Laminate Types

Be ready before you shop our showrooms, find your laminate type below.

Laminate flooring is available in a number of different types, based on how the floor is installed.

However, there is only one type of Baker Bros. showroom. It’s the flooring showroom that creates, communicates and celebrates style. If a single word can capture the heart and spirit of Baker Bros., that’s it.

Style is all about fashion and we dedicate ourselves to it every day, every way and everywhere through the Baker Bros. motto: “Where Fashion Meets Flooring”.

And nowhere is this commitment to style greater than in our product portfolio.

Here on our website, and at all seven of our showrooms, you’ll discover an entire spectrum of high quality laminate flooring; the best brands in laminate: Wilsonart, Columbia, Laura Ashley, Bruce and Alloc.

So many styles, so much selection, so many choices that, at Baker Bros. you are assured of…

More products per square foot.

It’s all showcased with your need for variety and personalization in mind. Our showrooms average more than 8,000 square feet. That’s five times larger than the average flooring retailer. All for your viewing pleasure.

And to help you find your type of laminate flooring, we’ve created these pages. Because the number of laminate choices, patterns, colors, textures and price points can intimidate even the most experienced shopper.

Knowing the basic types of laminate installation can provide you with a firm foundation upon which to begin your laminate shopping journey.

Now, other sections in this website let you see numerous laminate styles up front and personal.

This section explains laminate flooring types, and offers you the information you need to make smart choices for you and your home.

So please read on and we promise to be as clear and helpful as possible.

Fake looking laminates are history. If laminates looked fake the last time you checked, it’s time to check again!

Today’s laminates are looking better and better, and often need close examination to be identified.

Laminates have truly come a long way. Why, you may ask?

Because of the growing popularity of laminates, manufacturers are creating an increasing array of traditional, rustic, and exotic wood grain designs.

In fact, presses have improved to the point where the texture imprinted on top of the design looks more real than ever, even with distressed wood or natural stone designs.

Here’s the latest in laminates.

As with sheet vinyl floors, some of the new laminates really have the look of natural materials, particularly the textured products that give the floor dimension.

The most common, basic laminate designs have a wood grain appearance.
Some of the most popular laminates have rustic or historic wood grain patterns.

Quality is a snap with multiple photographs.

The visual quality of the laminate partially has to do with the photography and the number of photographs per style, which is known as "screens".

Here’s an example for you. When laminate flooring manufacturers emulate a natural stone tile, they try to recreate the variation in color, pattern and texture that is a result of cutting a natural product.

The more screens a product has, the more variation it can offer. And the more “authentic” the laminate looks.

Color can make all the difference.

Like any floor, select the laminate color to compliment the size and décor of your room and the activities taking place in it.

Remember that lighter colors will make a smaller room appear larger, while darker colors will absorb the light and create a more intimate setting.

Choose a color that either coordinates or contrasts with your cabinets and other furniture.

Avoid matching everything to the same color and style. Let your creativity guide you! And remember, contrasts can make your room more interesting.

Laminate flooring types – yours will be installed in one of these 4 forms.

Glueless laminate flooring.

No mess, glueless installation makes these floors quick and easy-to-install. Glueless laminate flooring is the largest segment of all laminate flooring installation today.

They come in a variety of ceramic and wood designs and colorations, as well as some manufacturers offer a real, hardwood veneer instead of a printed layer. It looks amazingly hardwood-like.

These floors come in both planks and tiles. A thin, plastic underlayment is needed to seal out moisture from below. (Remember, moisture is the enemy of your flooring.)

In fact, most laminate floors require a plastic underlay sheet (4 mil poly) be installed directly underneath the laminate planks or tiles.

This helps the floor float freely over the subfloor. Another option is to add a vapor barrier or noise reduction underlay before installing the laminate flooring.

Laminate flooring with attached underlay.

These floors come with several different types of tongue and grooved locking systems and an attached underlayment to reduce noise levels.

Glued laminate flooring.

These are the original laminate floors that do require a special formulated glue to be applied to the tongue and grooved areas for each plank.

Once the glue is dried the planks are almost impossible to pull apart. These floors are offered in both planks and tiles.

Pre-glued laminate flooring.

No mess, because the glue is already applied to the tongue and grooves which makes these floors quick and easy-to-install.

A thin, plastic underlayment is needed to seal out moisture and prevent the glue from sticking to the substrate.

Top off your laminate flooring with moldings.

Laminate moldings also affect the overall style and give your room a beautiful finished look.

Moldings are important because they cover the space that is allowed for the flooring to expand and move naturally on top of the subfloor, and they help with the transition to an adjacent floor.

Most manufacturers offer coordinating moldings for all styles and colors for any laminate flooring you choose. Please note that these moldings are designed to coordinate with your floor and not designed to be an exact match.

Also, be aware that moldings for laminates are slightly larger than their wood or ceramic tile counterparts.

Here, to familiarize you with various standard moldings, are some styles and definitions.

The Step Down Stairnose is a coordinating piece providing the proper transition for all the steps in your home.

A Reducer Strip is the transitional piece our installers use to connect the laminate with another type of floor covering such as vinyl, thin ceramic tile, or low-pile carpeting.

An End Molding or Carpet Reducer is used as a transition from laminate floors to different flooring surfaces when the reducer does not allow enough height, such as on high-pile carpet or thick ceramic tile.

T-Molding is commonly used in doorways to join two laminate floors in adjoining rooms. It's also recommended when making transitions from a laminate floor to another floor that is approximately the same height.

Finally, a Quarter Round may be installed wherever the laminate floor meets the wall or baseboard.

We recommend that you work closely with us to become familiar with the moldings and transition pieces.

Ask to see samples if possible, so there are no surprises come installation time.

Those are the basics regarding laminate flooring types.

For more information, see the other laminate sections in our website. Or visit one of the seven conveniently located Baker Bros. showrooms.

There you’ll find more showroom area than the typical flooring store. More knowledge and experience per sales person.

More products per square foot.

Baker Bros offers:

Arizona Flooring

Flooring in Phoenix

Arizona Floors

Arizona Carpet

Phoenix Hardwood Floors

Floor Tile Phoenix | Ceramic Floor Tile Arizona

Phoenix Area Rugs