Week before last, I attended the Resilient Flooring Committee (called F-06) meeting at ASTM* Headquarters in Philadelphia. This committee is on the cutting edge when it comes to outlining methods and standards for testing moisture in concrete. I must say, it is impossible to not be impressed by such a smart group of hard working professionals striving to create good documents based on the best available science. The F-06 committee is the driving force behind developing the internal Relative Humidity testing of moisture in concrete (ASTM F-2170).  

Having studied the science behind drying and curing, I am always surprised by the amount of controversy surrounding the moisture testing of concrete. There are many millions of dollars in failures of coatings and floor coverings due to excessive moisture in concrete subfloors. Large commercial job failures are financially devastating for flooring contractors. How does the song go?  “Send lawyers, guns, and money.” It seems to me that it is easier to test the concrete for moisture than to figure out how to weasel out on a failed floor.

The fascinating part of this meeting was the discussion and balloting concerning a proposed new guideline for using electronic concrete moisture meters. Anyone knowledgeable about these meters realizes that while they are useful for finding building leaks (high readings for wet areas versus lower readings for dry areas), they do not actually measure the quantity of moisture in the concrete. In fact, the proposed guideline stated:

This meter is not intended to provide quantitative results as a basis for acceptance of a floor for installation of moisture sensitive floor finishes.

It was a spirited discussion and while the vote was close, the document was sent back for further revisions.  In case you were curious, I voted for further revision.  It seems that there is no pressing need for a prestigious organization like ASTM to produce a document which might be misinterpreted, or worse yet, mis-used by unscrupulous individuals.

All in all, it was two days well spent furthering my understanding of the concrete industry, and highly recommend becoming involved with ASTM to anyone interested in doing the same.

*ASTM = The American Society of Testing and Materials is an organization that helps groups of interested volunteers work to create documents that standardize test methods and procedures for concrete.  It is a transparent and open process for anyone who wants to participate.

Last week I attended the annual NWFA convention in Long Beach, CA.  Having been in the industry for 30 years, this certainly wasn't my first rodeo.  Truth be told, I didn't go with the expectation of enjoying myself. 

My primary reason for attending was out of the necessity of maintaining contacts. In spite of my initially bad attitude, this year's meeting turned out to be both fun and very productive for me personally.  Maybe it's a part of getting older. With life passing by at a seemingly faster pace, the need to rush somehow dissipates.  The major topic of discussion was the general decrease in business.  Having ridden out a few down cycles in this industry, I was reminded of some lessons I have been taught along the way.

The best time to buy is when prices are low.
A number of great people within our industry have ended up without jobs through no fault of their own.  There are good people available who would normally be gainfully employed.  These highly qualified and accomplished professionals know the ins and outs of our industry.  Their learning curve would be practically non-existent.

This presents a great opportunity for lumber and construction businesses.  Prices always rebound and usually with a vengeance.  I can't tell you when or how fast things will turn around, but it will get busy again.  Really great people are not going to stay on the market forever.  They could go to work for one of your competitors, start their own competing business, or move to another industry.  Keep your eyes open, ears to the ground, and snap them up!

When you visit the doctor would you rather see the intern fresh out of med school or the practitioner with skill and experience?
For those of you currently out of work, there is always something that you can do to improve yourself while searching for your next gig.  If you plan to stay in the wood flooring industry, do us all a big favor: go out and learn how to install, sand, and finish wood floors.  This is the best way to become the go-to person at any company that sells or distributes wood flooring, adhesives, finishes, sandpaper, and sundries.  Nothing earns respect more than a professional who can actually answer a question without faking it.

Keep yourself busy while you're sending out resumes.  Find a good wood flooring contractor and volunteer to work for slave wages (or less).  Get ready to have a genuine hard working experience, and you can probably cancel that fancy gym membership while you are really working for a living.  For inspectors who find yourselves with a lot of time on your hands please read the previous paragraph.  There is always something to learn or a new way to apply the information you have already mastered.