About Us

Southern Flooring is a company with a strong heritage and commitment to quality and innovation in the sports flooring industry.

counihan-wedding photo

As a family owned and operated company, we understand that our name is on the line every time we take on a new project. We take pride in providing our customers the best products and service out there. In our 50 years in business, Southern Flooring has installed millions of square feet of sports flooring, and has earned a reputation as one of the largest, most recognizable sports flooring companies in the country.

It all began when our founder, Jim Counihan, left his family’s farm in County Kerry, Ireland, to search for work in London, England. After spending nearly a year digging natural gas lines in London and another year working on the railroad, Jim was hired by a flooring company called Granwood, and would be promoted to crew leader in only nine months. Two years later, new opportunities lead him to Toronto, Canada. Roughly a year and a half later, he’d saved enough money to sail back to London to marry his bride, Pam, and together they returned to Toronto.

Eventually Jim traveled to the United States on a work visa to train workers in New Orleans on hardwood flooring installation. In 1965, Jim came to Greenville, South Carolina, to invest in a new American Granwood franchise. He was a foreman for Granwood until 1972, and he left owning approximately twenty five percent of the franchise. That same year, he founded Southern Flooring, Inc.

Jim put his experience and knowledge to work in creating twelve patented sports flooring systems. (Patent numbers: 7,096,631, 6,164,031, 6,158,185, 6,115,981, 6,055,785, 5,906,082, 5,647,183, 5,497,590, 5,369,927, 5,016,413, 4,599,842, 4,170,842.) Several of these patents are licensed to some of the largest sports flooring mills in the world. Prominent universities and professional sports teams all over the globe play on Jim’s designs. In 2008, Jim was inducted into the Maple Floor Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame for his innovation and outstanding work in the field of hardwood sports flooring.

After nearly 50 years of hard work and perseverance in the flooring industry, Jim retired in 2006. James, Jim’s only son, has now taken on the role of President and Helen, Jim’s daughter, is Vice President. Together they continue the family tradition and have two additional family members now helping in the day-to-day operations. With a new generation of leadership, the Southern Flooring tradition of excellence and innovation continues.

Flooring Services Provided Throughout the South East and Following Areas

South Carolina | North Carolina | Georgia | Virginia | Tennessee | Kentucky

Client Testimonials

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