Ken Ryan

3 days ago | fcnews.net | Ken Ryan

Subfloor preparation has been called the unsung hero of successful flooring installation. It doesn’t get a lot of attention for doing its job. Neglecting this important step, however, can lead to a host of problems—unhappy customers and claims among them. To avoid these issues, several flooring companies have developed products that work on a variety of substrates to ensure a fast and seamless installation.

5 days ago | fcnews.net | Ken Ryan

As anyone who has attended a trade show like Surfaces can attest, walking on carpet—as opposed to hard surface—offers certain benefits, not the least of which is comfort underfoot. Indeed, comfort, safety and sound insulation are just three of the many attributes that mill executives often tout when discussing soft surface’s advantages.

1 week ago | fcnews.net | Ken Ryan

Floor covering retailers are a resourceful lot. No matter the circumstances, they seem to find a way out of a predicament. In the first half of 2025, for example, those in flooring retail have confronted persistently high mortgage rates and tariffs to post results that—in some cases—have safely exceeded year-ago levels. In fact, FCNews found more dealers reporting double-digit increases than those who said business was flat.

2 weeks ago | fcnews.net | Ken Ryan

Flooring retailers are setting a high bar before accepting brands into their Main Street portfolios. To earn showroom space, products/collections often must meet specific commercial specifications—like a durable wear layer for an upscale dentist office—be priced right and have the aesthetics to boot. To leverage this growing market opportunity several flooring suppliers have created brands geared for Main Street.

3 weeks ago | fcnews.net | Ken Ryan

Every two weeks, FCNews seeks out flooring retailers across the country to offer their advice on hot topics of the day. This week, we asked: What are the common traits of top-performing RSAs? Here are their responses:“Someone who is well-known in the community, who has attention to detail and can provide top-notch customer service. It is very important to be detail oriented.