Urban Surfaces is the trusted and reliable authority in LVP flooring, partnering with builder and multi-unit spaces to provide the best flooring solutions tailored to their needs.
Interview with Adam Milecki, In-House Writer at Urban Surfaces.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Adam Milecki: To elaborate, Urban Surfaces provides the multi-unit and builder markets with beautiful, innovative, and high-quality flooring products and solutions. We work with them to select materials, coordinate schedules, and do whatever it takes to deliver orders at just the right time.
With Urban Surfaces, a partner is not treated like just another customer. We build our business around our partners’ projects to keep their flooring selections in stock and ready to ship for the duration of each project.
There’s a great reason some of the biggest national property management firms trust Urban Surfaces. We value partnership above all else, and we promise to reliably supply luxury vinyl flooring and products for projects of any size.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
A.M: We are always launching new products with new products on the horizon as well. While we take great care to fully support the products we have launched and the partners who use them, we are always looking to innovate, streamline, and provide the best selection of flooring products possible. The best ways to keep up to date are to get in touch with us and follow our mailing list. Never be shy about asking your Urban Surfaces rep, “What’s new?”
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
A.M: Our specialty is high-quality flooring, underlayments, and everything needed for a perfect flooring installation. No matter what kind of project it is, we have the right flooring.
For multifamily, where cross-level sound mitigation is vital, we have our Sound-Tec line of Floating Floor, as well as our FloorSilencer underlayments. For durable commercial-space flooring, our SoHo Square line of GlueDown is a perfect fit. For single-family rentals, we recommend our MainStreet GlueDown for its beauty and ease of repairs. Anyone looking for industrial beauty on a grand scale should look no further than our InstaGrip 28 Tile with its enormous 36” x 36” LooseLay tiles. Finally, we have a new type of flooring soon to come. Again, watch that mailing list!
E.E: What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
A.M: As the stock of existing housing in the United States ages, there is always more housing in need of renovations. 2022 saw a reduction in single-family starts, possibly due to increased interest rates, but jumped back up in 2023, so build-to-rent and single-family rentals remain a viable market. Multifamily starts, on the other hand, had a spike in 2023 that is dropping off in recent months. Still, the market remains healthy.
As the market shifts, Urban Surfaces is always ready to supply what is needed.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
A.M: Even post-pandemic, there’s still a lot of people working from home. Office-to-multi-family conversions have added to the demand for LVP flooring. People spending more time at home increased the ownership of pets, which added to the need for waterproof and scratch-resistant flooring. LVP is the most durable yet affordable and beautiful flooring option available on the market, so it’s no wonder LVP has replaced carpet as the most popular flooring choice.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
A.M: Here’s our top three innovative products this year:
Traction Subfloor Grip Coating provides fast and easy LooseLay installation without adhesive. This revolutionary subfloor coating provides the horizontal grip strength of an adhesive with none of the permanence. After curing in just two hours, Urban Surfaces’ LooseLay flooring options can be installed. When replacing a plank, there is no damage to the flooring or subfloor. Traction also provides priming and up to 90% moisture protection. LooseLay couldn’t be easier. Installers love Traction because it makes the job easier and faster. Owners and managers love Traction because it reduces costs and time that could be spent elsewhere.
InstaGrip 28 Tile is LooseLay vinyl flooring with an industrial and premium 36″ x 36″ aesthetic. If stunning visuals are what a project needs, InstaGrip 28 Tile provides them. This tile features highly durable 5mm vinyl construction with a concrete appearance, smooth topography, and large dimensions. When paired with Traction, our already speedy-to-install InstaGrip LooseLay is even easier to install or replace. With Traction, LooseLay is finally true to its name.
FloorSilencer underlayments provide unparalleled noise reduction and so much more, including options that provide thermal insulation, antimicrobial moisture protection, subfloor-imperfection smoothing, and cushioning that reduces foot and leg fatigue without compromising floor-clip integrity. FloorSilencer underlayments are a necessity in any multilevel project.
E.E: What estimations do you have for the beginning of 2024?
A.M: We anticipate an increase in single-family starts, while multi-family starts will decrease. Overall, the housing industry continues to grow. We are prepared to continue meeting that demand!