Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Which Laminates look the most like real wood

Which are the best looking and are there any real price savings buy purchasing them versus buying an actual engineered wood?


Thanks

i like the narrow plank boards. I find they give a more realistic look as they have a grove between the boards. I purposely try to cut each new starting piece at a different length than atleast the 4 or 5 boards before it so that you don't get a pattern. It takes a bit more time and there is a small amount more waste, but i think it makes for a nicer job. Also i prefer the laminate as i have dogs that destroy hard wood finish very quickly with their nails etc. I like the look of real wood hands down, but for over all wear and tear and being able to stand up to abuse in my situation laminate was the only real answer.

Understandable about the abuse that the laminate can handle. I am wondering if any manufactures such as Wilsonart, Armstrong, Mannington, Quick-Step, etc make a laminate that when you are looking at it it is pretty hard to tell if it is wood or laminate. I have read that the laminates are getting much better at simulating the look of real wood. I just don't know which brands are achieving this look alike appearance.

Much like it is hard to tell the difference between granite countertops and man made quartz.

So can any tell me what brands of laminate look like real wood? Thanks and have a great day.

I think a lot will have to do with the eye of the beholder. ;) I have Quick-Step and installed it over a year ago. What I did was look online and in stores. Online is a little different b/c it's "online". You don't really SEE the product (in your hands..."live"). With Quick-Step, it came out pretty similar anyway (online-in person). I love the look of it and it looks really good as far as it looking like wood. Everyone that comes over mistakes it for hardwood. Actually...they probably don't know the correct terms I guess. :D

I would definitely advise you to do the same and look around online and in the stores and order samples if you see one online that you really are interested in.

Thanks DIYaddict, we are actully going to go look at stores. My wife and I are both very visual people. I will not buy something if I haven't seen it our been able to hold it and check it out. I am just wondering what brands out the closest to looking like real wood so we can put our time and focus on them. So far I seem to nned to check out:
Quick-Step
Wilsonart
Pergo
Shaw
Mohawk
Mannington
Armstrong

Anybody have comments on which of these are better in terms of their looking more like real wood?

Thanks again this board is so helpful. We really appreciate everyone on here

http://www.tan-essentials.com/house.htm

there are some pics toward the bottom that show the flooring.. no real close ups etc, but a broad view. you should be able to view each image and zoom in on them a bit. If you want a close up i can try to find the digital, its burried somewhere, lol

Another installer was boasting the other day how he was installing some quickstep, and it was very hard to tell it wasn't real wood. He was impressed.

Great and thanks again. We went Friday after work to ROberts Carpet here in the Houston area. Only they close at 6 so we didn't make it. I did look at the pergo line at lowes and to me that just looks like laminate. I really prefer to lay down eng hardwood but with as much as we are going to be laying down it is just too expensive to go that route. Thanks again for the advise/help.