The industry’s premiere North American tile and stone expo – Coverings 2025 – is coming to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla, from April 29-May 2. Coverings is a veritable festival of education, celebration, special activities, demonstrations. It showcases new products and networking opportunities to support and elevate your business in every sector of the tile and stone industry.
For a complete rundown of the panoply of offerings at the show, visit coverings.com. But for your convenience, read below for select contractor-centric activities, and NTCA events and activations.
Contractor Tours #4300
You will not believe the amount of information NTCA can pack into an hour-long tour of the latest tile, tool, equipment, and allied product manufacturers during its Contractor Tours. Register at the Coverings Lounge and embark from there at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. This year, a Contractor Tour in Español on Wednesday April 30 from 3-4 p.m. will also be available. https://www.coverings.com/show-floor-tours/
Installation Innovation Stage #4038
Be sure to visit the Installation Innovation Stage for demos by manufacturer presenters and NTCA Trainers. Here’s a brief overview of what NTCA Technical Trainers will present; visit coverings.com for the full schedule:
• Zero Entry Showers – Step Right In
Learn about the latest and greatest in zero entry shower methods, straight from the 2025 TCNA Handbook.
• Foam Board – Old Dog, New Tricks!
Explore what the TCNA Handbook has to say about differences between foam board products, what makes them truly waterproof, and the best techniques for installation.
• Mesh Backed Mosaics – Mastering the Mesh
Mosaics – they’re gorgeous, trendy, and totally at home in wet areas. Get insider tips on how to install them like a seasoned pro, and create Instagram-worthy designs.
• 1/2″ x 1/2″ – Is It Still the One?
Explore the benefits of the 1/2″ x 1/2″ trowel and new options for providing required coverage for large-format tiles.
• Handmade Tile – Perfectly Imperfect
Learn the intricacies of working with handmade tiles, how to embrace their quirks and transform imperfections into stunning results.
• Grout – Find the Right Match
Learn how to pick the right grout for your project and deliver flawless, long-lasting results.
• Help in a Bottle – Tile’s Secret Superheroes
Discover how advanced sealers, grout releases, haze removers, and cleaners save time, effort, and headaches while keeping your tile projects looking flawless.
Programs also start at 11:45 a.m. at the Fabricator Stage #4594 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Learn about topics from mastering porcelain fabrication to navigating the global stone market to how to use AI to boost your fabrication success, and more!
www.coverings.com/coverings-stages/
Coverings Lounge #4300
The Coverings Lounge in space 4300 in the TCNA Pavilion will include the Trends & Solutions Stage where exhibitors and industry professionals will take a deep dive into the latest innovations and trends. The Stage is also home to Happy Hours & Giveaways hosted by NTCA’s Jim Olson Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, and the Rock Star Awards Ceremony on Tuesday at 4PM.
New this year is Jennifer Farrell’s I.C.E. House Showroom activation. Explore the story and vision of this flexible residence concept that can change with a family’s needs over time, discover brand partners, and see materials that will be featured at the showhome. Coverings is the exclusive 2025 Building Industry Trade Show Partner for I.C.E. House.
Cultivating a creative mindset S222
For the third year running, artist, tile contractor, and mindfulness teacher Gianna Vallefuoco will partner with other industry giants to present short, impactful wellness workshops in room S222, the Destination Lounge/Galvanize Women’s Lounge. Co-owner of NTCA Five-Star Vallefuoco Contractors and a Regional Director on the NTCA Board, Vallefuoco will explore journaling and mindfulness practices with LATICRETE President and COO Ron Nash, and TileLetter’s Lesley Goddin. Together with Tiles of Ezra’s Georgia Ezra, she will dig into the entrepreneurship and the mindset of creatives. New to mindfulness and neuroscience? Vallefuoco offers an intro that makes practices like breathwork, meditation, finding resilience, daily wellness and much more accessible, practical, inspiring – and fun.
Make a mosaic at the Artisan Showcase
Come to space 4412, strategically located near the Trend & Solutions Stage and the Coverings Lounge to discover a world of artisan-crafted delights at the Artisan Showcase. Art tile makers, artisans and artisan tile setters will present a range of talks and demonstrations, from a recap of the Artisans Revolution in Tile (A.R.T.) training to programs on handmade tile, plus featured speakers. And since everyone wants to get into the act, this year, a hands-on opportunity to make your own mosaic coasters is planned! You’ll also find captivating concept boards from exhibitors in the Artisan Tile Village on display.
Galvanize Women’s Lounge S222
Aka the “Destination Lounge”, the Galvanize Women’s Lounge is at the top of the escalator that leads to the show floor, so it’s easy access for women from various women’s groups like NTCA Women in Tile, Women in Stone, Women of the Flooring Business (WOFB), the local NAWIC chapter, Women in the Floorcovering Industry (WIFI), or women who want to connect during the show. It will feature rotating experiences each day such as a massage station, professional development activities, mindfulness sessions and hosted events. Connect, celebrate, and be inspired by like-minded industry peers in the Galvanize Women’s Lounge.
Coverings Ambassadors
If you’re passionate about Coverings and the tile and stone industry – and want to spread the word about attending the show – you may be the perfect Coverings Ambassador! You may be eligible if you:
- You have attended at least one Coverings show
- You regularly work with ceramic tile and/or natural stone
- You are currently based in the U.S. or Canada
- You are enthusiastic about Coverings
Visit www.coverings.com/coverings-ambassador/ for more information and complete the quick and easy form. Coverings will respond in five days. And, if you want to meet the current Coverings Ambassador team selected thus far, visit the link above. You’ll be in good company!
Coverings Installation & Design (CID) Awards
The Coverings Installation & Design (CID) Awards honor excellence in the design and installation of ceramic tile and stone across residential, institutional, and commercial projects. Recognizing creativity, craftsmanship, and innovative use of materials, the awards celebrate the industry’s most inspiring and exceptional work. Come see the winners on Wednesday, April 30, from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. in room S222, Destination Lounge/Galvanize Women’s Lounge, South Concourse. www.coverings.com/cid-awards/
2025 Rock Star Awards
The 11th Rock Star Awards celebrate the next generation of industry leaders, recognizing outstanding young professionals who are making a significant impact in the tile and stone industry. This program honors their innovation, leadership, and dedication, showcasing the bright future of the field. The awards ceremony takes place Tuesday, April 29 from 4-5 p.m. at Booth #4300, the Coverings Lounge.
NTCA Awards Night
NTCA holds its annual NTCA and TCNA Awards Presentation and Reception in conjunction with TCNA on Thursday Night, May 1 from 5:30-7:30 PM. Come mingle with contractor and industry members for food, networking and an opportunity to honor esteemed members of these associations and awardees. Former NTCA Training Director Mark Heinlein will be awarded the NTCA Tile Person of the Year and LATICRETE’s David Rothberg will receive the Joe Tarver Award for Service to the Tile Industry. Also recognized will be the Five-Star Contractor Project of the Year Award winners, recipients of the Tom Ade Scholarships and the TCNA Tile Person of the Year.
NTCA presenters will lead sessions geared to contractors and small businesses
One of Coverings’ key features is the huge amount of learning opportunities available. Browse the schedule at www.coverings.com/learning-opportunities/
Tuesday, April 29
- 9:30-10:30 AM – Fostering Collaboration between General Contractors and Tile Contractors for Project Success, S230C. Jeremy Sax, NTCA; Brad Brady, Total Flooring; Shawn E. Mays, Swinerton.
- 2:30-3:15 PM El Éxito en Nuestro Idioma: Cómo la Industria del Tile Apoya a los Profesionales Latinos, Trends & Solutions Stage #4300, Angelica Weber, NTCA.
Wednesday April 30
- 9:30 – 10:30 AM – Shifting Landscapes: The Impact of Business Consolidation in the Tile and Stone Industry, S230E. Bart Bettiga, NTCA; Kemp Harr, Floor Focus Magazine
- 11 AM – 12 PM: The Basics of Marketing for Small Businesses, S230E. Elena Grant, NTCA
Thursday May 1
- 8-9 AM – Tile Industry Updates: Advancements in Standards and Reference Materials S230E. Becky Serbin, NTCA; Ryan Marino, TCNA
- 930-10:30 AM – Women Talking: The Shero’s Journey 2025, S230E. Lesley Goddin, NTCA; Jane Callewaert, Dragonfly Tile & Stone Works; Leslie Del Pozo, QEP; Natalie Hall, Artistry in Tile; Heidi Martin, United Tile; Betty Sullivan, Architessa
- 11 AM – 12 PM – Global Inspirations: Case Studies in Gauged Porcelain Slab Design and Installation, S230E. Bart Bettiga, NTCA; Sean Gordy, Gordy Tile Company; Steven W. Clem, TVS
- 12:30 – 1:30 PM – Tile Sleuths: Unraveling the Mystery of Installation Failures, S230E. James Woelfel, Artcraft Granite, Marble & Tile Company; NTCA Technical Committee Chairman
- 3-3:45 PM Innovación y Tradición: La Evolución de la Instalación de Baldosas en el Mercado Hispano, Trends & Solutions Stage #4300, Angelica Weber, NTCA.
Coverings Cares
Your registration process for the show has an opportunity to help support a range of charitable organizations related to the tile and stone industry. Coverings will match any donation you make up to $20,000 to the following organizations:
- CTEF: Ceramic Tile Education Foundation
- Tile Heritage Foundation
- DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS
- Gary Sinise Foundation
- Pet Alliance
- • Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
For more information, visit www.coverings.com and enter Coverings Cares in the search bar.
Lesley Goddin has been writing and journaling since her first diary at age 11. Her journey has taken her through a career in publishing and publicity, landing her the editor position of TileLetter and its special publications in 2006. Her goal is to educate, inspire, recognize and encourage those in the tile industry -- especially the tile and stone contractor.
