The National Wood Flooring Association hosted a sold-out Principles of Wood Flooring school for beginners at NWFA headquarters in Chesterfield, Mo., March 8–11.
The school provides students with a comprehensive overview of the installation and sanding and finishing of wood flooring.
This session of the Principles school received high interest. The class of 32 was at capacity, and a wait list was started for the next session April 5–8, in Anaheim, Calif.
Several of the students were so impressed with the program that they have already registered for upcoming schools, said NWFA Vice President of Education and Curriculum Brett Miller.
Student Lucas Meikamp of Pioneer Hardwood Floors in Urbana, Ill., said, “This course is a must for anyone wanting to learn more about the wood flooring industry. The instructors are fantastic.”
The class was led by NWFA Regional Instructor Toby Merrill of McHenry, Ill.-based Walk on Wood. The other instructors were Gary Zander, Action Floor Systems; Bob Sponamore, All Type Hardwood; Mark Mukosiej, Arboritec USA; Mark Stokesbury, Bona US; Kirk Anderson, DuraSeal; Matt Thrane, Gehl Flooring; Todd McDonald, Glitsa, a Division of Rudd Co.; Wayne Lee, Middle Tennessee Lumber; and Kevin Vogt, Rust-Oleum Corp.
The students were Alexander Prisiazhny, AA Floors & More; Andy Leach and Jay Weinfuss, Artistic Finishes Inc.; Robert Benjamin, Benjamin Wood Floors; Jake Krause, Bostik Inc.; Steve Bruce, Bruce Wood Flooring; Rick Barone, Carrie Cox, Amy Riemersma and Antonietta Trunzo, DuraSeal; Cory Greenfield, Greenfield Wood Flooring; Patrick Hamill, Dan Kunza and Matt Mumpower, Horizon Forest Products; Chaim Adler and Akiva Mermelstein, Imperial Wood Floor; Dillard Malone, Jeffco Flooring & Supply Inc.; Sam Paterson, Middle Tennessee Lumber; Ryan Beilsmith, Missouri Floor Company Inc.; Craig Grade, NHance Wood Renewal; Tom Byers and Ryan Wolfe, NHLA; Megan Block, NWFA; Lucas Meikamp, Pioneer Hardwood Floors; Germain Sanchez, Rust-Oleum Corp.; Andrew Jordan and Nick Wade, Shamrock Plank Flooring; John Zielsdorf, Shermans' Inc.; Kelly Ragalie, Treadline Construction; Kyle Abrams, Viking Floors; and Travis Perry, Weyerhaeuser Company.
University-level sponsors, companies that donated $3,500 to NWFA education in 2016, were 3M, Advantech, Bona US, Bostik, DuraSeal, Titebond, Lägler, Loba-Wakol, Middle Tennessee Lumber Co., Primatech, Wagner Meters and Weyerhaeuser Company.
Academy-level sponsors, companies that donated $1,500 to NWFA education in 2016, were Allegheny Mountain Hardwood, Basic Coatings, Delmhorst Instrument Company, Fortifiber Building Systems Group, Mannington Mills, MAPEI Corporation, Rubio Monocoat, Rust-Oleum Corp., Somerset Wood Products Inc., Timbermate Group and Woca USA.
