Laminate Report 2026: The retooled laminated category is consolidating around a niche in the residential remodel market – August 2026

By Darius Helm

While laminates of old ended up centered on entry-level price points in residential remodel, along with single-family new construction, a position taken over by SPC in the last decade, today’s beefier, value-added offerings are no longer a commodity item. Driven by the residential remodel market, today’s laminate category is competing against higher-end SPCs, WPC and even hardwood flooring. 

To be fair, commodity-priced laminates, retailing at $0.99 per square foot and below, are still alive and well at the home centers, though their price point spreads are broader these days, with offerings going up to $4 or more per square foot. However, the momentum in the category is with independent flooring retailers, where laminates leverage their incomparable scratch resistance and elevated design clarity and do their best to compete in the “waterproof” arena.

LAMINATE’S FIRST GENERATION

Laminate flooring hit the U.S. market in 1994, and the market was so dominated by the Pergo brand from the inventor of the category, Sweden’s Perstorp, that many folks took to actually calling laminates Pergo, much like people call tissues Kleenex. Pergo laminates were quickly followed by waves of imports from the other big European players—including Kaindl, Unilin, Kronotex, Kronospan and Witex (and within a decade, China emerged as another major exporter to the U.S.). U.S. manufacturers started building their own facilities, as well. 

And the laminate category brought another essential innovation through Välinge and Unilin—locking systems for floating floor installations—that have since expanded their use across a range of hard surface categories. I4F entered the arena in 2013 and quickly became a major player in licensed locking products. Also, some laminate producers created their own click systems.

Laminate hit its peak around 2005 with over $1.3 billion in sales. Then came the housing crisis and the Great Recession, and in 2009, sales briefly fell well below $1 billion. Sales hovered around $1 billion for the next decade, and the advent of rigid core vinyl further eroded its position in the market. Rigid core’s waterproof story hit the laminate category hard. It looked like laminates were in trouble. 

ENTER MOHAWK

Around 2016, people in the industry started talking about the need for laminate producers to step up their game before rigid core vinyl wiped them out. Then in 2017, Mohawk came out with RevWood, making the kind of splash that only mega-companies can undertake. It was the launch of RevWood Plus in 2018 that really changed the game. With its rolled edge as a water barrier and a perimeter seal of the application, RevWood Plus was marketed as a waterproof laminate. 

Other laminate players quickly followed suit. Some touted water resistance; others called their products waterproof. And coupled with laminate’s proven superior scratch resistance, its PVC-free story and crisper visuals, the laminate industry finally had a story to take to the rigid-core-enamored retailers and consumers. The new generation of laminate flooring entered the market.

NEW LAMINATES, NEW MARKETS

It’s not like today’s laminates are hugely different from earlier iterations. The construction is essentially the same, the laminated layers are unchanged. Efforts have been made to improve the cores with more resin and greater densities, but most of the improvements have been with edge treatments to seal where the coreboards are exposed in order to prevent or at least slow water absorption. Also, edge profiles and click systems have been enhanced to form tighter seals to prevent standing water from seeping into the coreboards. And many producers cite improvements in surface texture and design. Also, formats are larger, akin to engineered wood and rigid LVT sizes. 

One long-standing complaint about laminate flooring related to the hollow clack when walking over it. According to Al Boulogne, senior vice president of residential product and marketing at Mannington, “Underlayments, core constructions and installation advancements have ‘fixed’ some of the legacy limitations of the product.” 

Jerry Guo, president of Lions Floor, adds, “Sound performance also depends heavily on proper subfloor preparation, installation and the quality of the attached pad or underlayment—not simply the flooring construction itself.” Nevertheless, some retailers report that there’s still room for improvement on sound reduction.

Inhaus CEO Derek Welbourn contends that laminate locking systems are more robust in installation than those on rigid LVT, and they perform better at holding back water, noting that moisture “getting access to the core is not going to wreck a rigid core product.” 

“Improvements in waterproof construction, core technology and surface design have repositioned laminate as a premium performance option rather than simply an entry-level alternative,” says Guo. 

The scratch performance alone positions laminates to compete in the pet proofing market where rigid LVT has had such success. In fact, Shaw recently introduced its first laminate in the Pet Perfect family with its 12mm Komondor.

One prominent development has been product thickness. Laminates have always come in a range of thicknesses, but the first generation featured a lot of 6mm to 8mm products. These days, 10mm and 12mm dominate in the retail channel—sometimes they’re even thicker. 

This emphasis on heftier products is a reflection of market demand. David Moore, Mohawk’s vice president of product management, notes that it’s the upper end of the market that is most active, with those beefier planks competing with hardwood and thicker WPCs.

Matt Rosato, Engineered Floors’ senior director of hard surface business development, says that the thicker, more substantial products give more perceived value, much like WPCs automatically generate more perceived value than thinner SPCs.

Noting that earlier generations of thin laminates fell out of favor because of quality issues, Welbourn contends that these days you don’t need thick laminates for a high-quality floor, adding that his firm has been selling a lot of 6mm product made of high-density water-resistant coreboards with more resin and wood fiber, and with sound ratings comparable to thicker boards. He also notes that the thinner SPCs on the market may be inadvertently driving gains with thin laminates, since they are thicker by comparison.

Alex Brodkin, Cali Floors’ senior vice president of product and operations and vice president of the North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA), notes that laminate flooring has an edge in design in part because its melamine-infused décor paper layer offers more clarity than vinyl’s film layer. It’s notable that higher-end carpet mills, including The Dixie Group and Stanton, have added laminates to their high-design product portfolios.

Rod Macleod, Shaw’s senior product director, says, “From a retail pricing perspective, 10mm laminate is generally positioned between 5mm and 6.5mm SPC products, while 12mm laminate falls between thicker SPC constructions and entry-level WPC offerings. This positioning enables laminate to effectively bridge key price points within the hard surface category, offering consumers a differentiated balance of performance, design and value.”

Retail price points in the independent flooring retailer channel can start as low as $1.99 per square foot, but they go up to nearly $6. For instance, Atlanta Flooring Design Centers (AFDC) offers laminates from $1.99 to $4.99, with most of the activity coming from the middle price points. AFDC’s Nik Burdett says, “The bulk and value laminate offers over equally priced vinyl is a plus.” He adds, “It’s a great product if we as an industry do not dumb it down.”

America’s Floor Source does only 12mm products and has a narrower but higher range: $5.29 to $5.69, and CEO Michel Vermette says it’s his fastest-growing product category. 

At R.C. Willey, laminates retail from $2.99 to $4.99, with most of the action at $3.99. Eric Mondragon, the hard surface buyer for the Western retailer’s flooring division, notes, “Consumers that are purchasing laminate seem to be staying away from any entry-level products and wanting better goods.”

RETAILER NOTES

By and large, retailers are satisfied with the laminate products they sell. But they do have a couple of issues. One is that they don’t want only attached pad options. They want to sell pad. 

Mondragon puts it best: “Most of the new laminates come with a pad attached. Some are good, and some are nothing more than packing material. It takes profit away from me selling an upgraded underlayment, and I still have to have a moisture barrier on concrete. For those without the attached pad, I can give the customer an option between a basic 2-in-1 foam pad or an upgraded sound solution; both have the moisture barrier.”

However, the bigger issue relates to marketing laminates as waterproof. Retailers acknowledge that it’s a great marketing angle for producers to drive their products into the market. But some feel that it throws retailers under the bus, creating unrealistic expectations for consumers. 

For one thing, the “waterproof” propositions are different for rigid LVT and laminate flooring. In both cases, the warranty covers waterproof installations with perimeter sealing. A rigid LVT won’t be covered if the water slides in at the edge of the application. However, individual LVT tiles are fully waterproof—they won’t expand or absorb water. But laminate cores are vulnerable and will likely swell if the locking installation is less than perfect or if the perimeter isn’t sealed.

Also, consumers don’t know any better. “Waterproof” is a comprehensive concept for most people. They need to be told, for instance, that their laminate floor is not protected against water coming up from below or a flooding event. Too often, retailers find themselves having to adjust expectations, which is the last thing an RSA wants to contend with when trying to close a sale.

The North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) offers a Surface Swell Test to determine water resistance. Essentially, the test involves pouring water over a laminate sample that includes a locking joint, with a circular seal to hold in the standing water. After 24 hours, the sample is removed, and after another 24 hours, it undergoes a swell test. If it passes, it is certified as water resistant. But it’s never certified as waterproof. That’s a designation added somewhere up the line, and it’s not subject to independent rigorous standards. 

BRAND HIGHLIGHTS

The leader in the laminate category is Mohawk, with a nearly 44% marketshare of domestic laminate consumption. The firm produces its laminates in the U.S., accounting for over 60% of domestic laminate production, and it is vertically integrated with coreboard production, as well. Mohawk goes to market direct with its RevWood brand, along with Quick-Step through distribution and Pergo for home center channels. And it also offers a small laminate program for its higher-end Karastan brand. 

RevWood includes RevWood Select, with a ten-year waterproof protection warranty, and RevWood Plus and RevWood Premier—both with lifetime WetProtect waterproof protection and GenuEdge bevels. The warranty against water damage requires perimeter sealing of the application. The premier offering also includes CleanProtect antimicrobial protection. While RevWood’s retail price range goes from about $2.50 to $5.50, the home center offerings start at $1.99.

The biggest market for RevWood is residential remodel, but the firm also serves the single-family market, but not much in multifamily.

The firm also offers Puretech, a hybrid laminate with a modified core and the addition of an aluminum oxide wearlayer and a Uniclic locking system. The product is marketed as a PVC-free alternative to LVT products, and it’s priced comparable to the lower end of RevWood, largely competing against 6mm SPC.

Shaw has made some big changes in its laminate program over the last couple of years, moving away from one major supplier to manufacturing partners in both Europe and Asia, and at the same time, it retooled its offering. Oak Grove, a 10mm product, and 12mm Oak Crest were introduced last year—both featured 71/2”x60” formats. And its new top-of-the-line product is Komondor, a 12mm 9”x72” laminate under the Pet Perfect program that offers an ultra-matte finish and eight on-trend colorways in medium and pale tones. All come with attached pad.

The firm has also recently added some 8mm products and is working on expanding its total laminate offering. The portfolio “is designed to compete favorably with entry- to mid-tier hard surface alternatives,” says Macleod. Shaw’s higher-end Anderson Tuftex brand does not currently offer laminates. He adds that that volumes are comparable in residential remodel and single-family housing. Pet Perfect displays, which go to specialty retail, with prominent signage highlighting its endorsement by the American Kennel Club.

Engineered Floors, which began offering laminates about five years ago, sourcing from partners in both Asia and Europe. Its PureGrain Renew laminate portfolio ranges from 7mm Riverwood with painted bevels to Empower and Restore, both 12mm products that include a 2mm attached pad, in-register embossing and pressed bevels. And coming in the next month or so is Evolve, a 10mm product with an ultra-matte finish, digitally printed design and a shallow pressed bevel—developed in response to retailer demand. Retail price points per square foot for the PureGrain Renew range from $2.49 to $3.99.

Residential remodel is a major market for Engineered’s laminates, as well as single-family new construction. According to Rosato, 9mm products with an attached pad is the sweet spot for single family.

The firm uses Unilin’s Uniclic angle-tap locking system for its laminates to protect joint integrity and ease installation. 

Inhaus Surfaces, the North American division of Germany’s Classen Group, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The firm, which also makes Ceramin hard surface flooring, goes through distribution in the U.S. to the retailer channel, with seven distributors collectively covering every U.S. zipcode, says Welbourn. Classen itself was among the first wave of laminate producers, getting its start in 1994.

While the firm’s laminate flooring is made in its European facilities, it manufactures accessories in the U.S. and Canada—and it’s in the process of adding a new accessories facility in Texas.

Inhaus’ Lamdura is the firm’s branded line, focusing on affordable, high-performance products. While the firm’s focus is on 7mm and 8mm products, including an 8mm herringbone, it goes as thick as 10mm. Its flagship products is an 8mm laminate with an AC5 rating and in-register embossing. 

Welbourn reports that Inhaus is seeing traction with its 6mm Ecolam product, noting, “You don’t need 12mm of laminate for a high-quality floor.” Ecolam’s water-resistant coreboard is made with a high density of resin and wood fiber, yielding an AC4-rated “high-strength walking system” that is elevated with beveled edges, enhanced sound abatement and a Classen’s Duoloc waterproof locking system (angle-tap or angle-angle). Ecolam retails at less than $1.99 per square foot and about $2 with an attached pad. 

Mannington was among the very first U.S. firms to get into the laminate business, starting in 1997 with a line of Witex products, then in 2000 manufacturing at its facility in High Point, North Carolina. A couple of years ago, the firm, which had shifted to sourcing components and assembling the final product, moved to a fully sourced model. 

Boulogne says, “The journey to get the HDF-based product to look and feel like real wood has been decades long, whether we were manufacturing it ourselves or sourcing the product. Finding the right suppliers that can meet the strict requirements Mannington has for our customers (design, quality and performance) is a painstaking process, as well.” He adds that the firm has “found and partnered with people” that share the same core values.

Noting that Mannington also has a wide range of LVT products, Boulogne says, “Our Restoration laminate collection fits into the mid-lower end of that LVT spectrum, including WPC, SPC and gluedown products.” The firm focuses on the residential remodel market.

In terms of innovation, Boulogne points to its TruDetail styling, noting, “Gone are the days of six to eight unique planks in the pattern. We are now double that or more. It’s a huge step forward when it comes to design.”

Stanton, a long-time leader in high-end carpet, has in recent years expanded its portfolio to offer hard surface flooring. It started with rigid core, then added laminates about three years ago. According to Natalie Sheinfeld, director of merchandising and hard surface product design, “Today, we offer a comprehensive portfolio of laminate, engineered hardwood, waterproof flooring, loose lay, and more—positioning Stanton as a trusted partner and a true one-stop flooring solution for our dealers and customers.”

The firm’s Nuvo water-resistant laminate collection currently comprises 36 SKUs and is being expanded to 48 SKUs. Sheinfeld notes, “Our award-winning Nuvo Grand collection represents the next generation of laminate innovation, combining advanced construction with the authentic look and feel of hardwood. Featuring highly detailed decors, realistic wood character, and an authentic matte finish, Nuvo Grand delivers elevated design with the durability and performance today’s customers expect.”

Sheinfeld adds, “Stanton’s 2027 laminate introductions will raise the bar for realism through advanced surface technology and elevated design.”

California-based Cali Floors, which started out as a bamboo producer and has since expanded to cover most hard surface categories, focuses its three-year-old laminate program on the middle to upper end of the market. Its good/better/best program starts with the 10mm 7”x48” Pacifica collection, with colors inspired by the firm’s Barrel hardwood line. In the middle is Santa Cruz, a 91/2”x72” 12mm product that features a crafted bevel and a multi-gloss surface design.

The top of the line is Mavericks, a 14mm 91/2”x86” product that is among the largest planks on the market, featuring pressed bevels and a 2mm attached XPS pad (extruded polystyrene) for enhanced cushioning and sound absorption. 

All of Cali’s laminates are AC4 rated. The XPS pad on its products is fully recyclable and includes 50% recycled content. The products are produced through Asian manufacturing partnerships. Retail prices go from the low $3s to low $5s per square foot, somewhat lower than its WPC price point range. “This is not your grandparents’ laminate,” says Brodkin.

Southwind Floors, which got its start as Cherokee Carpets in 1994, got into the hard surface business around 2015 with resilient flooring, followed by laminates a few years later. According to Drew Hash, Southwind’s president and CEO, “Southwind has offered laminate for many years, but today’s products are dramatically different from earlier generations. As waterproof technology and realistic visuals have advanced, we’ve continued to strengthen our laminate portfolio to meet growing consumer demand.”

Currently, the firm offers two collections—Revive and Resurge—both with AC4 ratings, attached 2mm IXPE backings, Uniclic locking systems and lifetime residential warranties. Resurge is a 10mm 71/2”x48” product with an overall embossed texture and lacquer bevel, and Revive, 12mm and 9”x60”, features pressed bevels and in-register embossing.

Hash reports that most of the firm’s laminate sales come from residential remodel, adding that he has seen growing interest for mainstreet applications.

Tarkett Home offers both hard and soft surface flooring. Its laminates, sourced domestically, are offered in two collections—HydroSolutions and ShoreFlor. HydroSolutions is an AC3 rated 8mm product featuring painted bevels and a T-Lock angle-tap locking system. It comes in six oak and hickory visuals. ShoreFlor is an AC4 rated 12mm product that includes Searenity Waterproof Technology and a 2mm attached pad, also with painted bevels and the T-Lock click system, in six wood styles. Both products feature 71/2”x 502/3” planks.

Noting that its laminates go largely to residential remodel, Katie Szabo, director of product management, hard surfaces, adds, “Laminate continues to be a favorite in the remodel space, especially among budget-conscious consumers, DIYers and families with kids and pets. As rising costs continue to put pressure on budgets, we see homeowners looking for cost-effective flooring options that look great and are durable. Laminate offers on-trend visuals, performance, and affordability—especially when compared to hardwood or higher priced LVT products.”

Lions Floor, founded in 2017 and headquartered in Paramount, California, offers flex LVT, SPC and laminate flooring—it introduced laminates in 2019. “We began with a more concentrated premium offering,” says Guo. “Our program has since become more intentionally tiered, with Comfort Heights serving the premium and upgrade segment and Haven Heights extending the program into the mid-range market.”

The firm first introduced its premium collection, Comfort Heights, an AC4-rated 12mm product without an attached pad, in a 91/4”x60 format with a wide range of wood-look colorations. It features in-register embossing, painted bevels and waxed joints. And it followed with Haven Heights, expanding the program with a more accessible mid-range option. The 10mm product includes a 2mm attached pad. Both collections use the Uniclic locking system.

Guo adds, “Our expanding nationwide distribution and growing retailer presence are also helping us reach more customers, capture a greater share of that demand and generate additional laminate sales.” Most of the firm’s laminates go to the residential remodel market.