Laminate flooring has always been durable, but it’s been just in the past couple of years that laminate floor makers have really begun to capture the look and feel of real wood, tile and stone. The mid-range and high-end laminate floors are featuring more texture and embossed-in-register tile looks that give them a realism only dreamed about a few years ago.

On the wood-look side, laminate flooring manufacturers are adding more species to the traditional oak looks. Many product lines are seeing the additions of chestnut, maple, walnut, olive, cherry, hickory, along with more exotic species, to broaden their appeal to a wider range of consumers. Some companies are offering large-format tiles and accent tiles to offer more opportunities for customization.

Mechanical locking, or glueless, laminate floors also continue to grow in number, with virtually every major manufacturer offering a glueless product. Companies are also expanding their designs in the glueless lines, which tend to encompass the “good” and “better” categories. At least two companies, Mohawk and Pergo, are also offering a laminate floor that combines click-together joints that also have pre-applied glue to offer more protection against moisture and gapping.

Here are some of the recent introductions from laminate flooring manufacturers:

BHK has added the Natural Textures Collection to its line of glueless laminate flooring, with textured wood grain looks. BHK also has introduced 15.5-inch glueless laminate flooring tiles available in six ceramic patterns and decorative accent tiles in 15 patterns to allow for more customization.

Mannington’s newest laminate offering is the NatureForm Tile Collection, which features slate and stone patterns with embossed-in-register grout lines and authentic textures in the body of the tile. The floor is offered in 15 7/8-inch-wide and 47-inch long planks for faster installation and fewer physical seams. Mannington also offers a glueless product with its M-Lock

Mohawk’s Paramount is the company’s new premium line of laminate flooring. The 12 mm thick floor has a more substantial feel and features new GuardianShield finishes and Mohawk’s DuraLoc Plus glueless locking system. DuraLoc Plus also offers a permanent-fit glue feature. The planks are treated inside the groove with an adhesive that is activated by moisture to provide a permanent bond.

Wilsonart now has a glueless laminate floor in its DuoLink line with Tap-N-Lock technology, a dual locking tongue-and-groove system that ensures a tight fit for the life of the floor. DuoLink is available in 14 woodgrain plank designs, ranging from oaks and cherries to hickory and maple, and is designed to coordinate with existing Wilsonart laminate molding.

Source: Flooring Magazine June 2002