Feature: PSAs, puppies and a-ha moments: The International Surface Event 2026

A chance to increase our engagement with the floor covering, stone and tile industry

Avery Dennison Performance Tapes is working to grow its presence in interior surfaces. That made walking the floor of tise an obvious to-do for 2026. We put it on our list of industry events and conferences, and sent Luke Johnson, business development manager, and Abbi Holloway, application engineer, to attend the show. Among their goals were to immerse in the nuances of flooring, and research opportunities for pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes as an alternative to traditional bonding methods.

We did not have a booth at the event, but the Avery Dennison corporation's recent acquisition, Taylor Adhesives, did. Taylor has focused on this industry since the late 1970s, and is a highly-respected adhesives and coatings provider. An additional goal, therefore, was to leverage this new relationship to gain more knowledge about interior home and building applications and where PSA tapes can be beneficial to OEMs in the space.

Five key takeaways: A-ha moments, opportunities for tapes, and more

A few days after returning to the office, Luke and Abbi gave us their impressions of the show, including some key takeaways.

1. Not your typical trade show vibe

One of the first things Luke and Abbi noted was the show had a more upscale look and feel than what you might expect from the typical, large, industry event. This owes to the show’s focus on finished design (as opposed to, say, rough-in construction).

“What a fun show to walk,” Luke says. “It showcased what often makes home and commercial spaces so stunning: the walls and floors. I was there to focus on the business, of course. But as a homeowner, it was easy to feel a little ‘new floor envy.’ Most of the booths were built to impress. The AHF Brands and Mohawk flooring booths stretched out as large as a fully functioning store. Countertops, tiles and new LVT were all very distracting while walking the aisles.”

2. A need to educate on the basics of industrial, high-performance PSA tapes?

The Avery Dennison team noted a potential opportunity to educate the industry on tape basics. Abbi noted, for example, many of the show’s attendees were surprised to learn about some of the features of tapes we take for granted.

“We talked to a lot of people who mistakenly believe that tape is limited to narrow widths, like one or two inches,” Abbi says. “The idea of wide web (and the capabilities it offers) was a revelation, with many immediately visualizing possible applications in these products.”

3. The “full system” concept has legs

Another revelation for many of the attendees was the idea of a full system that integrates the OEM product with the PSA tape bonding solution. So rather than the customer buying, say, a supply of wall panels separate from the PSA tape needed for installation, the tape would be integrated into the product by the OEM (or a converter) as a peel-and-stick feature.

“We had some more ‘a-ha moments,’” Abbi says, “as some of the people we talked to came to understand they can add value to their product by providing a comprehensive, peel-and-stick solution.”

4. Engineered wood has come a long way

Engineered wood has a reputation as a cheaper-quality option. But it’s come a long way in terms of quality and features while maintaining its lower price point. In particular, modern products have better protection against humidity and moisture.

“But recommending engineered wood for use in high-humidity or water-traffic areas will require a more water-resistant tape,” says Luke. “That’s perfect for our High Performance Acrylic (HPA™) 8320, which can be used in conditions up to 99% relative humidity and 18 pounds moisture vapor emission rate.”

5. Pet-friendly flooring

Americans’ spending on their pets has increased 90% since 2013, according to MarketWatch, with the segment now worth $150 billion. So it’s not too surprising one of the hottest trends on display at tise was “pet-friendly” flooring. An example: Shaw’s Pet Perfect® carpet, which resists pet stains and other forms of damage from four-legged family members.

Shaw’s booth included a “Puppy Zone” where attendees could see the carpet put through its paces by some real-life canines. And, yes, the Zone was a hit, including for our own attendees.

Luke and Abbi noted the possible opportunity for tapes featuring Avery Dennison HPA adhesive. Its superior chemical resistance would make it an excellent PSA-based bonding solution for these flooring products.

6. Opportunities beyond flooring

Although they were focused on flooring, Luke and Abbi identified additional interior surface opportunities for PSA tapes in other product areas, including wall panels for “elevated” surfaces in high-end commercial spaces such as hotel lobbies.

They also spent some time in the Taylor Adhesives booth. There, they met many of Taylor’s customers to learn about their business needs and present the benefits of PSAs.

“Taylor has an excellent reputation for quality and customer service,” says Luke. “And I talked to many customers who were very intrigued by the Avery Dennison acquisition, because they’ve heard similar things about us. Being with Taylor only boosts our credibility with this industry.”

We are up to the challenge

Expanding PSA tapes’ presence in a mature industry with set ways of doing things is a challenge. The good news is tise attendees were intrigued by tapes’ powerful value proposition. We also know consumers are very interested in peel-and-stick solutions that make home improvement tasks faster, easier and more foolproof. Check out our recent whitepaper, “The growing opportunity for peel-and-stick interior décor, floor and wall products” to learn more.

So make no mistake: We are up to the challenge. And we welcome the opportunity to discuss how PSA tapes can enable peel-and-stick functionality for flooring and other interior surface products. Learn more about our capabilities at tapes.averydennison.com/buildingandconstruction.