Get to Know the Flooring Trade

With a growing need for flooring installation and a low number of skilled flooring craftsmen, there’s no better time to start a career in flooring.

Explore the Trade →
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Carpet

Explore a career creating cozy, soft surfaces.

About Carpet →
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Hardwood

Natural beauty created by expert craftsmen.

About Hardwood →
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Resilient

Imagine the possibilities with vinyl, cork, and more.

About Resilient →
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Tile

Get creative with the many options tile offers.

About Tile →

Meet Real Flooring Craftsmen

See what it’s like to build a career as a flooring craftsman.

Learn from the Pros →

Explore Your Path to Flooring Craftsman

No matter where you are now, there is a path to becoming a flooring craftsman.

About the Trade →
High School Students & Graduates →
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Meet Real Flooring Craftspeople

See what it’s like to build a career as a flooring craftsperson.

Learn from the Pros →

Explore Training Opportunities

There are several ways to get the training you need to start off your flooring craftsman career.

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Flooring Training Classes

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Technical Colleges

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Calendar

Approved training from our training partners.

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See where our programs are available in technical colleges.

Technical Colleges→

Explore our calendar for all training opportunities.

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Scholarships Available

FCEF Scholarship cover up to half of the cost of your training.

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TYPES OF FLOOR COVERINGS

Ready to start working

toward your future?

The first step in becoming a flooring craftsman is attending a training class or program to help you learn the basics of flooring installation

Types of Floor Covering Installers

There are four primary types of flooring that floor covering installers focus on. They are carpet, hardwood, resilient, and tile. Most flooring installers specialize in one or two types of flooring installation to ensure that they have the specific skills, tools, and materials in order to be experts in the field they choose.

How to Choose a Flooring Type to Specialize In

Determining what type of flooring installation you want to specialize in as a floor covering installer is an important part of your career in the flooring industry. After all, it’s best to learn about the basics of all the different flooring types to get an understanding of each of them before deciding to focus on one flooring type.

You can begin by exploring the basic flooring installation process at your local high school, or by enrolling in a basic flooring technical college course to start learning about the different types of flooring installation available.

Want to find training opportunities near you? Check out our training opportunities calendar to find out how you can get started today.

Find Training Opportunities

READY TO TRADE UP?

Ready to get started with your training? Apply today for an FCEF scholarship to help cover the cost. 

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TYPES OF FLOORING

CARPET
Carpet is still one of the most popular options on the market today, especially in areas like living rooms, playrooms, and bedrooms, where comfort and warmth is highly desired.

So what exactly is carpet? Carpet is a soft type of flooring made out of different types of carpet fibers: nylon, polyester, olefin, and wool. Each type of fiber has unique characteristics when it comes to stain and moisture resistance, strength, fade resistance, and price point.

There are also different types of carpet piles, including loop, cut-pile, and cut-loop piles. Loop pile carpet is constructed by looping the fibers onto the carpet backing, while cut-pile carpet is looped carpet cut off at the ends. Cut-loop pile carpet is a combination of both cut and loop pile carpets on one backing.

As a flooring installer, it’s important to have the proper tools, materials, and knowledge of these differences in carpet types to ensure that each job is installed correctly.

Learn more about Carpet Installation Careers

HARDWOOD
There are two types of hardwood floors available today: engineered and solid wood. While both are products made using genuine wood, they vary in the way they are constructed. Solid hardwood flooring is manufactured from one piece of wood, whereas engineered hardwood flooring is manufactured using several layers of plywood, with a thin layer of hardwood on top.

Hardwood floors are available in a variety of species, including white oak, red oak, maple, cherry, hickory, pine, walnut, and more, each with varying natural tones and hardness. The best hardwood for a customer’s home will greatly depend on where it is going to be installed, the interior style of the home, and the budget.

As mentioned, both solid and engineered hardwood floors can be either nailed to, glued down on, or floated above the subfloor, and in areas like living rooms, bedrooms, and offices. Because wood floors are not naturally water-resistant, they should not be installed in kitchens or bathrooms.

When it comes to wood flooring installation, it’s crucial for a floor covering installer to understand how to install them correctly, as wood flooring is expected to expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HARDWOOD INSTALLATION CAREERS

RESILIENT
Resilient flooring is quickly becoming one of the most prevalent types of floors in homes across the nation thanks to its durability, number of styles, and easy maintenance. Resilient flooring is a category of flooring that is primarily made of durable plastics and includes vinyl. Vinyl floors comes in sheet vinyl as well as today’s popular vinyl planks and tiles. Tiles and planks are usually manufactured to click together make them fairly quick to install. Some of them can even be installed as floating floors which means they don’t need to be glued or nailed to the subfloor.

Vinyl floors can be installed in many areas of the home, including bedrooms, living rooms, offices, and playrooms. Some types of vinyl are also waterproof, and can be installed in entryways, bathrooms, and kitchens.

Another reason for vinyl’s popularity is its exterior look. Many types of vinyl offer wood or stone looks to mimic the natural appearance of hardwood floors, with the features of flooring that busy homes need, such as scuff and scratch resistance.

For homes with kids or pets, vinyl offers the best of both worlds – style and benefits that make for easy cleanup and simple maintenance.

As a floor covering installer, it’s important to understand the different types of vinyl flooring and how to install each type. Vinyl flooring products require precise measuring and cutting skills to create a flawless look.

LEARN MORE ABOUT RESILIENT FLOORING INSTALLATION CAREERS

TILE
Tile is best known for its popularity in bathrooms kitchens, entryways, and areas where dirt and debris are common, because it is easy to clean and maintain. And, both tile floors and tile backsplashes are ideal for a number of home styles, thanks to their incredible versatility.

There are a few different types of tile available, including ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone. Ceramic tile is versatile and looks great as a backsplash or accent, while porcelain tile is waterproof and is ideal for flooring installations. Natural stone tile offers unique character in every piece, and can be used in a variety of installations in a home.

Common tile sizes include mosaics, which are typically used for shower floors, backsplashes, and accent walls. There are also large-format tiles that are greater than 24×24, which are best for flooring installations and shower walls.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TILE INSTALLATION CAREERS

How do I start a career in flooring?

Starting a career in the flooring industry is simple. Learn more by checking out our career paths to get an idea of what you may be interested in, and apply online. You don’t need a college degree to get started, and you’ll get on the job training to learn how to begin honing your craft as a flooring installer.