Guest Blog Post by: Why Tile
Coverings 2024 — North America’s premier tile and stone exhibition and conference — is an inspiring event for the ceramic tile and natural stone industry that showcases more than 1,000 exhibitors from across the globe. The best of the best will come together April 22 to April 25 at the Georgia World Congress Center — builders, remodelers, retailers, architectural and design professionals, stone fabricators, contractors, distributors, and media professionals, including journalists and style influencers to learn, be inspired, and find creative solutions.
In addition to the latest tile trends such as Geo Texture and Contempo Concrete, you’ll see new colorways for Earth Tones, Stone Looks, and Blues, plus much more! With nine miles of tile and stone to explore on the show floor, you’ll discover the most innovative products and insights and have learning opportunities around every corner — but you’re going to need a plan so that you don’t miss a thing!
Whether you’re a seasoned Coverings attendee or this is your first visit, we’ve put together a checklist of the TCNA pavilion to help you plan your experience with the exciting opportunities for this year.
Complimentary Lunch — Chick-fil-A!
TCNA will hold lunch Monday through Wednesday at noon in Booth 7536, generously sponsored by Lamosa® USA, Mile® Stone, and Panaria Group® USA Inc. With Chick-fil-A on the menu, we suggest planning each day for this treat (and be there right at noon as we expect a crowd)!
NEW! Expanded Art Tile Village
The Art Tile Village in Booth 7529 features the new Artisan Stage and Art Tile Showcase. In response to the large audiences for artisan demonstrations during Coverings 2023, the Art Tile Village has its own stage this year where art tile makers and artisans will present the steps they take to create unique handmade tiles:
- From Tile Setter to Artist: A Creative Transition, April 22: Martin Brookes, President of Heritage Marble & Tile and Tile Inspection Services will interview mosaicist, David Arnott about his journey as a tile setter to a globally recognized artist.
- Will the Real Encaustic Tile Please Rise, April 22 and 23: Learn about the characteristics of true encaustic tile and its manufacturing process from Scott Carothers, Academic Director of the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation.
- Dazed & Glazed: Color at Coverings, April 22 and 23: Brett Stern, owner and founder of Dazed and Glazed, designs wall tiles for interior murals. Learn about his process of using veneer glass on ceramic tile surfaces.
- Artisan’s Revolution in Tile (A.R.T.) Training: What’s All the Excitement About?, April 23: Six panelists who are alumni of the 2023 A.R.T. Training program will share their experiences in how they advanced their individual art. The program kicked off in 2023, sponsored by the NTCA and LATICRETE with support from several manufacturers.
- Henry Mercer’s Early 1900 Handmade Encaustic Tiles, April 24: John Mellor and Jesse Baum of the Tileworks of Buck County will explore Henry Mercer’s journey as a tile maker, his inspiration of medieval tiles, and how he created some of the first encaustic tiles by rethinking his artistic process.
Additionally, David Arnott will craft a tile mosaic of the planet using leftover tiles from Coverings exhibitors to commemorate Earth Day and promote ceramic tile sustainability (see below, Earth Day). Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Arnott and witness his creative process and the beauty of sustainable artistry.
EXPANDED! Installation Innovation Stage
At Booth 6863, the Installation Innovation Stage — previously known as the Installation Demonstration Stage — NTCA staff and TCNA members will hold live demonstrations teaching attendees how to install a range of tile and stone products using various techniques.
The Installation Innovation Stage schedule illustrates the wide variety of opportunities attendees will have to learn about the ever-evolving standards, materials, methods, and best practices of high-quality tile installation.
Make time to attend as many sessions as you can (and even win some prizes). Notably, from 12:10 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24, the Installation Innovation stage will host International Product Assurance (IPA) Laboratories as they present “Testing on Tap: A Pint-Sized Guide to IPA Laboratories.”
IPA Labs offers a broad array of ISO 17025-accredited tests to ASTM, ANSI and ISO standards, as well as customized testing for research and development. This important presentation will give you the information you need for understanding how product testing helps ensure product success. If you miss this presentation, you can stop by Booth 7536 and speak to IPA Labs experts about your testing needs. Pro tip: Ask for a lab discount code!
Returning FAVORITE! Tiled Dog Houses
To say Coverings has gone to the dogs is quite literally, correct! One of the most popular features in the TCNA pavilion has grown to be dog houses tiled by TCNA members. These beautiful and clever dog houses are displayed in TCNA’s booth during Coverings and then donated to a local animal charity at the end of Coverings. The charity for this year, for the second time, is the Homeless Pets Foundation in Atlanta. This special organization hosts adoption events, finds foster families, transports pets, and partners with schools and businesses to have saved more than 25,000 pets to date.
As a special treat, each day the foundation will bring some of their adoptable dogs to the Doghouse Courtyard in the TCNA Booth 7536. And, be sure to join TCNA there for the dog house donation ceremony on April 24 at 3 p.m.!
NEW! Outdoor Oasis
The exquisite Outdoor Oasis in Booth 7006 (the newly reimagined Coverings Lounge) is an area you won’t want to miss! Through a partnership with Tributary Revelation, you’ll enjoy a stunning immersive outdoor experience located directly on the Coverings show floor. The Outdoor Oasis will highlight exterior tile applications and serves as a base for additional show experiences:
- Happy hours and giveaways
- Networking and educational opportunities such as wellness trainings
- Coverings Contractor Tours’ meeting and end point
More happy hours are on the horizon, too!
Happy Hour
The Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA) is sponsoring a happy hour from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 22, in the TCNA Booth 7536.
Earth Day
The first day of Coverings 2024 is Earth Day on April 22 and Coverings is ready to honor our planet and promote sustainability with a wide selection of learning sessions, workshops, displays, tours, and philanthropic programs to showcase ceramic tile’s role in helping build a greener future. Honoring this day involves a carefully curated selection of Earth Day activities dedicated to sustainability in the ceramic tile industry.
Earth Day activities will be kicked off through Coverings’ partnership with Clean the World, a global leader in sustainable, environmental, and social impact solutions. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the “Clean the World” initiative by transforming used soap bars and plastic amenities that the hospitality industry would otherwise discard into lifesaving, essential supplies for communities in need across the globe. Showgoers will be able to volunteer a few minutes of their time to produce recycled hygiene kits April 22 in Hall B, Booth 1017. The completed kits will then be donated to a local philanthropic organization in Atlanta.
Also, be sure to meet mosaic artist David Arnott, who will be showcasing his work in the Artisan Stage Booth 7259. Arnott will craft a tile mosaic representation of the Earth with leftover tiles from Coverings’ exhibitors. The completed mosaic will then be donated to a local organization.
Coverings 2024 is bolstering its commitment to sustainable design, building, and installation practices involving ceramic tile and natural stone by presenting a comprehensive range of environmentally focused educational opportunities of particular interest to the architecture and design community. Attendees can engage in sessions, such as “Tile Industry Insights: Deciphering Embodied Carbon and Green Architecture and Design,” scheduled for April 22, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Green Builder Media’s “Housing 2.0” workshop, happening April 23.
NEXT UP! Flooring Sustainability Summit
At Coverings this year, you will learn about another opportunity to meet with and learn from flooring industry leaders at the Flooring Sustainability Summit, July 17 to 18 in Washington, DC. This event will bring together sustainability leaders within the flooring industry, architects and designers, policy makers, advocacy groups, and more.
As the flooring industry faces environmental challenges head-on, the Summit is your opportunity to be at the forefront of change and lead the way for a more sustainable tomorrow with other industry leaders. Co-hosts include TCNA, the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), the Natural Stone Institute, and the North American Laminate Flooring Association (NAFLA).
Learn more about how to attend and/or participate in the summit by visiting Booth 7536.
Experience It All!
Among a vast network of inspiring industry leaders, you’ll find valuable industry connections this year at Coverings and a range of knowledge at every turn.
There’s so much to enjoy that you should consider joining one of the many live and on-demand tours of the show floor to efficiently see and experience relevant exhibitors and their stunning products based on your area of interest or expertise.
This year’s Coverings kicks off on Monday, April 22. For the full schedule, visit the official Coverings site and review other event opportunities, and the full schedule of educational sessions. We look forward to seeing you at Coverings! Please stop by Booth 7536 to say hello! You’ll find many opportunities in one stop, including lunch each day, Why Tile, TCNA, TCNA-Mexico and Obra Blanca, IPA Laboratories, CTDA, NTCA, TCAA, the Tile Heritage Foundation, the Flooring Sustainability Summit, and if that wasn’t enough, cute puppies!
Don’t miss your chance to experience the preeminent event for the ceramic tile and natural stone industry in North America. Register for free today!
