Laminate – Which Brand is the Best?

Q: What is the best brand and series Wood laminate flooring on the market today?
A: This is a very tough question to answer as the “best” is usually a matter of opinion from person to person. Honestly I feel there is no single best laminate out there, but there are a few who rank amongst the top tier for construction, abrasion resistance, ease of installation and color selection.
Let’s go over a few of the big hitters in the industry when it comes to laminate choices.
Pergo Select is a great AC5 laminate with excellent construction and good color choices. Pergo has been the name in laminate ever since they introduced laminate flooring to the US market. Many times, folks will only know the name Pergo and use it’s name to refer to all laminate floors. Pergo Select also features a lifetime warranty, which is a big testament to Pergo’s confidence in their product.
Quick Step Perspective is another excellent laminate which features great construction, abrasion resistance and the best locking mechanism in the industry – the unilin system (also known as Uniclic) which was originally made by Quick Step. In lab testing, Perspective has been a front runner for abrasion and moisture resistance which make it a great choice. Quick Step Perspective features a 25 year warranty, which may sound a bit weak compared to Pergo Select, but as far as lab tests have shown, they both sit on par with one another for quality and durability.
Westhollow’s South Pacific line is the next big hitter on the list when it comes to well built laminate. The South Pacific line features a great locking mechanism which is easy to install and holds true. Much like our other front runners, South Pacific has performed rather well in third party lab testing for abrasion resistance and moisture resistance. Also, South Pacific is a 12mm product, which is the thickest of the 3 laminate lines giving it a more solid sound when walked over – so it sounds closer to a true hardwood floor. Westhollow South Pacific features a 50 year warranty which much like Pergo’s warranty, shows the confidence Westhollow has in their product.
Those would be the big 3 from my experience for choices of the best in the laminate industry. A small note I will add is that underlayment is key in ensuring your floor is tip top. Make sure when you order your floor that you are not getting a cheap underlayment, as this can hamper your floor looking and feeling like a great floor.