NWFA Announces More Tech Demos for Expo in Orlando

Our industry is all about hands-on skills, and the upcoming 2012 Wood Flooring Expo will offer more opportunities than ever to learn them. And while the association will be handling the Demo Theater at the Expo, it has also invited manufacturers to conduct their own demos at the Exhibitor Demonstration Stage in between the Demo Theater demonstrations.

The following companies are signed up to run demos at the Exhibitor Demonstration Stage on Wednesday, April 11:

• 2:45 p.m.: Rene St-Cyr (1996) Inc. (Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, Quebec)
• 3:45 p.m.: Stairtek (Erlanger, Ky.)
• 4:45 p.m.: Bona US (Aurora, Colo.)
• 5:45 p.m.: PAM Fastening Technology (Charlotte, N.C.)

Three slots on Thursday, April 12, remain open, and interested manufacturers should contact NWFA's Anita Howard at [email protected] to reserve a spot. Demos on the Exhibitor Demonstration Stage last 15 minutes.

Also during the Expo, some exhibitors have scheduled technical demonstrations at their booths. They are: Bona US, booth 413 Bona US will demonstrate its new and existing products at 3 and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, and also at 3, 4:30 and 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Vermont Natural Coatings, booth 932 Along with serving beer and cheese, Vermont Natural Coatings will demonstrate application of its PolyWhey floor finish at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Sika Corp., booth 728 Sika will demonstrate its wood flooring bonding, moisture protection and sound control products at 3 and 5 p.m. on Wednesday and then at 3 and 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

And, of course, the NWFA will conduct the Demo Theater, which will feature an all-star lineup of instructors, including current NWFA Senior Director of Technical Training Frank Kroupa, former NWFA Technical Director Daniel Boone, HF blogger Wayne Lee and Charles Peterson, author of Taunton Press's "Wood Flooring: A Complete Guide to Layout, Installation & Finishing." All demonstrations are free to all registered attendees, and the NWFA will be giving away thousands of dollars in prizes at the Demo Theater. Here is the full schedule: Wednesday, April 11

• 2 - 2:45 p.m.: "Get the Party Started - Primary Lines, Secondary Lines, Trammel Points and Design" with Kroupa and Lee.
• 3 - 3:45 p.m.: "The Details Make All the Difference - Bending Wood, Feature Strips & Moulding" with Kroupa and Peterson.
• 4 - 4:45 p.m.: "Saving Time & Money - Making Reducers & Nosing On-Site" with Kroupa and Boone.
• 5 - 5:45 p.m.: "Show Me the Wow - Making Sleds & Medallions" with Kroupa and Peterson.

Thursday, April 12

• 2 - 2:45 p.m.: "A Character-Building Experience - Handscraping & Distressing" with Kroupa and Boone.
• 3 - 3:45 p.m.: "Playing with Heavy Metal - Bending & Installing Brass & Other Metals" with Kroupa and Lee.
• 4 - 4:45 p.m.: "Finish with a Flourish - Putting it All Together" with Kroupa, Boone, Lee and Peterson.

The full schedule for the Expo is a lot to keep straight, so the NWFA has developed a mobile app that can be downloaded for Apple, Android, Blackberry and Windows phones. (On a related note, if you downloaded the app prior to March 16, please uninstall and reinstall the app since it has been upgraded with new features since then.)