Feature: Why flooring manufacturers should future-proof their business with PSAs
Adding peel-and-stick functionality can help your DIY materials appeal to younger consumers. By Luke Johnson, business development manager, building & construction
The future is coming in hot.
A new generation of consumers, Gen Z, is quickly gaining clout. The under-30 crowd has its own ideas of how to do projects and how they should work. This includes DIY flooring projects and the materials they buy to make those projects happen.
Manufacturers of those materials should thus understand Gen Z’s perspectives - and those of their Millennial “elders” - if they want to stay relevant.
These younger consumers are drawn to DIY products with “peel-and-stick” functionality, making them easy to bond to underlying surfaces. Pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) can help manufacturers appeal to that desire.
Survey: Gen Z and Millennials want peel-and-stick DIY products
A 2025 survey by my company, Avery Dennison, revealed that 84% of Americans would use a product with peel-and-stick functionality as an alternative to a traditional bonding solution for a DIY home improvement project. This includes 92% of Gen Z and Millennials.
These younger Americans are an active and enthusiastic home DIY segment with tremendous buying power. They currently make up about one third of consumer spending. Gen Z alone is expected to have $12T in spending power by 2030, according to Nielsen.
PSAs can make a DIY product stand out
So, let’s imagine a typical Gen Z consumer going to a home improvement store to buy LVT flooring for their bathroom. There are plenty of styles to choose from. But the one that stands out to them - and the one they put in their cart - is the one that uses a peel-and-stick backing rather than a wet glue.
Is that your company’s LVT?
The good news is that adding peel-and-stick functionality is very attainable for many products.
Durable and versatile PSAs can be used for many of your products
PSAs are a mature and sophisticated technology used in industries ranging from automotive and transportation, to aerospace, to medical, to electronics, to energy, and many more. We’re also seeing more OEMs in building and construction adopt PSAs for a wide variety of applications. PSAs are versatile, durable, and highly customizable for specific needs.
That also makes them an alternative mounting/bonding solution for many interior décor, floor and wall products.
- Flooring - laminate, vinyl, hardwood
- Tile - flooring, shower, kitchen
- Decorative and accessory items - frames, towel racks, mirrors
- Interior wall surfaces - paneling, ceiling tiles, wallpaper
- Interior trim - chair rails, molding, baseboards
For glue-down flooring materials, peel-and-stick functionality with PSAs means there’s no need for messy glues. There’s very little to clean up other than the peel-off liner. Mistakes are easy to fix: In many cases, a PSA can be removed and reapplied before it fully cures, allowing the position of the material to be adjusted.
Amplify your products’ appeal
In short, PSAs can amplify your flooring materials’ appeal to younger consumers. They address their need for ease, simplicity and versatility. They future proof your business.
I welcome the opportunity to discuss your business and explore ways PSAs can make your products even more appealing to younger consumers. You can contact me through LinkedIn, and learn more about PSA solutions for interior surfaces at www.tapes.averydennison.com/growwithpeelandstick.
Please read our white paper with insights from the survey referenced in this article.