Laminate Brand Wars: Shaw Not Rated?
Q: I did not find Shaw mentioned or rated in the brand war article. I am looking at Shaw single strip 5.5″ wide plank. It has a decent warranty and I like that it is manufactured in the USA not far from where I live. I would like to install laminate in the kitchen, dining/living room, and hall way. I am searching for a product with a high moisture resistance level since it will be in the kitchen area. I really prefer the single strip style because it looks more realistic than the multi-strip photos covering a wider plank. Can you comment on the Shaw product line? Do you have other suggestions? By the way, I was seriously considering Balterio Laminate – Tradition Quattro 4-sided V-Groove. Of all the samples I have ordered over the internet, it has the most realistic appearance and texture however, I see in the brand war article/ratings that a number of the Balterio products failed the moisture test. The Balterio Tradition Quattro was not tested, but I wonder if you know anything about it. Your expertise is appreciated. Thank you.
Nanette Garrett
A: Let’s talk about Shaw first. Shaw is one of the two big guys in the flooring industry. Shaw makes products to fit every category of flooring out there, from economical lines to higher quality, Shaw will make it all. That being said, you will want to filter out the middle grade and economy grades of Shaw’s line and focus on the lines. Generally you want to look into Shaw’s lines which are 9mm or thicker. These tend to be the better built lines and can compare to some of the higher rated laminates.
Balterio has a few rather attractive designs, but unfortunately their core performs poorly in moisture resistance testing, which Steve mentions quite a bit. Combine this with your intent to install in your kitchen and the result is some bad news, so steer clear. Shaw’s lines would be a better choice here, but there are also several alternatives to look into.
Quick Step was the first to come out with a click-together line of flooring and they still have the best lock in the industry. Quick Step’s big lines are the Eligna (which was formerly Uni-clic long plank) and Perspective. These two lines have excellent moisture resistance and wear ratings, which is part of why Quick Step is still one of the top dogs in the laminate industry. Pergo is a big name and continues to put out a large selection of laminate. Much like Shaw, Pergo has lines for varying prices ranges, but Pergo’s Select line is what really shines. Pergo Select ranks right up with the best of the best across the board and if you look into the Traditional Strip line you will find more of the single plank look you are after. The final suggestion I have for you would be to look into Westhollow’s South Pacific line. This is Westhollow’s premiere line and features a great 1 strip appearance with several exotic designs. Westhollow also features several other lines with 10mm or thicker cores and has rated excellently in previous testing.
For your particular application, you should should stress moisture resistance in your floor choice. Make sure you also use a good underlayment and look into other protective measures such as putting a thin bead of glue into the locking mechanism while installing to add a bit of moisture sealing.