Armstrong Launches Grand Illusions

Lancaster, PA, March 28, 2007--Armstrong’s newest laminate floor collection Grand Illusions challenges the senses with a high-end, piano-finish wood visual that offers the unparalleled look and feel of rare, exotic woods at a fraction of the cost.

“It is the most compelling and realistic looking laminate on the market, easily confused with its real wood counterpart,” says Milton Goodwin, general manager, Armstrong Laminate and Ceramic Products. “This is a case where ‘seeing is believing.’ No other laminate compares in terms of clarity and realism to actual wood without any of the potential drawbacks of the natural material.”

Grand Illusions offers true luxurious wood looks in four exotic species, including Cherry, Brazilian Jatoba, Melbourne Acacia and Cabrueva. Defined by a stunning high gloss, piano finish, the planks are 5” wide and show only one ‘board’ visual per plank, creating a more realistic overall appearance when installed. This true-to-life hardwood flooring pattern is without the panelization effect typical in most multi-board laminates. The new floors also feature a “Kissed Edge Bevel” which is one half the size of a standard micro-bevel and helps to accentuate each strip, placing emphasis on the natural grain and texture.

In addition to beautiful design, the collection offers several unique features that separate it from other laminate floors. “The 12mm thickness provides improved ‘in-room sound’ meaning that it actually sounds more like a genuine ¾” hardwood floor, and not hollow like other laminates,” says Goodwin. The edges are stained for a ‘through-color’ appearance, but more importantly the stain provides enhanced moisture resistance, just like painting a house does. “It also is the first 5-inch wide laminate that offers simple Lock&Fold installation, making it the easiest laminate to install.” With Lock&Fold, the panels do not have to be tapped together; simply fit the tongue-and-groove panels together, fold them down and lock them into place. It's that easy.

“While the beauty of Armstrong’s new laminate wood visuals is that they look nearly identical to natural wood, coordinated wall base, trim pieces and transitions enhance the floor’s visual effect,” says Product Design Manager Mark Danner. “Consumers can consider using thick, decorative installation accessories to create a sense of age or elegance, or, use simple moldings with straight unadorned lines for a more modern feeling.”

“With the introduction of this collection, Armstrong enhances our assortment with a unique high end exotic wood visual to satisfy even the most discriminating consumer at an affordable price,” adds Goodwin. In addition to its constantly expanding collection of fashions, including exotic woods, Armstrong’s luxurious laminate is distinguished by its glueless, locking installation, high-definition imagery, embossing techniques such as its exclusive MasterWorks Technology for realistic, clear and vibrant looks and the first 5" product with Lock&Fold technology, featuring individual strips engineered to install faster and easier.