Brand Wars II – A Laminate Showdown

By Steve Simonson

Introduction – This article is a collection of my own personal and private views.

*Please be sure to read my FINAL COMMENTS at the end of this article. They are vital to your flooring future.*

Selecting a floor today couldn't be more confusing. Which laminate should you choose? Which brand should you buy? This article describes some of the fundamentals about laminate flooring, including detailed comparisons and product-to-product technical differences. The differences have even been backed by LABORATORY TESTS on more than 70 different laminate products in both abrasion resistance and moisture absorption. For those competitors that like to copy my articles, the bar has been raised. We have invested over 25,000 in laboratory work for this article.

I know that as a floor covering shopper, you must progress through STEVE'S STAGES OF FLOOR SHOPPING and during these stages you may very well lose your mind. (I am only half joking.) The first Brand Wars article created so much email to me and consumer feedback that it was really overdue to freshen up the article. The information contained within this article is of unparalleled depth and breadth.

When I started iFLOOR.com (then called efloorcovering.com) in 1998 -- becoming the first online flooring store -- we had one simple goal: educate the consumer. If we could do that successfully, the business would be rewarded in kind. iFLOOR.com was the first and has become the leading and largest flooring website in the world.

Why even write such an article?

Our parent company Smooth Corporation was recently named the 115th largest Internet Retailer and the 107th Fastest Growing Private Company on the Inc. 500. There have been many other accolades for the work of the fine people within the organization and I therefore dedicate this article to the men and women that make iFLOOR.com and Smooth Corporation one of the best companies in the world!

My decision to tackle the chore of providing information about laminate flooring was partially based on the demands of my customers. More than 500,000 flooring shoppers have read the article PERGO® VS. THE WORLD that I wrote a number of years ago. Its message was not to be oversold by people who didn't understand the true facts about laminate floors. Part of the point of that article was to help people understand where laminate flooring fits into the whole scheme of things and today this still is an important need. People today are still oversold and misled about laminate flooring.

People should buy floors based on realistic performance expectations as well as true sales information. As you establish your expectations for your new flooring, remember: this is a floor and it will be walked on and put under a lot of living. This fact, in itself, leads to changes in appearance from the time when the flooring was brand new. Don't let a warranty talk you out of reality. You know the old saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is." Common sense should not take a back seat to promises made by salespeople or unbelievable warranties. Warranties in general are not worth the paper they are written on. Just ask the people with LIFETIME warranties from the now defunct Pickering Flooring Company. Warranties are only a part of the puzzle, but you shouldn’t base your decision on warranties.

All laminates are really not created equal

One really simple concept to understand is that laminate floors are made differently and those differences lead to a clear line of comparison between laminate flooring makers. However, if you were to take the CEOs of each flooring brand and ask them a simple question like, "Is your flooring truly the BEST laminate flooring?" It is likely that each one would reply in the predictable, yet not mathematically possible, answer of "yes." I'll bet that if we hooked them to a polygraph we might get some real answers. Until then, this is the kind of thinking that will continuously be passed down to sales organizations and sales forces in the retail stores where consumers shop. Any questions on why you get conflicting information?

So we thought it would be a good idea to remove conflicts by getting all the products tested at one independent laboratory. The lab was given samples in the blind, which means they didn’t know who made the products. Each sample was given a number and the results for each number were recorded as the testing progressed.

When I say that laminates are not created equal, let me share some live lab results that demonstrate this concept. One floor we tested had 9800 revolutions on the TABER test. Another floor at a similar price point had only 380 revolutions. Without getting into the details on how the testing is done, let me say that the higher the number the better. 1800 revolutions is the residential minimum. 2500 is the minimum for light commercial. 3000 is the minimum for full commercial flooring. As another data point, one of the floors tested had only a 0.5% swell while another style had a 34% swell – WELL above the maximum standard of 20%.

The unique part of this report is that one lab tested all products with the exact same methods thereby giving a good relative indicator for each product tested. This is a positive thing for you because you get to see all these products tested by only one independent lab.

Brands are like stars in the sky

There are now so many different brands and manufacturers that it has really become a challenge to get to the bottom line. Also, I think that it is important for consumers to realize that one manufacturer makes many different brands. The purpose of this is to be able to market different products through different channels. Pergo, Dupont, BHK and Columbia create contract manufacturing relationships with other factories and then market the products under their brand name. This can lead to confusion. Pergo makes Pergo Select and that is an excellent product. It does not make Pergo Signature which is found in Lowe’s and is a lower quality product when compared to Select. In the end, the manufacturers are just trying to keep retailers happy by reducing the so-called channel conflict between big boxes and traditional retailers.

You can only imagine the amount of headaches the Internet has caused for flooring manufacturers and retailers. A great amount of frustration and energy is spent trying to control what is shown on the Internet. There can be a large disparity between prices that you, as a consumer, are able to buy online compared to offline. Sometimes this is a result of efficiencies, sometimes just low price mentalities and other times shady Internet dudes trying to make a buck. It’s hard for consumers to know who to trust online or offline.

There are more than a few manufacturers with an active strategy trying to keep prices higher than they should be for consumers. For those interested in staying informed about companies that are actively engaged in trying to take your rights away by artificially increasing prices or otherwise reducing distribution, please email me with PRICE FIXING in the subject line and I will add you to my mailing list on the subject.

Natural Hardwood vs. Pergo® Wood

Now I know that someone out there is asking – yes, all this is well and good, but what is the difference between Pergo® and true hardwood floors? I use the brand Pergo® because it is now the generic equivalent of the entire laminate flooring category. Like Kleenex has become the generic name in tissue paper, so too has Pergo® marketed itself to the top of laminate. Unfortunately, people in general, when they say Pergo®, they mean laminate flooring. That is a fact.

So back to the question – what is the difference between laminate and hardwood? As an industry sector, not a lot. However, as material category, hardwood is a natural product and laminate is, well, unnatural. I should say synthetic, but unnatural makes it sound more fun. Hardwood relies on a natural surface combined with some kind of finish to create a visual and wearable surface.

Laminate floors, on the other hand, use a photo or drawing of wood to create the surface aesthetic. It is also designed to be durable by using a tough finish and laminate is most known for its easy-to-install roots. Of course the word easy can be relative. There are some who would still insist that laminate is a tough job. However, in general, laminate is one of the easiest floors to be installed by a non-professional.

Tell us the answer already!

A lot has changed over time. Pergo® has gone from top of the pack to the bottom and is starting to regain some strength with Pergo® Select. Mannington has taken a lot of hits recently and is doing a terrible job of getting the product to the market. Formica and Pickering are out of the flooring business. Witex is in bankruptcy and its on-again-off-again US strategy is too risky to make it a choice for the foreseeable future; therefore you will not find Witex in my list of reviews. Quickstep is a new power player and now owned by the flooring giant Mohawk Industries; the same company that needed some help in laminate thereby making Quickstep a welcome and powerful part of the Mohawk team. Shaw makes a lot of flooring too and their flooring options are starting to show promise. Plus, there are countless Chinese imports, European imports, private labels and other variables to keep you guessing.

One note about imports from China and other countries: Laminate was invented in Europe and today many of today’s major brands are still made in Europe. Some other countries including China, Malaysia, Russia and a few more are now producing laminate -- with mixed results. Just like floors made in North America or Europe, there are some good ones and some bad ones.

I will also mention that certain brands may have been covered which we feel are substandard and not worth the time to cover. Still other brands have such terrible distribution and accessibility that covering them would also be a waste of time since only a select few may be able to buy the product. There are a number of private label products that are not covered today, but may be added in the future as we have more resources for lab testing and detailed analysis.

The official rating system

5 Stars in Each Category.

The best overall score is calculated from the total of all categories. The more stars, the better the score. One (1) star is the lowest and five (5) stars the highest. Highest possible score is fifty (50) stars.

Color and Design

This category is based on the variety and breadth of the color line. Basically, the more colors and styles a brand offers, the higher the score. Having more than just a standard oak will generally lead to a higher score. If a brand has colors and styles that are copies of other brands they will have a lower score.

Warranty

This category is scored on how the brand compares to the industry benchmark, which is a 15-year wear, a 15-year fade, a 15-year stain, and a 15-year moisture warranty. We are not implying that the warranties are what should determine your decision. We are just giving a comparison to other brands. Typically, the lower-end lines have shorter warranties. Do remember that warranties have a lot of fine prints in them. If a brand has simply added warranty coverage to their literature without actually improving their product, we did not score them well.

Ease of Installation

This score is based on how easy a do-it-yourself customer can install the floor. The fewer steps in the installation, the higher the score. A very good floor may be tougher to install, like a square or tile format. Planks are definitely easier. Remember that professional installers are great resources if you need them, but that many floors are within the scope of a good do-it-yourself customer.

Durability

Perhaps the biggest indicator of long-term satisfaction is durability. The flooring wear layer is the biggest factor. Additional important components are the core material density, the balancing layer of laminate on the back and several other more technical details. The lab results for the TABER test (a.k.a. abrasion resistance test) that I received on each product also weigh specifically into this category. Scratch resistance, stain resistance, UV fade resistance, cigarette burn resistance and static coefficient of friction are all factors here as well.

Customer Feedback

This is based on what customers tell us AFTER the floor is installed. The look of the floor, maintenance, warranty, and overall customer expectations are compiled in this category. This is real-life experience that is being scored here. Customers that are providing feedback are a great source of information.

Professional Feedback

This is based on what our professional installers tell us DURING and AFTER the flooring is installed. Our installers want the floors to be consistent and easy to install. This works to their benefit as well as the consumer's because it leads to a better quality installation. Flooring professionals are a great source of continual feedback..

Moisture & Core

The moisture and core rating covers more than just how well the floor holds together. It covers the mechanical locking system, which is now the standard, clearly making it an important factor. Additionally, the moisture absorption rate for each floor also weighs heavily in this category. The lab tests for the core moisture absorption are weighed into this category. THIS IS IMPORTANT. There are some floors that FAIL the residential maximum edge swell test allowance that is an already generous 20%.

Price-to-Value Ratio

The price/value rating is all about getting the most for your money. Sure there are some 79 cent laminate floors out there. But the P/V ratio on those is terrible. Buying a 6mm piece of crap even for your basement or your kid’s room is a waste of time –when you know about a .99 cent laminate floor that is 8.2mm with an awesome wear layer. Knowledge is power!

Uniqueness

We wanted to reward manufacturers for bringing something unique to the industry instead of just copying another's idea. We also factor in how comprehensive the accessories program is with the brand. For instance, having laminate covered matching trims is one key to a good score. Things like a beveled edge or being able to make a handscraped laminate is something that will give you a better score here. Also, some of better features like random lengths, thinner widths or just having some really cool designs will land a good score here.

Brand Reliability

Many brands of laminate floors are becoming recognizable in the market and we rate how reliable a brand is during claims process. This is a key factor because what a warranty says and how a manufacturer handles that warranty can be two different things. One thing that can lower the score a bit is if the brand is new to the market. We have no real way to assess a new company's ability to handle complaints. Just in case you are curious, floors do get complaints. So this, again, is an important category. I will say typically it’s the retailers that make more of a difference in claims than the manufacturer. Some retailers make it part of their mission to act as a consumer advocate in the case of a claim. In general, manufacturers are all about misdirection when it comes to a complaint. More about that in a future article.

Alloc Home Flooring
Color and Design		2
Warranty		1
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		2
Price-to-Value Ratio		2
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		2
Total		21
Alloc used to be a great innovator. Now, they are just another producer of laminate. Nothing special. The home flooring range of products is a middle grade of laminate with nothing distinctive about it. In general, I think that Alloc has a great history and will hopefully rise again to become an important player. They have taken a generally anti-Internet policy which is also not helpful to consumers trying to find the best deals.

Alloc Stone Tile
Color and Design		2
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		2
Durability		1
Customer Feedback		3
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		1
Price-to-Value Ratio		3
Uniqueness		3
Brand Reliability		2
Total		22
The Alloc Stone Tile line is a narrow range of more natural looks that is pretty decent to look at. The nice looks, however, are offset by a near failing grade in the moisture absorption category. Too close for comfort. In general, I think that Alloc has a great history and will hopefully rise again to become an important player. They have taken a generally anti-Internet policy which is also not helpful to consumers trying to find the best deals.

Alloc Original
Color and Design		3
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		4
Durability		4
Customer Feedback		4
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		4
Price-to-Value Ratio		2
Uniqueness		3
Brand Reliability		2
Total		31
Alloc Original is the best offering from Alloc in North America. A solid performance here in durability and moisture resistance. The range, however, is too narrow. If you are looking for Alloc, this is your top choice, but I can say from my past history of covering Alloc that they can do better. There are a lot of smart and dedicated people at Alloc that will hopefully make progress soon! In general, I think that Alloc has a great history and will hopefully rise again to become an important player. They have taken a generally anti-Internet policy which is also not helpful to consumers trying to find the best deals.

Alloc Domestic
Color and Design		2
Warranty		1
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		1
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		4
Price-to-Value Ratio		1
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		2
Total		20
Alloc Domestic failed its minimum residential abrasion resistance in our lab tests. Enough said. In general, I think that Alloc has a great history and will hopefully rise again to become an important player. They have taken a generally anti-Internet policy which is also not helpful to consumers trying to find the best deals.

Armstrong Nature’s Gallery Exotic
Color and Design		3
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		3
Price-to-Value Ratio		2
Uniqueness		3
Brand Reliability		3
Total		27
Armstrong has made a more significant effort over the past few years to become a player in laminate flooring. In general, they have not been that successful, considering their huge brand name. However, Nature's Gallery is a good step forward in terms of design and styling. Although narrow in color choice, the colors themselves are great and the 4-sided bevel is a great accent.

Armstrong Cumberland Collection
Color and Design		2
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		4
Customer Feedback		3
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		3
Price-to-Value Ratio		4
Uniqueness		3
Brand Reliability		3
Total		30
The Cumberland line scored well in durability despite its thinner wear surface. The colors and styles are basic, but this is a reasonable line considering the price and durability. Certainly a fine value in this category from Armstrong laminate!

Armstrong Nature’s Gallery Armalock
Color and Design		3
Warranty		4
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		5
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		3
Price-to-Value Ratio		4
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		3
Total		31
Nature's Gallery with Armalock is a wide selection of styles and colors, which I have to say, does a nice job. The overall scoring was positive and the value again seems reasonable. It kind of feels weird to say that since Armstrong has a history of being more of a brand that pushes the name and the price to the higher levels. Although Armstrong doesn’t make their laminate flooring themselves, they are doing a decent job of keeping control over the process and product quality.

Armstrong Pacific Heights
Color and Design		2
Warranty		4
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		3
Price-to-Value Ratio		2
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		3
Total		26
I am not sure what the point of Pacific Heights is. With only four colors, it certainly doesn't present a wide selection. However, the looks within the line up are fine and the product quality is middle of the road. Not a lot to say about this one.

Armstrong Origins
Color and Design		3
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		5
Customer Feedback		3
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		3
Price-to-Value Ratio		3
Uniqueness		3
Brand Reliability		3
Total		31
Armstrong Origins is a solid player with EXTREMELY positive durability scores. The slightly older visual stylings are the only tiny drawback of what is an overall nice range of products. Armstrong did a nice job with the quality here, but the patterns need some help!

BHK Click Glueless
Color and Design		1
Warranty		1
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		3
Price-to-Value Ratio		3
Uniqueness		1
Brand Reliability		1
Total		20
BHK had a nice spot in the laminate flooring market about 4-5 years ago. Today, they are a background player. This style of flooring is OLD! Not bad, just dated. The value is okay for this range of laminate flooring, but there is nothing remarkable about it. BHK floors are also made by a manufacturer in Europe.

BHK Moderna Ceramico
Color and Design		3
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		2
Durability		2
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		4
Price-to-Value Ratio		2
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		1
Total		23
The BHK Moderna Ceramico line up is narrow, but has several nice colors. This is a middle tier meat-and-potatoes selection for the Midwest, so I am not sure why they give it a fancy Italian-sounding name. I bet it would sell better if it was called BHK Mainstreet Ceramics.

BHK Moderna Lifestyle
Color and Design		2
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		2
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		3
Professional Feedback		3
Moisture & Core		3
Price-to-Value Ratio		2
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		1
Total		24
The Moderna Lifestyle line is not too bad. A bit overpriced for a 7mm - but it gets a REALLY high mark for its most popular color Black Ash. This is a really nice design and certainly the best of what BHK has to offer. I definitely give them high marks for this series of colors which shows that the design team is focused on getting some of the more popular trends into the BHK family.

BHK Moderna SoundGuard
Color and Design		1
Warranty		4
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		3
Professional Feedback		3
Moisture & Core		1
Price-to-Value Ratio		2
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		1
Total		23
The Moderna SoundGuard adds an attached underlayment which bumps up the price, but for some reason this product just barely passes the moisture absorption test. I am not sure why BHK would switch cores which did fine in other testing, but this is enough for me to avoid this product. Lifetime warranty doesn’t mean much to me.

BHK It’s a Snap
Color and Design		4
Warranty		4
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		2
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		1
Moisture & Core		1
Price-to-Value Ratio		2
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		1
Total		22
The It's a Snap series from BHK Laminate is nice to look at, but the product itself is not as tough as we think it could be. I really like the wide color range which shows promise, but this is still a lower tier performer compared to some of the other products out there. The BHK head honcho should add a tougher wear layer to this and really go to market heavy. This could be a great floor in the future.

BHK Tile
Color and Design		2
Warranty		4
Ease of Installation		2
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		3
Professional Feedback		3
Moisture & Core		3
Price-to-Value Ratio		2
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		1
Total		25
BHK Tile doesn't make the top tier of any list at this point. A lifetime warranty doesn't really make me feel any better either. The colors are not even that great. This one is a pass.

BHK Moderna Vision
Color and Design		1
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		3
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		3
Price-to-Value Ratio		1
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		1
Total		22
The BHK Moderna Vision is a limited selection of wider plank-styled wood grains. The floors look fine and I think they carve out a nice middle section of the line up. A bit overpriced in my opinion as well. Nothing super notable.

Balterio Vitality
Color and Design		1
Warranty		2
Ease of Installation		2
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		0
Price-to-Value Ratio		2
Uniqueness		1
Brand Reliability		1
Total		16
Vitality could have been great considering its price point. It wears okay, but it failed the moisture absorption test. For some reason, the Balterio products in general have a problem with this since 3 of 5 failed the test with 1 of the remaining two coming within an inch of a failing grade.

Balterio Ambassador
Color and Design		3
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		0
Price-to-Value Ratio		3
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		1
Total		22
Balterio Ambassador also failed the moisture test. This is an indication of a weak core board and not something that I would suggest people put in their homes. The colors are okay and the wear is okay too -- but man, the moisture! The guys in Balta, Europe are REALLY smart and have made a very successful company there. I am not certain why their cores tested so poorly, but it is enough to scare me away.

Balterio Ambassador Touch
Color and Design		3
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		0
Price-to-Value Ratio		3
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		1
Total		22
Balterio Ambassador Touch failed the moisture test. It didn't just fail, it failed with flamboyance. It almost appeared to be taunting the test. Steer clear. Same as the Ambassador line in terms of wear and potential. Yikes.

Balterio Reflexion
Color and Design		3
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		3
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		2
Price-to-Value Ratio		3
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		1
Total		24
Balterio Reflexion is the notable exception to the moisture problems found with other Balterio styles. This comes in with a solid middle level score in this area and decent wear ratings. Although offering a narrow color line up, this is a solid little range of choices. My top pick in Balterio’s selections.

Balterio Authentic Style
Color and Design		3
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		2
Customer Feedback		2
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		1
Price-to-Value Ratio		3
Uniqueness		2
Brand Reliability		1
Total		22
Balterio Authentic Style has 4 colors that are very appealing. Mid-grade. Weak on moisture as usual. If it wasn’t for the moisture, this floor would have scored a lot better. I am hopeful when we test again next year we will yield better results.

Columbia Classic Clic
Color and Design		3
Warranty		3
Ease of Installation		3
Durability		5
Customer Feedback		3
Professional Feedback		2
Moisture & Core		3
Price-to-Value Ratio		2
Uniqueness		3
Brand Reliability		1
Total		28
Columbia Classic Clic really is a classic. It has a broad color range and toughness to go along with it. I would certainly say this is my top pick in the Columbia family. Columbia flooring as a company has faded into the back of the pack over the past few years, but the classics never die. Columbia doesn’t make their own flooring anymore either; but like many other brands actual manufacturing is not a pre-requisite to making quality flooring.

Columbia Clic
Color and Design