The new generation of laminate floors is so convincing that it can be difficult to tell them from the real thing according to the European Producers of Laminate Flooring (EPLF).
It says that authentic colouring helps create the real-wood grain structures of the new finishes which can range from “lightly figured” to “heavily textured”.
And to get really close to the real timber, fibres and pores are built into the surface of laminate flooring by the use of the latest synchronised printing and pressing technology, registering colours to textures.
Not only are almost all species of wood now replicated in laminate, but board widths have been developed too.
A further new development, said the EPLF, is the introduction of laminate flooring with the appearance of prominent joints.
Authenticity is not just restricted to timber reproductions – the EPLF said stone finishes are now also close to the original giving opportunities for flooring solutions for almost any environment.