Somerset Wood Products Inc. (Somerset, Ky.) recently revised its installation guidelines to include a recommendation that consumers hire a certified company for installation, and, according to the NWFA, other manufacturers will be following suit.
Roy Reichow, a board member with NWFA Certified Professionals (NWFACP), said the reason companies are doing this is to provide customers better product performance. "The popularity of wood flooring has grown considerably during the past few decades, but like so many other industries during the past few years, our industry has experienced a decline in sales while enduring a rise in complaints," he said. "This is fairly normal during periods of economic stress when consumers are attempting to get the most value out of their discretionary spending dollars. This program offers manufacturers an opportunity to minimize claims by ensuring their products are installed by certified professionals."
Over the past five years, ranks of certified wood flooring installation companies has grown 288 percent. NWFACP offers tracks for certification in sales, installation, sand and finish, wood floor inspection, and commercial inspection. According to NWFACP, the certifications are designed to "dramatically increase professionalism within the wood flooring industry. Achieving certification includes written testing for knowledge of industry standards and guidelines. Demonstration of hands-on skills is also required. Continuing education credits are required annually to ensure continued proficiency."
