In the past decade American consumers have expanded their tastes in wood from the traditional red oak to species that come from all corners of the world. Exotic looks now account for one in every five sales, and because they are generally more expensive than domestic goods, selling these species give retailers greater profit margins.

Not wanting to be left behind, laminate manufacturers have done what they do best—mimic the hottest trends. And thanks to technological advancements in photography and printing, mills are capturing the true essence of the exotic hardwoods in their fashion-forward “faux” floors at a fraction of the cost of the real thing.

This ability to produce a real-looking exotic at a more affordable price point have made them even more desirable in today’s tough economy as people still want a beautiful home even if they cannot afford the real thing.

“We go to great lengths to attend to every detail,” explained Roger Farabee, Quick•Step’s vice president of marketing, “from exact color and woodgrain pattern matching, to species specific surface texturing, to replication of a realistic hardwood sound. Our laminates allow consumers to have a very upscale, realistic, beautiful visual at a fraction of the price of wood.”

David Small, vice president of marketing for Pergo, added some styles that have been most popular are light looks such as bamboo, koa, and Mediterranean Olive, as well as dark, rich looks such as teak, jatoba (Brazilian cherry) and palissander. “Exotics help create a unique mix of adventure and sophistication in the home, and their design possibilities for consumers are endless.”

Other popular exotic wood species being transformed into laminate floors include ironwood, tigerwood, African walnut, Rosewood, merbau, Eucalyptus and Kempas to name a few.

Al Boulogne, manager of Mannington’s laminate business, noted how mills can produce products in wood species that are technically not suited for use as a floor covering. For example, fruitwoods are used in many of today’s popular furniture designs, but many of these species are too soft for flooring.

“Laminate is the perfect medium to carry out the fruitwood trend both from a substrate and cost standpoint.” In addition, the technology used to make laminate floors allows us to translate rare and exotic species to laminate without destroying the natural resource.”

Milton Goodwin, vice president of laminate and ceramic products for Armstrong, said the demand for different species and unique looks are growing dramatically. “We’ve seen more and more consumers stepping out from the traditional hardwood visuals and asking for a broader selection of choices— more exotic species and specialty visuals.”

Luckily for retailers and their salespeople, the laminate category can meet that demand, thus allowing for more sales and profits. “With the innovations in the laminate process, we have the ability to duplicate almost any high-end wood visual at a more affordable price,” Goodwin concluded.