it also produces vinyl flooring and Flotex, a true hybrid product, with a vinyl base and a surface of densely packed flocked nylon fused to the base via an electrostatic process. Until now, most of the supply of Flotex has come from Forbo’s operation in France, but the firm has now built a Flotex facility in Hazleton, Pennsylvania at its U.S. headquarters, with production scheduled to start this spring.

Flotex can be glued down with permanent adhesive, which creates a waterproof installation because the adhesive glues the seams, and it can also be installed with releasable adhesive. Designs range from patterned carpet looks and area rug motifs to hard surface visuals. Flotex serves both the residential and commercial markets.

On the linoleum side, Forbo introduced new colors to its Marmoleum offering last fall. And it also updated its Marmoleum gluedown tile display-gluedown comes in 10”x10”, 20”x20” and 10”x40”, which is a popular format for the firm’s linear designs.

Daltile and Marazzi, which are both part of Mohawk’s Dal-Tile, presented a coordinated lineup of new tile introductions. While each brand maintains a distinct identity, the shared presentation underscored a combined strategy centered on trend-driven visuals, performance technologies and expanded application flexibility across residential and commercial spaces.

Daltile emphasized versatility and U.S.-made production through several colorbody porcelain and glazed ceramic launches. Collections such as Haddonstone and Panoramic Duet focused on large-format surfaces designed to carry consistent visuals across floors, walls and countertops, while decorative wall tile programs like Artefino, Contempee and Luminique leaned into dimensional textures, handcrafted looks and richer color palettes. 

Marazzi’s releases leaned more heavily into fashion-driven statements influenced by Italian styling. New lines, including Crafthouse, Curation and Terramater, explored terrazzo visuals, cotto-inspired textures and fluted surface structures aimed at vertical applications and contemporary interiors. Together, the two brands showcased a wide spectrum of formats, finishes and price tiers, reflecting an ongoing strategy to give dealers a comprehensive tile assortment while addressing current design trends centered on texture, bold color and indoor/outdoor continuity.

Reflecting current consumer preferences, LVT producer Karndean came out with three new aesthetics-Dopa-mine, Luma and Senti-each in 18 colors. While Senti centers on peaceful spaces with meaningful connections, Luma is more focused on biophilic spaces that blend nature and technology, and Dopa-Mine is about creating joy and satisfaction through color and design, including color drenching. New products include 18 stone visuals in the looselay LVT line. 

According to the Karndean team, higher-end business has been strong with the firm, including through its premium Art Select line, adding that the firm will be rolling out a range of new products this May and June.

Kaleen highlighted its evolution into a vertically integrated broadloom manufacturer, pairing expanded ultra-wide capabilities with a stronger focus on design-driven growth. A major emphasis was the continued expansion of Kaleen’s ultra-wide broadloom program, which now includes 32 styles available up to 22’ wide, with flexibility to produce 19’ and 20’ widths as needed. The wide-width offering, particularly impactful for flatweave constructions where seaming is challenging, has become a key differentiator for the brand.

The company also showcased new design introductions featuring color palettes the company has never used before, marking a shift away from last year’s pastel-heavy trends. This year’s launches leaned warmer and darker, including charcoals and deeper neutrals, in response to changing regional preferences-especially demand from the Northeast. 

Wool remains central to Kaleen’s assortment, accounting for roughly 80% of its products, all manufactured in India. According to senior vice president Blake Dennard, “The big calling card for us is we are the manufacturer…we can control things from start to finish,” noting the company’s vertically integrated model supported by a single production facility and yarn processing operation. Kaleen continues to selectively expand beyond wool with its Home & Porch indoor/outdoor PET collection, while also highlighting custom capabilities in hand-knotted rugs, including select programs that can be produced and delivered in as little as 30 days.

International Flooring Company (IFC) came back to Surfaces for its second year with a much bigger space, introducing several new products in its Canopy brand, which is mostly WPC along with some looselay. The firm added 31 designs to its Canopy Comfort WPC line, and it added ten plank visuals to its 5mm Canopy Flex line, which was introduced last year with tile visuals. Four of the new 7” wide planks, all of which feature in-register embossing, come in 48” lengths and the others come in 60” with a microbevel. IFC also added entry-level price point products to Canopy Comfort with the Classics line.

Julian and William Dossche are building a strong team, and their limited distribution focus seems to be paying off based on the traffic at their display.

Unilin Technologies highlighted installation innovation with Squareclic, a new system designed to simplify checkerboard-style flooring layouts while improving alignment and long-term stability. The technology integrates a mechanical insert directly into the panel, helping ensure precise square positioning without the need for separate alignment tools and reducing the risk of panels shifting over time.

Compatible with Unilin’s existing click platforms, Squareclic can be incorporated into current product constructions with minimal changes and pre-installed during manufacturing to streamline installation. 

South Korea’s Nox continued its mission to produce sustainable PVC products with the unveiling of Terra, the firm’s next-generation eco-friendly LVT, which is applicable across the firm’s entire LVT offering. According to Joony Kim, the firm’s director of product marketing, Terra offers a 60% reduction in global warming potential compared to the industry average, verified through an EPD. Some of this is achieved through the use of used cooking oil in the production of its vinyl, as well as plasticizer derived from PET recaptured from drink bottles.

The firm also unveiled dramatic displays of its digital print technology, which will start up later this year, first in Korea, before rolling the technology out to other production facilities.

Küberit showcased its premium, German-engineered transition profiles, positioning the brand as a performance-driven alternative to traditional plastic trims. The company emphasized aluminum profile systems designed specifically for resilient flooring, offering purpose-built solutions where tile-focused transitions often fall short.

The brand’s message centered on durability and design intent. Solid metal constructions help reduce noise and movement at transition points while delivering a cleaner, more architectural look.

Operationally, Küberit highlighted its U.S. inventory strategy, maintaining full stock of its German-manufactured line at its Florence, Alabama facility to ensure quick availability. 

Looking ahead, Doug Young, executive vice president of TMT America, also hinted at broader plans tied to the emerging Trissl Brand Collective, signaling future expansion around upscale international brands entering the North American market.

It’s no surprise that Taylor Adhesives’ booth had a new look this year, as it was this top three adhesive brand in the flooring industry’s first show under Avery Dennison, which acquired Taylor from Meridian in 2025. On hand in the booth to explain the strategy behind Avery Dennison’s attraction to the brand was Ravi Mahra, vice president of corporate development. He and Ralph Grogan highlighted the next phase of growth, positioning the partnership as a catalyst for expanded innovation and technical development. Dealers were extremely interested the performance tapes that Avery Dennison has developed specifically for construction applications. 

Kährs returned to the show floor with a renewed focus on brand visibility and a broader product message that extends beyond its legacy in hardwood. While the Swedish manufacturer continues to emphasize its heritage as the inventor of engineered wood flooring, the company used the event to highlight the full scope of its residential, multifamily and commercial offerings, supported by a new retail display system designed to tell the Kährs story through curated feature panels, patterns and trending color directions.

On the product side, Kährs expanded several key collections. The Canvas line, long popular in multifamily applications, adds wider-width options to eight of its best-selling colors, allowing designers to mix plank sizes within a single space. The Life collection grows with new formats, including wider planks, hybrid waterproof constructions with HDF cores and coordinating herringbone visuals paired with matching wide-plank styles. The company also introduced additions to its U.S.-made Estate series, expanding into wider, thicker engineered constructions aimed at premium residential projects.

Pattern-driven design continues to be a priority, with new herringbone launches across multiple platforms and clearer grading designations intended to help retailers and consumers better understand character variation. 

Sweden’s Bjelin came to the show with an expanded portfolio this year. Most notably, the firm introduced a line of accessories for its Woodura hardened wood program, made in Croatia where Woodura is made, ensuring an exact match in veneers and stains. The accessories line is mostly stair nosings in both open and closed formats, along with reducers, thresholds, T-moldings, touch-up kits and more.

The firm has also added to its herringbone offering with a new size, 3”x13”, in four colors.

Also displaying in the Bjelin booth was California-based Urban Floor, a purveyor of hardwood, SPC and laminate. Late last year, the two announced a strategic partnership aimed at expanding Bjelin’s U.S. presence in both residential and commercial markets.  

At the Välinge space, the innovation firm showcased its existing technologies, from its 5G family of locking systems to its Liteback dematerialization process, but the big news was the introduction of 5G H/B One, its one-panel herringbone system, eliminating the need for A and B panels. 

The Välinge team was also on hand to discuss its Wood Powder Laminate technology, which uses the wood powder system developed for Woodura and Nadura products for a melamine- and formaldehyde-free laminate floorcovering with extreme impact resistance. The product is manufactured by pressing an unimpregnated paper layer into the wood powder, enabling deep embossing, with an additional powder layer on the surface to enhance performance. 

Inhaus, which is part of Germany’s Classen Group, makes laminates under the Ecolam and Lamdura brands, as well as Ceramin products, manufactured with a core made of a mineral/polypropylene composite, with the digital design printed directly on it. This year, Inhaus will introduce its next generation of flooring, called Uberwood, a high-performance laminate with a resin-enhanced core. It’s AC5 rated and is water-resistant for up to 168 hours (one week).

Also new is the Nuva Ceramin collection, a more affordable option with a thicker lacquer layer for added protection. It comes in six colors.

In addition, Inhaus showcased its Stairnose Pro and moldings line. The firm has a production facility for digitally printed moldings in Vancouver, Canada that is being expanded.

I4F’s space at this year’s show was enhanced with AI-interactive displays reflecting the firm’s new AI4F initiative. CEO and founder John Rietveldt told Floor Focus that it is using AI in a variety of ways, including using all of its test results to analyze performance of locking systems in conjunction with product composition to drive learning and to anticipate product performance, as well as to enhance and streamline the sales process and communicate seamlessly through language barriers. “It can support your business,” he notes.

In terms of innovation, the focus was on the firm’s stair tread program, which enables the installation of stair treads to match any floorcovering with the same material, design, texture and height, through a partnership with Finished Edge Technology in the U.S. and Vic Stairs in Europe. Rietveldt contends that this is a massive opportunity for the vinyl industry, not only because there is consumer demand for stairs that match the flooring but also because it offers opportunities to extend the product to the next floor. He adds that this is the fastest transition from introduction to getting licensees and sales that he has experienced since he formed the firm in 2013. 

Also, I4F showcased wall systems for its CeraGrout flooring technology. CeraGrout offers the look of rectified ceramic installations, including with pre-attached grout technology. After the firm’s original locking technology, CeraGrout has been the firm’s biggest success, said Rietveldt.

Couristan is celebrating its 100th anniversary with one of the largest product introductions in its history. Founded in 1926 and still led by the Couri family, the company used the show to reflect on a century of design and manufacturing.

As part of the centennial theme, Couristan presented 112 new introductions, positioning the expanded assortment as both a tribute to its heritage and a forward-looking statement about fashion and product development. According to the company, the lineup was built through global sourcing and close collaboration with manufacturing partners, emphasizing design-driven collections that respond to evolving consumer tastes.

The introductions spanned a broad range of constructions, including Wilton woven, hand-loomed and hand-tufted products, as well as the wool styles that have long been central to the brand’s identity. The company also expanded offerings under its Creations label, highlighting indoor/outdoor designs alongside new face-to-face polypropylene and polyester constructions that bring added versatility to the assortment.

South Korea’s LX Hausys introduced the CraftedConnections collection to its HFlor brand at this year’s show, made up of CraftedWood and CraftedClay gluedown SPC in two thicknesses. The collection comes in 16 wood designs and 12 tile and stone designs, all designed to coordinate with each other. The styles feature TrueMatte technology, a high-performance UV coating technology that adds realism to wood and stone visuals through light diffusion.

Also new is the ForestFusion line of 12 wood-look planks with refined graining, the Prestg XL line of oversized wood-look 6mm SPC planks, and Atmosphere, a homogeneous sheet in 16 colors.

Offering a unique vinyl chemistry to the market is Protect-All. Its recycled vinyl flooring secures a waste stream through its sister company, Duro-Last, which makes roofing material. Over 90% of the content of the flooring is from recycling. Its products are made in Oscoda, Michigan. It mostly serves the commercial market, including the fitness market, although its products are also gaining traction in the residential market for similar applications.

Sika, which acquired Schönox in 2025, outlined how the integration is strengthening its North American flooring business and expanding its position as a full-system supplier of floor preparation and adhesive solutions.

Over the past year, the company has focused on integrating teams, product lines and operations while consolidating its flooring portfolio primarily under the Sika and Schönox brands. The move positions Schönox as a central component of Sika’s global flooring strategy while simplifying its market approach for contractors and specifiers.

Sika is developing a new production facility in South Jersey that will bring Schönox manufacturing to the United States for the first time. Previously produced in Germany, the localized operation is expected to improve speed to market, supply-chain flexibility and overall service responsiveness.

The company is also reorganizing its U.S. footprint by leveraging existing Sika facilities nationwide, relocating training resources across multiple regional locations to place technical expertise closer to flooring contractors. A new training center is planned alongside the company’s Northeast manufacturing investment.

QFloors, which was acquired last year by Roomvo creator Leap Tools, highlighted new digital tools, led by the launch of QFX, a cloud-based version of the QFloors platform designed to give retailers remote access to business operations. The system brings core capabilities-including real-time financial accounting, drill-down reporting, job costing and B2B vendor integrations-into a web-based environment, accessible from anywhere. 

The companies also introduced a new mobile companion app for QFX, allowing users to create quotes, manage projects and monitor operations directly from tablets and smartphones.

Del Conca USA reinforced the momentum behind Trace, the company’s proprietary glazing technology, positioning it as a long-term platform rather than a one-cycle product story. The latest Roma and Bergen collections build on Trace’s ability to create deeper movement, layered tonal variation and more realistic surface character-delivering the visual nuance designers expect from natural stone while maintaining the consistency and performance advantages of U.S.-made porcelain.

Rather than framing Trace as a single launch, Del Conca emphasized how the technology continues to shape new introductions across its product portfolio. The unique glazing process enhances depth without sacrificing repeatability, allowing the brand to push premium aesthetics while still supporting scalable production and reliable lead times for dealers and specifiers.

Outdoor expansion also remains a priority, with new Taj Mahal and Roma pavers extending Trace-enhanced visuals beyond the interior, supporting the growing demand for seamless indoor/outdoor continuity.

Canada’s Preverco came out with some new colors for its red oak offering, including Bone and Chai. And Julien Dufresne, vice president of sales for the family-owned business, was on hand to demonstrate the startling flexibility of its Flex two-ply engineered wood, the firm’s flagship product over the last decade.

Versatrim highlighted a broader expansion strategy centered on becoming a more complete source for moldings, trims and stair solutions. A key development is the recent acquisition of Artistic Finishes, which will remain an independent brand while expanding Versatrim’s portfolio into hardwood vents, trims and risers.

The company also showcased its newer commercial-grade aluminum program, featuring 21 profiles across 32 configurations designed for both residential and commercial applications, alongside exact-match stair treads created using customers’ own flooring planks. 

Johnson Hardwood spotlighted its new WPC lineup as the headline introduction, marking a major expansion into rigid core. The launch includes the Aspen collection, an 8mm WPC with a pillowed edge and ceramic bead finish, and Nordon Home, a Scandinavian-inspired design featuring a 30 mil wearlayer and deep embossing for added realism. The company also introduced new hardwood offerings in its Crestline and Coastal Series and expanded its high-performance laminate line with Haven Ridge.

Lions Floor previewed its largest product launch to date with five new collections scheduled to release later this spring. The new introductions span multiple categories, including WPC, SPC and laminate, with features such as pillowed edges, deeper embossing, extended pattern repeats and thicker constructions designed to enhance realism and performance. Among the highlights was the company’s first herringbone-capable WPC offering, as well as updated laminate. 

Quebec-based Mercier came out with the Emblem line of 71/2” engineered wood in three maples and five de-pinked oaks. And the firm relaunched its Generations+ finish as Liv for residential applications and LivUp for higher performance applications. 

MP Global focused on a couple of key products, including QuietBoard, a lightweight fiberboard underlayment made of 100% recycled content in a dense construction, as well as QuietWalk LV, which is designed specifically for LVT planks, though it can also work with hardwood and laminate. MP Global also had a focus on its QuietWarmth in-floor radiant heating system.

Torginol, a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of decorative components of seamless, resinous flooring-including flake, quartz and pearlescent pigments-made its first appearance at Surfaces this year while celebrating its 65th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the company released from ColorLab a new polymer flake color called Sapphire, which is composed of shades of blue. Torginol has been tapped by CCA Global as a supplier for their new garage floor program.

Bostik introduced several new flooring installation products, including upgraded grout technologies and a new moisture mitigation solution. Highlights included TruColor and Dimension grouts with EzClean Technology, designed to simplify cleanup and improve jobsite efficiency, along with HYTEC A900 Premium, a moisture mitigation product aimed at faster installation and long-term performance. The company also showcased new soft-flooring adhesives engineered to support quicker installs and improved margins for installers and distributors. 

QEP rolled out some new tools during the show, including 4” Dry Polishing Pads, which are engineered with a diamond ceramic bond for heat resistance, fast material removal, and a controlled finish, wet or dry. The company has also expanded its diamond blade lineup with three new and upgraded product lines designed to improve cutting performance across tile and stone applications. The updates included the new Xtreme Pro Series, offering mesh, segmented and turbo blade options, along with a redesigned Black Widow blade featuring a reinforced hub for heavy-duty cutting. QEP also upgraded its Diamond Continuous Rim blades, incorporating more industrial-grade diamonds to deliver cleaner cuts.

Schluter previewed some new programs that are expected to be launched later this year, including MyDesign, which will allow for customization of some of its shelves and profiles through RAL color matching or high-resolution digital printing. The digital printing technology can create a wide range of designs for finishing profiles, like wood, marble and stone. 

Wagner Meters highlighted its Floor Sentry, an embedded temperature and relative humidity data logger installed beneath wood flooring to continuously monitor conditions within the floor system and subfloor over time. While not new, the company is placing renewed emphasis on the technology this year. The manufacturer also showcased its noninvasive C555 Concrete Moisture Meter, designed to quickly assess near-surface moisture levels in concrete slabs prior to installation.

Cyncly spotlighted HomeBase, a centralized web administration platform designed to simplify how flooring retailers manage their digital presence. Positioned as the online “front door” to a dealer’s business, HomeBase connects website activity with downstream operations, allowing retailers to track leads from first interaction through quoting, ordering and installation.

The platform combines AI-driven onboarding, integrated lead dashboards and streamlined catalog updates within a single interface, reducing reliance on multiple standalone tools. Built-in CMS controls allow dealers to manage website content directly, while CRM integrations with systems such as RFMS, RollMaster and Design Flex tie online engagement to business management workflows.

Company executives said the goal is to make digital retailing more accessible for flooring dealers by unifying website management with operational software.