In recent years, laminate products have looked more and more like the real thing, whether it’s a replica of a tile or mimicking a wood species. This fall’s product introductions are no different as manufacturers continue to push the realistic envelope when it comes to style and design.

David Small, director of marketing for Pergo, said for the fall selling season the company “is taking realism to a whole new level with the launch of our enhanced Vintage Home line—which was already recognized as one of the most authentic laminate flooring collections on the market.” Like its predecessor, the new Vintage is available only at specialty retailers.

In enhancing the line, he noted, “We made two major improvements without increasing its price.”

Available in new décors—Berkshire Oak, Hudson Oak, Eastwick Oak, Lenox Oak and Nantucket Pine—Small said the revamped Vintage Home showcases Pergo’s latest texturing innovation—a multi-dimensional process that replicates the exact pattern, layering and sensation of hardwood. In addition, Vintage Home continues to feature the mill’s exclusive AccuWood Textures.

The other improvement, he added, is all Vintage Home décors now feature a premium-attached underlayment to give it a more authentic sound when walking. “This enhancement creates a more natural resonance underfoot and makes the product easier to install by eliminating the need to purchase and lay down separate rolls of underlayment underneath the planks.”

David Wilkerson, vice president of marketing for Shaw Industries’ hard surfaces division, said the company will be introducing several new styles throughout the fall season. “For starters, we’ll launch a new collection of 16-inch tile designs with narrow grout joints, registered embossed surface textures and the 5G locking system—an industry first. This is a very important manufacturing advancement as it takes locking system technology to a completely new level.”

Shaw will also have a new beveled edge introduction this fall called The Americana Collection. Wilkerson said it includes a variety of color options and popular species such as teak, pecan, ash, cherry and hickory. “All our beveled edge products now feature Shaw’s Lock ’N Place technology, meaning they can be installed quickly and simply using a ‘lock and fold’ technique. This has been an extremely popular enhancement with all our customers and their installers.”

The company also announced that with so much focus on environmentally friendly products its laminate offerings meet the needs of eco-conscious consumers.

Scott Sandlin, vice president of hard surface business development, said Shaw laminates use 98% less newly harvested wood than conventional engineered products and feature EnviroCore, a high-density-fiber (HDF) core derived from recycled wood fiber. And, 100% of the post-industrial laminate manufacturing waste from its Ringgold facility is used as fuel, mainly for Shaw’s Waste-to-Energy facility.

“Shaw is committed to doing more than simply talking about green. We’re doing the right thing now by offering products that solidify our commitment.”

Mohawk is showing that even at the value end, retailers can still offer realistic looking styles. Carrolton is an 8mm laminate, part of the mill’s Elements Collection, and is a three-strip design offered in eight colors.

Lindsey Ann Waldrep, Mohawk’s brand manager for wood and laminates, said it is designed as an improvement to the company’s popular American Revival product, which it is replacing. “You have to be confident in the potential of a product when you select it to take the place of a heavy hitter, and Carrolton is definitely up to the challenge. We wanted to offer extra value at a comparable price point and also give both dealers and consumers more of the advantages of our association with Unilin.”

Carrolton features the Unilin-designed InstaClic glueless system for fast, easy angled or sliding installation. “Even when the space is tight,” she noted, “InstaClic will ensure a secure locking action.”

When it comes to style, Waldrep pointed out how Mohawk designs its laminate patterns in-house instead of buying them from third-party paper vendors. “This allows more exclusivity and fewer pattern repeats. It also allows us to use superior décor and overlay layers, producing exceptional value.”

And, like Shaw, Mohawk is promoting the various environmental benefits of Carrolton. For example, it is manufactured using 75% pre-consumer reused wood content. In addition, 75% of the product comes from sustainable sources. “Mohawk’s suppliers participate in a forest initiative that has planted more than six million trees as a sustainable forest project,” she added.

Finally, there’s Formica, fresh off its successful introduction of Cordelia, considered to be the biggest product launch the company has ever had ( FCNews, Sept. 3/10). The mill is launching Mirabella for the fall. Tim Tipton, director of marketing and product development, said the line features a different look from what others are offering this fall. Mirabella is a 10mm thick microbeveled product in a narrow single plank with a flat and slightly pitted lacquer finish and comes in eight exotic species.

“Everyone is chasing the rustic and handscraped finish,” Tipton explained. “However, there is still a major part of the market out there that is interested in more of the casual elegance setting, which Mirabella will fit in nicely.”