(ARA) - Ready to upgrade your décor? You’re ready for laminate flooring.

That’s right. Always known for its practicality, today’s laminate flooring is becoming a true designer selection. The laminate category has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to its ease of installation and minimal required maintenance. Families and do-it-yourselfers have clamored for the expediency and durability of laminate products.

However, new products entering the market today are touting more sophisticated designs and customizable options, unlike anything seen previously in laminate. Advancements in manufacturing technology have launched a new era -- one in which aesthetics are heightened for superior appeal. With enhanced details, laminate flooring is set to rival wood and tile as a premiere flooring alternative.

“Families used to select laminate for areas with high traffic, reserving wood for rooms less used or more formal,” explains Claes Wennerth, president of Alloc, Inc., a manufacturer of glueless, mechanical locking laminate flooring based in Racine, Wis. “Today’s laminate is so authentic and customizable, it’s finding its place in all rooms -- even worthy of floors once set aside for wood.”

Just what are the new design elements of laminate and how is it comparing to the real thing? In their newly launched Classics line, Alloc offers some excellent examples, representative of the industry’s progress.

The Alloc Classics’ Herringbone is presently the only glue-free laminate flooring offering herringbone patterns. Herringbone was previously available only through expensive custom installations of real wood. Cleverly designed, Alloc’s Classics Herringbone has two plank types with mirror image locking systems for simple installation. The line comes in Honey Oak or Merbau finish, each featuring Wood Structure details and seams highlighted with decorative grooves for authenticity.

Also in the Classics line is the new TimberView collection. TimberView features planks in two widths, with beveled edges. When installed, the beveling creates slight V-grooves as found in real wood flooring products. Homeowners can interplay the two plank sizes for truly custom installations. The product features technology that allows the end joints to be joined together via the angle-angle installation method, without the need of a tapping block.

Third in the Alloc Classics line is Microbevel, with subtly beveled edges for the look of genuine rustic wood. The edges are protected with special UV lacquer technology giving them a superior wear resistance. Microbevel is available in four finishes.

The Alloc Classics line represents the latest in superior laminate technology. All Classics products feature Direct Pressure laminate construction in planks 8 mm thick. This line comes with a 30-year residential warranty for wear, fade and stain resistance, as well as joint integrity.

“Homeowners are the winners in the quest for the best laminate product,” Wennerth says. “We’ve created products that offer a true wood look, yet are more affordable and easier to install and maintain.”

To find an Alloc dealer in your area, or to get more information on available products and installation procedures, call (877) DO-ALLOC or visit www.alloc.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content