NWFA Hands On Training

Advance Your Wood Flooring Career with NWFA Hands-On Training

Elevate your wood flooring career with expert-led NWFA hands-on workshops. Gain cutting-edge skills, master innovative techniques, and network with industry leaders to boost your reputation and profits. Enroll today to transform your expertise into a competitive edge and unlock new opportunities in the hardwood flooring industry.

You’ll learn from NWFA Regional Instructors and manufacturer representatives showcasing cutting-edge products and expertise. Each course includes a reference manual, access to online courses that reinforce the hands-on training, safety gear (goggles, mask, earplugs), instructor directory, and lunch, enhancing your wood flooring training experience.

Download the NWFA Education & Training Programs Course Catalog for More Information

NWFA HANDS-ON COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Basic Installation, Sand/Finish Combo

A course for beginners, blending Basic Installation and Basic Sand & Finish. Covers wood flooring history, wood properties, tools/equipment, and installation methods (nail, glue, floating) for unfinished and factory-finished solid/engineered floors. Includes sanding/finishing basics, stain/sealer/finish application, and practical experience in the full flooring process from installation to finishing. Prerequisite: No experience necessary.

Intermediate Installation

A course for those with wood flooring experience. Covers advanced jobsite prep, layout, wood science, and analysis of solid/engineered flooring. Includes practice with nail, glue, and floating installations for unfinished/factory-finished floors, floor repair techniques, and simple herringbone patterns. Learn to incorporate basic design elements into any floor. Prerequisite: 1 year of installation experience OR attendance at the Basic Installation or Basic Installation, Sand/Finish Combo course.

Intermediate Sand and Finish

A course for experienced wood flooring professionals. Covers equipment maintenance, sanding diverse flooring types, floor flattening, and scratch minimization. Practice applying stains, sealers, oils, waxes, and finishes, plus scraping, recoating, repairs, and board replacement to enhance skills and efficiency. Prerequisite: 1 year of sand & finish experience OR attendance at the Basic Sand & Finish or Basic Installation, Sand/Finish Combo course.

Advanced Installation

A 4-day in-person course for experienced wood floor professionals. Includes creating/designing/installing unique patterns/designs with solid/engineered unfinished/factory finished wood floors. Learning covers different specialty skills based on student/instructor input. Includes introduction to designing parquetry, cutting marquetry, wood bending, and designing with circles/curves. Prerequisite: Three years of installation experience AND attendance at the Intermediate Installation school.

Advanced Finish

Learn floor preparation and unique finishing techniques using reactive conditioners, bleaches, dyes, oils, and pigments across various finish systems to create diverse styles. Explore historical woodworking finishes to master colors, textures, and custom looks. This course includes the skills necessary to become a Master of Colors, Finishes, and Textures. Prerequisite: Three years of sand and finish experience AND attendance at the Intermediate Sand and Finish school.

Inspector School

This course is designed to prepare wood flooring professionals to earn the NWFA Certified Wood Flooring Inspector credential and build a business as an inspector. Includes inspector’s role/legal responsibilities, how to identify wood flooring problems, conducting interviews, testing methods/tools, finding/using industry standards, conducting inspections, and report writing. Prerequisite: NWFA membership required. Pass Inspector Test (80%+). Complete NWFA courses: Basic Installation, Basic Sand & Finish (waivable with 3+ years’ experience), Intermediate Installation, Intermediate Sand & Finish. Finish NWFA University courses in Installation, Sand & Finish, and Manufacturing.

One-Day Workshop: Wood Floor Sales

This is an in-person or virtual course providing instruction about different types of wood and their technical attributes as flooring products, how to sell wood against “wood-look” floor coverings, and more. Also includes minimizing claims and call-backs, guiding the customer to the right species and floor type for their lifestyle, understanding appropriate installation methods and finishes for each project, and developing stronger customer relationships and loyalty throughout the selling process. Prerequisite: None

One-Day Workshop: Intro to Inspections

A one-day course that includes properly identifying an issue, its potential causes and cures, and dealing with disgruntled customers. Includes different testing methods and resources to determine the causes of the claim, working with inspectors, and understanding the inspection process. Prerequisite: None

One-Day Workshop: Moisture Testing

This is an in-person course providing an in-depth view of moisture meters, moisture testing tools, and ASTM testing methods. Includes how to use different tools, assessing moisture content, dealing with wood and substrate materials, and claims. Also includes opportunities to work with subject matter experts who will help you prepare and assess substrates prior to installation. Prerequisite: None

One-Day Workshop: Glue-Down Installation

This workshop provides an introduction to glue-down installation processes. Includes jobsite evaluation, acclimation, and subfloor preparation. Attendees will get hands-on experience using the tools needed for the job, laying out working lines, proper adhesive and trowel selection, and the steps for a successful glue-down installation. Prerequisite: None

One-Day Workshop: Nail-Down Installation

This workshop provides an introduction to nail-down installation process. Includes jobsite evaluation, acclimation, and subfloor preparation. Attendees will get hands-on experience using the tools needed for the job, laying out working lines, fastener schedules, expansion space and the steps for a successful nail-down installation. Prerequisite: None

Precision Patterns: Medallions and Parquetry

A two-day, in-person course designed for experienced wood floor professionals. Learn to produce a variety of parquet patterns and medallion styles by hand, including design symmetry, mosaics, and other decorative elements exclusive to the geometry of the pattern. This course includes building customized sleds and jigs which may be taken home after the course. This course covers the skills necessary to become a Master of Medallions and Parquetry. Prerequisite: 3 years of installation experience AND attend Intermediate Installation course.

NWFA Partners in Education

NWFA Partners in Education help make our training events possible. View the list of participating companies and learn how you can get involved.