Top 10 laminate manufacturers
The choice of laminate is just as important as proper installation. After all, how long the floor covering will last depends largely on the quality of the product. And she, in turn, is from the manufacturer. What kind of laminate to choose for laying in a house or apartment? How do you find a really good option? To make it easier for the reader to answer these questions, we have compiled a top 10 rating, which includes the best manufacturers.
Quick-Step
Quick-Step is a Belgian brand currently owned by the US building materials manufacturer Mohawk Industries. He specializes in the production of flooring: parquet, PVC tiles, laminate. It is one of the leading European manufacturers of such products.
Currently, the company's assortment includes more than 200 options for floor coverings, which differ from each other in the material of manufacture, color and ability to resist various adverse influences. In addition, in the manufacturer's catalog you can find 30 types of parquet boards made of solid wood.
Among the company's products are:
- waterproof laminate - suitable for a kitchen or bathroom;
- heat-resistant coatings - suitable for installation on heated floors;
- standard laminate - suitable for laying in rooms with normal humidity and temperature (in the hall, bedroom, nursery).
The choice of colors is simply huge - you can find a variety of shades that mimic the color of the treated wood surface. In the case of a wooden parquet board, it will really be wood, varnished or painted.
Around 140 Quick-Step flooring models are manufactured using the standard technology - polymer-coated chipboard. About 80 more are made entirely from vinyl with special additives. Moreover, they are no different from the traditional laminate, they have exactly the same wood pattern. The vinyl covering is resistant to moisture, and also has a longer service life compared to a similar version of chipboard. So, for a polymer material, it is 25 years, for a laminate made of chipboard - 20 years.
As for a parquet board made by Quick-Step, it will be enough for 50 - 60 years of service. No wonder the company provides a lifetime warranty on it.
Most of the offered laminates are in grades 31 and 32. This allows them to be used for laying out in residential premises.
Tarkett
Tarkett is a large European flooring manufacturer with main production facilities based in France and Sweden. In the company's catalog you can find:
- parquet board;
- linoleum;
- vinyl coverings;
- carpet;
- laminate.
The main advantage of Tarkett products is a very large assortment. Today, the catalogs of the company have 308 different variants of laminate boards, about 100 different models of vinyl coverings and more than 200 varieties of parquet from natural solid wood.
As for the laminate, each product option from the company's catalog has its own unique color (or combines several shades at once), as well as an original texture. Such a wide variety will allow even people with the most discerning taste to choose a coating.
A distinctive feature of Tarkett products is the presence of a special balancing layer at the bottom of the board. It is a thick paper impregnated with a polymer composition. Its main task is to absorb moisture evaporating from the floor, as well as to increase the rigidity of the structure.
Another advantage of Tarkett products is reliable locks. Their geometry is slightly different from that of other manufacturers. This ensures the ability to carry heavy loads and a long service life. In addition, thanks to the special curvature of the Tarkett lock, it is easy to lay.
Most of the models are 31 classes.
IDeal
IDeal is a budget laminate manufacturer from Belgium. In the assortment of the company, you can find coatings that cost only 500 - 600 rubles per square meter. However, this does not mean at all that IDeal specializes in this particular price segment - there are models in its catalog that cost 1,000 - 2,000 rubles. This spread allows people with a wide variety of financial capabilities to choose the right option. Let's say right away: decent models can be found even among inexpensive ones.
One of the main advantages of IDeal products is a special design lock. It is made not only of wood chipboard - it is reinforced with special spacers made of durable plastic. This allows the coating to withstand serious loads, and also significantly extends its service life.
In terms of assortment, IDeal can be called a "strong middling". The company does not offer the buyer several hundred names. However, most people will find exactly what they need among its assortment.
Among the company's products, you can find products of 31 - 32 classes.
Egger
Egger is a wood processing company from Austria that specializes in the production of various types of flooring. Its products are distinguished by decent quality at a low price - less than 500 rubles will have to be paid for 1 square meter.
The main advantages of Egger include the following.
- Strength. The thickness of the board starts from 11 mm. This ensures minimal deflection during loading, protects against breakage, cracks.
- Reliability. Egger products have reliable locks, thanks to which the boards do not come apart even in case of intensive load. The keys themselves are very durable - they are quite difficult to break.
- High quality. Despite the rather low cost, Egger products are of high quality. The protective coating is always evenly applied and free from defects. The chipboard layer is dense, without cavities, chips. The underlay fits snugly against the board.
Egger's assortment includes a variety of finishes ranging from light tones to imitation mahogany or almost black bog oak.
Most of the company's products are 31 classes.
Aberhof
Aberhof is a German flooring manufacturer. He specializes in the production of mid-range products, as well as premium laminates. Currently, coatings of this brand are produced not only in Europe, but also at the parquet plant in Smolensk. Thanks to this, the price for them has become slightly lower than it was before.
Aberhof is considered one of the best on the market. He:
- not scratched;
- able to withstand significant loads;
- provides reliable pairing of locks;
- lasts at least 20 years (expensive models - even longer).
In terms of assortment, Aberhof is also doing well. In the company's catalog you can find more than a hundred different colors and options at a wide variety of prices. This allows you to choose the right one for people with a wide variety of aesthetic tastes and financial capabilities.
In the company's catalog you can find products from class 31 to 33.
Classen
Classen is a German manufacturer of flooring.
The company ensures the quality of its products, which is fully consistent with the cost. The coatings produced under this brand are distinguished by high strength and reliability, they can withstand heavy loads without problems and serve for at least 2 decades.
The Classen range can be called average. Fewer than a hundred different models are currently available on the Russian market. However, for most, this is quite enough to find the right option.
Most of the products are 31 - 32 classes, although some models have an index of 33.
Kronotex
Kronotex is a German laminate manufacturer.
Kronotex products are suitable for rooms such as:
- Hall;
- kitchen;
- bedroom;
- hallway;
- children's.
It is not recommended to lay the covering in the bathroom. Although the manufacturer indicates that several models are moisture resistant, they do not tolerate high humidity very well.
The rest of the Kronotex products do not cause any complaints at all.They are distinguished by excellent characteristics: they are strong, reliable, durable. Unlike most laminates available on the Russian market today, Kronotex products have a 33 or 34 class. These include coatings that can be used not only for domestic purposes, but also for commercial purposes. This means that they are very durable, do not bend and are able to withstand even significant loads.
In the company's catalog you can also find highly specialized products that have special properties, including:
- fire resistance;
- impact resistance;
- moisture resistance;
- wear resistance and scratch resistance.
There are also models in the Kronotex range that have a soft, springy topcoat. It makes walking barefoot on laminate flooring much more enjoyable.
The color variety is also quite wide - the company has 11 product lines, each of which includes several dozen models.
Ritter
Continuing our review of Ritter. Despite the German sound, this is a Russian brand. The main specialization of the company is the production of durable floor coverings (there is no laminate below class 33 in its range). The high thickness also provides strength. In the model range of the manufacturer, there is no laminate board thinner than 12 mm.
Ritter offers the buyer 2 main lines:
- Organic;
- Accent.
The first includes traditional models of laminate boards of 33 - 34 classes of wear resistance, which have a traditional pattern that imitates various types of processed wood. They also have a shape familiar to everyone - a regular rectangle. Organic boards should be laid in traditional or minimalist interiors.
The Accent collection consists of a designer laminate board, the appearance of which is original. This can be expressed in a pattern or pattern applied to the surface of the coating, as well as in an unusual shape. Models from the Accent line are worth taking for those who want to experiment with the design of their home and make it truly unusual.
Ter Hurne
Ter Hurne is another German manufacturer.
A distinctive feature of Ter Hurne products is unusual design solutions. Of course, most of the options offered by the company imitate traditional natural wood parquet flooring. But there is also a more interesting design. An example is imitation:
- plank floor painted in different colors;
- mosaics made from wooden tiles;
- old, vintage parquet;
- a carelessly laid plank floor made of boards of different lengths and thicknesses.
In the Ter Hurne catalog you can find a board without a chamfer. This allows you to achieve the maximum resemblance to real parquet after laying.
All models have a durable, scratch-resistant topcoat. Most of the board has protection class 34. But the thickness is only 8 - 9 mm. This requires special attention to the evenness of the base on which the laying is performed.
Praktik
Praktik is a German laminate board manufacturer. He produces flooring in the budget and mid-price range.
The thickness of the board on most models is 8 mm, and the strength class for most of the coating is 34. This ensures high reliability and long service life. True, as in the case of Ter Hurne, you need to be careful about the evenness of the floor - after all, an 8 mm lamella can bend slightly under the influence of a lot of weight if it is laid on an uneven surface.
In the manufacture of products, the company uses the patented Aquastop technology. Thanks to the use of the coating, the effect of water is not terrible. It also stays well in high humidity conditions, so it is even suitable for laying in the bathroom.
Another advantage of Praktik is Click-to-click locks. They have a special design in which the angle of inclination of the groove and the tooth is almost 45 degrees. This ensures a strong connection of the elements, and also prevents a common problem - the heaving of individual lamellas due to the influence of various unfavorable factors.
In addition to laminate flooring, Praktik produces skirting boards, underlays, sills and other components. Thanks to this, you can easily select additional decorative elements and not worry that their shade will differ from the color of the flooring.
In terms of color variety, everything is also in order. The manufacturer offers more than a hundred different shades for every taste.
