Non quot;woodquot; laminate flooring

Does anyone know of a laminate flooring product that is doesn't have a fake wood or tile pattern on it?

Yes - I posted about this before. Abet Laminati makes a line of flooring that has the natural color of the usual backing of plastic laminate. Turn over any formica or wilsonart sample to see what I mean - its a medium brown color, essentially its the plastic laminate without the printed layer. I'll look for the link.

There was a thread at one point about honest of materials or something like that where we discussed it. Could it be in the archives?

Here it is - came up on a google for Abet Laminati Naturali

http://www.abetlaminati.com/Products.aspx?c=3s=71

quote from the site:

When designer, Michele DeLucchi held his exhibition at the Louvre he asked ABET to create laminate showing the core HPL and no decorative overlays. Thanks to UV inhibiting technology ABET LAMINATI is now able to offer the Naturali series with four finishes in the natural color of laminate. Some color variation is possible since it is a natural product. Finally, a laminate not trying to be something else!

I remember that thread. In fact, it inspired me to look into that product but when I called Abet, they told me that that product is not intended for floors.

Maybe they were confused. I explained that I saw it listed as a flooring product. I asked if I could get a sample anyway. What he sent instead was this huge binder full of hundreds of laminate samples.

I'll give them another try.:zz:

The material shown on that page may indeed not be intended for the floor. I am quite certain that they used to have a floor product that was the same. I used to have a sample but I don't know if it is still around. I'll take a look.

The material shown on that page may indeed not be intended for the floor. I am quite certain that they used to have a floor product that was the same. I used to have a sample but I don't know if it is still around. I'll take a look.

Here, look at this. Its not like the Naturali, but does not have a look that is copying another material:

http://www.abetlaminati.com/Products.aspx?c=6s=81

the natural warm colors are nice:

http://www.abetlaminati.com/ProductDetail.aspx?SKU=1030PARQ

http://www.abetlaminati.com/ProductDetail.aspx?SKU=1038PARQ

I just called Abet Laminati and yes, it is a floor product. However, it's a little too spendy for me at $5.35 s/f.


Sara

Aw nuts. I wish the other manufacturers had their eye for color and texture (and the balls to put the product out).

I just got some samples from Abet. I really wish we had the budget for this flooring product. It's the best flooring I've seen and it looks really durable. I couldn't tell from their color samples online but the Parqcolor line has little fibers in it and the texture is quite nice. It is the same look as the Print fiber laminate product they make, except it's on a floor. I know this because I have this huge binder of laminate samples...

Oh well, back to the drawing board.

You know, I just realized that they sent the wrong thing AGAIN! I just reviewed your link and I realized that they sent the wrong samples. They sent Parqcolor instead of the Naturali. Geez.

Hmmm, I think it's time to give up on this anyway.

Thats probably right Sara - they told me they don't put the Naturali on flooring. They said that this was the closest thing to what I described.

When I spoke to them on the phone they did not recall a laminate flooring in the natural color like Naturali. Sigh. I've been doing this since 1984, and its getting to the point where I can talk to somebody at a company and I can know more about what they used to make than the person from the company does. What happened here is that sometime around 1994 or 95 that we received the first samples of laminate flooring in our office. Wilsonart was not making it yet, Formica was not making it yet. They were from ABET because they are european and are usually a few steps ahead. One of the samples was a medium brown with a plam face that had no color layer. Being that I think about things like materials that look like themselves rather than imitating other materials, I've always remembered that sample even though we probably tossed it about 5 years ago. And now the person who talks to me at ABET has never heard of such a thing...ahh well.

I'm not much of a fan of the 'wood effect' laminates either.

Ikea used to make their Tundra laminate flooring in an 'aluminum' finish and I think a white color as well. Doesn't seem to be listed on their website but may be in stores. They do have real wood birch flooring for $2/s.f. which is pretty darn affordable.