3 minute read
Trend in Focus
Training for success in wallcoverings
Consumer demand reveals promising business potential
According to Nancy Terry, executive director of the Wallcovering Installers Association (WIA), the 47-year-old organization has seen a steady uptick in new members over the past three years. “What’s interesting is that, despite the new members, our overall membership number is flat due to older members retiring,” she says. “For those entering the industry, the moment is ripe for opportunity and success.”
Training for an ancient art goes modern
Over his 28-year career (13 as an installer and 15 at MDC Interior Solutions), Greg Laux has watched wallcoverings soar and dip in popularity. “At the height of its popularity,” he says, “there were a number of schools and programs teaching basic installation skills. But when popularity tanked, the schools disappeared. This is bad news for installers looking to expand their crews, as well as for manufacturers and suppliers who have that magic combo of growing consumer demand and amazing product offerings. And it’s why MDC saw the value in supporting the WIA to build a training program that’s accessible to everyone.”
Launched in 2018, Wallcovering University is designed to fill the training gap through online programming. “Our initial curriculum is focused on residential installation,” says Laux. The courses consist of a series of lessons with videos that illustrate techniques. He says, “It’s a great introduction to wall prep, pattern matching, and other skills. Anyone completing the program will be really well-positioned to learn the subtleties and last bit of needed finesse under a seasoned pro.”
Terry adds that WIA is developing a course lineup focused on commercial installation, and a business skills series for both residential and commercial contractors. “Our aim is to train the next generation of installers in the essential hands-on skills and the basics of running a successful business.”
Not a moment too soon
For Lisa and Peter Moon of Paper Moon Painting in Austin and San Antonio, the resurgent interest in wallcoverings is a mixed blessing. Lisa says, “While Peter learned the trade in the 80s, the bulk of our work—especially in the early 2000s—was in painting. We operated just fine with one installer for nearly 30 years.” That changed in 2019, when customer demand required hiring a second installer. “Since then, we’ve added two more to keep up. But it wasn’t easy,” says Lisa. “Training opportunities are hard to come by so we’ve been hiring seasoned pros. I’m trying to hire one more, but it’s a struggle.” Upon learning of the WIA’s new training offerings Lisa’s response was a simple, “Hallelujah!”
As she notes, wallcovering is a challenging trade. “Training is essential. If you’ve got someone hanging up an expensive paper in a small bathroom under a set of stairs with a sloped ceiling, they better know how to line up the pattern. Getting it wrong can be very costly.”
A viable transition for aging tradespeople
Like the Moons, 2019 proved to be a pivotal year for Wayne Toussaint of Wayne A. Toussaint Custom Painting in Charleston, SC, “I trained in installing over 30 years ago but was pretty much 100% painting for most of my career.” In 2014, he picked up a few installation jobs. “Over the next five years, I realized that what I could make hanging paper was better than what I could do painting.” In 2019, Toussaint put down his brush and began focusing exclusively on wallcoverings. “I post my work on Facebook and Instagram and that generates more leads than I can handle,” he says. “I enjoy the variety, plus it’s loads easier on my body. The heaviest thing I haul in a week is a 5-gallon bucket of paste. For older pros looking to make a shift rather than a dramatic change, wallcoverings are a really great option.”
Courtesy of Paper Moon Painting
