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Texture and sheen decide how a laminate floor looks after years of feet, paws and tracked-in sand. They do not decide how long it lasts. That depends on the wear layer underneath, which is tested and rated on its own, so you can choose the finish for looks, feel and upkeep.
Textured laminate is the better pick for most busy homes. The grain pressed into its surface hides fine scratches, dust and scuffs, and when that grain follows the printed wood, which labels call embossed in register, it comes closest to a real wood floor. The trade-offs are grit in the grooves, a rough feel underfoot if the texture is deep, and a higher price. HomeAdvisor's national cost guide puts embossed-in-register planks at $1.90 to $4 a square foot for materials, against $1.70 to $2.60 for smooth.
Smooth laminate suits sleek, modern rooms with lighter traffic. It is the quickest finish to dust-mop and gives the calmest, most even look. Fine scratches, dust and footprints show sooner, though, and scratches show most on a shiny surface.
Sheen is a separate choice. A low-gloss surface hides wear whether it is textured or smooth. High gloss reflects window light like a mirror and turns fine scratches into dull lines across the shine.
Textured, low-gloss laminate wins on hiding wear and looking real, and smooth laminate wins on quick cleaning.
| What matters | Textured, low gloss | Smooth, low gloss | Smooth, high gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Looks like real wood | Closest, if embossed in register | Depends on the print | Least, looks glassy |
| Hides fine scratches | Best | Fair | Worst |
| Glare in bright sun | Least | Some | Most |
| Everyday cleaning | Vacuum grit from grooves | Quickest to dust-mop | Quick, but marks show |
| Feel under bare feet | Grainy; deep ones feel rough | Flat and even | Flat and even |
| Slip resistance | Ask for test data | Ask for test data | Ask for test data |
This page starts with what textured and smooth laminate are, including matte versus glossy. Then it compares the two factor by factor, from scratches and slip resistance to cost and realism. After that come room-by-room picks, decorating styles, vinyl plank and hardwood, how to spot a realistic texture in a store, cleaning with steam mops and vinegar, fixing a scratched floor and common questions.
What is textured laminate flooring?
Textured laminate flooring is laminate whose clear top layer has been pressed with grooves, ridges and pores, so it feels like wood grain, hand-tooled boards or stone instead of a flat photograph. You can get it in nearly every wood look. On better lines it is now standard, and Floor Covering News, the flooring trade paper, lists embossed-in-register texture among the features of today's premium laminate.
Every laminate plank is a stack of layers. The North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA), the manufacturers' trade group, describes a clear wear layer on top and a high-definition image of wood or stone beneath it. Under those sit a core of wood fibers compressed under heat and pressure and a backing layer.
The texture goes on in the same heated press that fuses the layers. A US patent on textured laminate flooring describes a press plate that carries the reverse of the pattern and stamps it into the wear layer under heat and pressure. The grain ends up formed in the hard surface itself, so it cannot peel off, and it cannot be sanded away or changed later.
How deep the pattern goes, and whether it follows the print, decides which of five textures you are looking at. Each has its own name on a label or a sample board.
Embossed texture
Embossed is the maker's word for a pressed-in texture, so embossed and textured laminate are the same thing. When a label says only embossed, it usually means a general wood-grain pattern that runs across the plank without following the printed grain. The textured-laminate patent notes that early textured laminates had shallow dents a quarter of a millimeter deep or less that ignored the printed image.
Plain embossing adds depth and hides light wear, and it keeps the price close to smooth. Look closely, though, and you will see ridges crossing printed knots instead of tracing them.
Embossed-in-register (EIR) texture
Embossed-in-register (EIR) laminate has its texture lined up with the printed grain, so a knot you can see is a knot you can feel and the pores run along the grain lines. The textured-laminate patent describes grooves laid over the printed grain lines and a round dip over each printed knothole. This is the texture most makers now use to sell realism, and it is the one to look for if you want a floor that passes for wood.
Hand-scraped texture
Hand-scraped laminate copies wood shaped by hand with a scraper blade, so the surface rolls in shallow scoops and the edges look worn. Real hand-scraping began as a way to flatten uneven boards before sanding machines existed, according to Brett Miller, vice president of technical standards, training and certification at the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA). Today it is done for character, and the laminate version makes a rustic floor that hides almost any scratch.
It is also the texture most likely to feel rough under bare feet and to hold grit in its dips. How much texture is too much is personal. Writing about real scraped floors, Miller notes that "each craftsman and consumer have a different perception of acceptable textures on the floor," so walk on a sample before you commit.
Wire-brushed texture
Wire-brushed laminate imitates oak whose soft grain has been brushed away with wire bristles, leaving the harder grain slightly raised. On real wood, Miller writes, the effect resembles boards weathered outdoors. It is subtler than hand-scraping and feels like fine ridges along the grain. Mannington describes its Restoration Collection Bespoke design as a wire-brushed, lightly distressed white oak look that is also embossed in register, and the two often come together.
Distressed and rough-sawn texture
Distressed laminate adds the marks of age, such as saw lines, knots, cracks and uneven color, printed and pressed together. Rough-sawn versions copy boards straight from the mill, blade marks and all. These are the most forgiving floors you can buy, because a new scratch simply joins the old ones. The deeper pockets also catch more grit, so they need a vacuum rather than a quick sweep.
Beveled and square edges
The edge of a plank changes how a texture reads almost as much as the surface does. A bevel is a small V-groove where two planks meet. Makers now press it into the plank or wrap the printed design over it, so it looks like the rounded edge of a real board. Floor Covering News reports that Mohawk's GenuEdge technology wraps the design over the edges and that Mannington's Restoration planks moved from a painted bevel to a pressed one.
"It's hard to tell this isn't real wood when you look at this product, which is a combination of the visual and the bevel," Mannington's John Hammel told the paper. Square edges, with no bevel, give a flatter floor with less visible seams and pair naturally with smooth laminate. Beveled edges make each board read as its own plank, which suits textured and rustic floors, though Consumer Reports notes that bevels can trap dirt and grit.
What is smooth laminate flooring?
Smooth laminate flooring has a flat top layer with no pressed grain, so the printed image alone creates the look of wood, stone or tile. You may also see it sold as flat, smooth-finish or non-textured laminate. It reads clean and even, which suits contemporary kitchens and minimalist living rooms, and a dust mop glides across it with nothing to catch.
The trade-off is that nothing hides. With no texture to break up the light, a smooth plank shows what lands on it and what scratches it, and its realism depends entirely on the photograph. A well-printed smooth oak can look good from standing height, but put your hand on it and it feels flat. It does best in rooms with light traffic and a style that wants calm over character.
If you love that calm look but live with kids, pets or beach sand, there is a middle ground. A light oak with a subtle embossed-in-register grain and a low sheen reads almost as smooth from across the room and hides far more of daily life.
Is matte or glossy laminate better?
Matte, or low gloss, is the better choice for most homes, because fine scratches barely show on it and it looks more like finished wood. Gloss is a setting separate from texture. ASTM International, the standards body, defines it as a surface's tendency to reflect light in a mirror direction, and its readings track what your eye sees as shine. A smooth plank can be matte, satin or high gloss, while most textured planks are low gloss.
Makers treat sheen as a realism tool. Mohawk's vice president of product management, David Moore, described his company's approach to Floor Covering News as "really high style and design, texturing and low gloss." High gloss suits a glamorous, modern room with light traffic, but it is the least forgiving surface you can put down.
Sheen changes how scratches look, not whether they happen. NALFA's scratch test warns that a floor's gloss, color and texture all influence how a scratch is judged, and it describes fine micro-scratches as a change in gloss. On a matte floor that change is hard to spot. On a glossy floor it shows as a dull streak.
Dust and footprints are less clear-cut. HomeAdvisor's cost guide says matte finishes can show dirt and footprints more easily, so if that is your worry, compare a matte and a satin sample under your own light before you decide.
Textured vs. smooth laminate, factor by factor
Textured laminate beats smooth on hiding wear, looking like real wood and forgiving a busy household. Smooth laminate beats textured on quick cleaning and a clean, modern look. They tie on what decides lifespan, because texture does not change a floor's wear rating, and neither finish counts as slip resistant without tested data.
Which hides scratches and scuffs better?
You have a dog, two kids and a front door that lets in sand, and you want the floor that hides scratches best. Choose textured, in a low gloss. A pressed grain breaks up the light, so a fine scratch disappears into the pattern instead of standing out on a flat surface. NALFA builds that effect into its scratch test, comparing only floors that match on gloss, texture and color, because all three change how a scratch is seen.
The scratches themselves come from the same places on every floor. NALFA's test simulates the usual culprits, such as sand or dirt under chair legs, pets and shoes. Texture does not stop those scratches, it hides them.
Dents are different. They depend on the plank's core and impact strength, and a dropped pan dents a textured plank and a smooth one alike.
Which shows dust, footprints and glare?
Your living room faces west, and by late afternoon the sun lies across the whole floor. In that light, smooth laminate shows dust, pet hair and footprints sooner than textured, because they sit on a flat surface where low light picks them out, while a textured grain scatters that light. A glossy floor adds glare. Sun from a sliding glass door bounces off it like a mirror, lighting up every smudge between you and the window.
If your main room gets strong, low-angle light, lean toward texture and low gloss, and look at samples in that light before you choose. Mannington's installation guide also asks installers to run planks parallel to the light from the windows where the layout allows.
Does textured laminate last longer than smooth?
No, texture does not make laminate last longer. The wear layer does. The industry standard, ANSI/NALFA LF-01, grinds the surface with sandpaper-covered wheels until the printed design wears through, then rates the plank by how many turns that took, whatever its texture. A floor certified for residential use must survive at least 1,500 cycles, and one certified for heavy commercial use at least 6,000.
What texture changes is how that wear looks along the way. On a textured floor, the grain keeps hiding a worn path for years. On a smooth floor, the lane in front of the sofa shows up sooner as a duller strip.
So if you want the most durable laminate for heavy use, compare wear ratings first, then choose texture to hide what wear there is. Many spec sheets print the AC rating, short for abrasion class, which runs from AC1 for light foot traffic to AC5 for busy commercial spaces, and commercial-grade laminate means a higher class, not a different surface. Our guide to spotting high-quality laminate explains which class suits which rooms.
Is textured laminate less slippery than smooth?
It depends. Texture can help, but it is not a slip rating, and credible sources disagree on how much it helps. Consumer Reports, which grades floors for slip resistance in its lab, advises some texture in bathrooms and other wet areas to prevent slips. The laminate industry's own standard does not require a slip test at all, though, and NALFA lists slip resistance only in an appendix that is not part of certification.
The grain you can see and feel is also not what safety researchers measure. The UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the workplace safety regulator, says wet grip depends on the fine texture of a surface, the difference between paper and sandpaper, measured in millionths of a meter. The HSE also warns that people see a patterned floor as less slippery than a flat one and take less care on it.
What makes a laminate floor slippery is mostly what is on it. Most slips happen on wet or contaminated floors, the HSE says, and even a well-wrung mop leaves a film of water that is slippery on a smooth floor. Mannington warns that wax, polish or soap can leave its laminate slippery and smudged.
To keep either finish safer, dry the floor after damp cleaning, skip shine products and put mats where water lands. Anti-slip sprays and coatings are not the answer, because makers such as Mannington say laminate should not be treated or sealed after installation. If slip resistance matters for someone in your home, ask for the tested rating, the test it came from and whether the floor was tested wet.
The HSE's rule of thumb is blunt. If the maker does not claim a floor is slip resistant when wet, assume it will be slippery when wet.
Which is easier to clean?
Smooth laminate is quicker to clean, and textured laminate is better at hiding that you have not cleaned. A dust mop glides across a flat plank and picks up nearly everything in one pass. On a textured plank, fine grit settles into the grooves, where a mop skims over it and a vacuum lifts it out. Consumer Reports says textured surfaces can trap dirt over time, and NALFA's stain test even allows a brush on textured samples to lift residue out of the grain.
In practice the difference is a few minutes a week. Vacuum a textured floor with a hard-floor head, wipe it with a barely damp microfiber mop along the grain, and dry it.
How does each feel underfoot?
You cross your bedroom barefoot every morning, so the feel of the floor matters as much as the look. Smooth laminate feels flat and even. Textured laminate feels like wood grain, from a faint ridge on embossed-in-register oak to real waves on hand-scraped planks, and deep textures can feel rough. Neither finish is softer or quieter, since NALFA credits the underlayment beneath the planks with reducing walking noise and adding comfort underfoot.
Because feel is personal, test it the way you will live on it. Stand on a sample barefoot and in socks, and run your palm across the grain. Our shop-at-home service brings samples to your house, so you can walk on them in the room they are meant for.
Which one costs more?
Textured laminate usually costs more than smooth, and the deeper the texture, the higher the price. HomeAdvisor's national cost guide, updated in June 2026 and based on surveys of more than 10,000 customers, puts smooth laminate at $1.70 to $2.60 a square foot for materials and hand-scraped at $3 to $6.
Embossed-in-register texture costs only a little more than smooth at the low end of its range, which makes it the best value when realism matters.
| Texture | Materials per sq. ft. |
|---|---|
| Smooth | $1.70 to $2.60 |
| Embossed | $1.80 to $3 |
| Embossed in register | $1.90 to $4 |
| Wire-brushed | $2 to $4 |
| Hand-scraped | $3 to $6 |
Installation costs the same for either finish, because both click together the same way, and HomeAdvisor puts laminate at about $3 to $13 a square foot installed. The same guide prices a tougher wear rating at an extra $1 to $3.50 a square foot, so the rating can move the price as much as the texture does. These are national figures. A local quote depends on the line, the room and the prep the floor needs.
Which looks more like real wood?
Textured laminate does, as long as the texture is embossed in register and the design has enough different planks. Realism comes from three things working together: grain you can feel that matches the grain you see, a low sheen like a finished wood floor, and planks that do not repeat too often. Consumer Reports warns that laminate's repetitive pattern can make it look fake, and the repeat is the detail most shoppers miss.
"The average is about five to six planks and then you'll see the repeat pattern," Kyle McAllister, Shaw Floors' director of hardwood and laminate, told Floor Covering News about a Shaw design with 20 unique planks. Mannington's Restoration Collection, one of the laminate lines we carry, is built around the same idea. Its Everest design has an 18-plank repeat on 60-inch boards, the paper reports, and its Bespoke spec sheet lists 12 unique planks.
A smooth plank can look convincing from across the room, but it gives itself away under your hand and in low sunlight.
Which one is right for your space? Room by room
For most rooms in a busy home, choose textured laminate with a low sheen, and save smooth laminate for rooms where you want a sleek look and traffic is light. The deciding factors are how much grit and traffic the room sees, how bright it is, whether you walk it barefoot and whether it gets wet.
Textured, low-gloss laminate is the safe default for living areas, kitchens, pets and rentals, while smooth or lightly textured laminate fits bedrooms, offices and modern rooms.
| Space | Best finish | Sheen | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living room, hall, entry | EIR or wire-brushed | Low | Hides sand and traffic |
| Kitchen | Textured, water-resistant line | Low | Hides wear; wipe spills fast |
| Bathroom, laundry | Waterproof laminate or vinyl plank | Low | Water is the real risk |
| Bedroom, office | Smooth or light texture | Low or satin | Comfortable barefoot |
| Stairs | Textured, matching stair nosing | Low | Hides scuffs; add a runner |
| Pets and kids | Textured or distressed | Low | Hides claw marks |
| Rentals, vacation homes | Textured | Low | Hides wear between guests |
Living rooms, hallways and entries
Living rooms, hallways and entries are where textured laminate earns its price. Sand from the beach and grit from the driveway act like sandpaper under shoes, and in a hallway every scratch lands in the same path. An embossed-in-register or wire-brushed plank in a low sheen hides that path far longer than a smooth one. Stop as much grit as you can at the door, too, which is why Shaw and Mannington both ask for mats at entrances.
Kitchens
A textured, low-gloss laminate is the better choice for kitchens, because it hides the dropped utensils, chair scrapes and constant traffic of the busiest room in the house. The bigger kitchen question is water, not texture. Choose a line its maker rates as water resistant or waterproof, wipe spills as they happen, and keep a washable mat at the sink, which does more against slips than any texture. Our guide to installing laminate in high-moisture areas covers the seams, underlayment and slab moisture that matter most in a Florida kitchen.
Bathrooms and laundry rooms
In a full bathroom or laundry room, the finish matters less than whether the floor can take water at all. NALFA says laminate is not suitable for bathrooms unless its maker specifies it as waterproof, so start with a waterproof laminate line and then pick the texture. If you would rather not worry about it, luxury vinyl plank comes in the same textures and is built for wet rooms. Consumer Reports advises some texture in wet areas, and a bath mat that keeps drips off the floor matters as much as the finish.
Bedrooms and home offices
Bedrooms are where smooth laminate, or a light embossed-in-register texture, makes the most sense. You cross them barefoot, traffic is light and little grit gets that far, so comfort matters more than camouflage. A deep hand-scraped plank that hides everything in a hallway can feel rough at the bedside.
In a home office, the question is the desk chair. NALFA tests laminate against a rolling castor chair for that reason, and Shaw recommends wide-load bearing bases and rollers under heavy furniture. Use a chair mat or wide casters, and a textured plank will hide the tracks that remain.
Stairs
Your stairs are the one place where a slip does real damage, so choose the finish there with care. Laminate can cover stairs when it is installed with matching stair-nose moldings, the rounded pieces that finish each step's edge, and Mannington, for one, makes step nosing to match its Restoration laminate. A textured plank hides the scuffs every step collects, but do not count on texture for grip. If anyone in the house is unsteady, add a runner or treads and ask for the product's slip data.
Homes with dogs, cats and young kids
If you have dogs, cats or young kids, choose textured laminate in a low sheen. Claws, toy trucks and dragged chairs leave fine scratches on any laminate, and a pressed grain hides them in a way a flat, shiny surface cannot. Keep pets' nails trimmed, which Shaw lists in its own laminate care routine, and put felt pads under chair legs.
Some makers now back pet floors with a scratch warranty. Shaw Floors sells a Pet Perfect laminate with what it calls the Pet Perfect Promise, which Floor Covering News describes as a pledge to replace floors a pet scratches. Read the terms of any warranty before you count on it.
Texture will not stop a dog from sliding, though. The American Kennel Club notes that dogs move more confidently on a surface with some grip and suggests area rugs or runners on slippery floors. "For older dogs, traction and comfort become especially important," Shaw Floors vice president Terri Harrington told the AKC.
Homes with older adults
If you are choosing a floor for an older parent, texture is not the safety feature it is often sold as. People rarely slip on clean, dry floors, according to the HSE, and most slips happen when a floor is wet or contaminated. So the protective steps are about water. Dry the floor after damp mopping, keep mats at the sink and doors, and never use a shine product or an anti-slip coating the maker has not approved.
For a measured answer, ask for the floor's tested slip rating before you buy, and ask whether it was tested wet.
Rentals and vacation homes
For a rental or vacation home in South Florida, choose textured, low-gloss laminate. Tenants and guests track in sand, drag luggage and rarely take their shoes off, and a textured surface hides a season of that far better than a smooth one. Keep a spare carton from the installation, too. Mannington recommends storing leftover panels wrapped and labeled so a damaged plank can be replaced later.
If the house sits closed for part of the year, leave the air conditioning set to control humidity. Shaw asks owners to keep laminate between 35 and 65 percent relative humidity year round, with air conditioning or a dehumidifier in the humid months, and that holds whatever the finish.
Choosing a finish for your style
Match the texture to the room's style the way you would match real wood. Smooth or lightly textured planks suit modern rooms, wire-brushed oak suits coastal rooms, and hand-scraped or distressed planks suit farmhouse rooms. Embossed-in-register oak or walnut suits traditional rooms, and low gloss is the safe sheen in all of them.
Modern rooms
For a modern room that still looks like real wood, choose a light embossed-in-register oak with a subtle wire-brush and a low sheen, in wide, long planks with a small bevel or none. It keeps the calm look of smooth laminate while adding enough texture to hide wear. Wider, longer planks and realistic surface texturing led off a recent Floor Covering News report on laminate trends. Pure smooth laminate works too, especially in a stone or concrete look, if traffic is light.
Coastal rooms
Light, wire-brushed oak in a low sheen is the classic coastal floor, and a practical one near the beach. The brushed grain echoes weathered boards, the pale color hides fine sand, and the texture hides the scratches sand leaves behind. Wide planks give the relaxed, open look most coastal rooms are after.
Farmhouse and traditional rooms
Hand-scraped, distressed and rough-sawn textures belong in farmhouse and rustic rooms, where knots, saw marks and uneven color are the point. For a traditional room, choose embossed-in-register oak, hickory or walnut in a satin or low sheen, which reads like a finished hardwood floor rather than a reclaimed one.
Stone and tile looks
Laminate also comes in stone and tile looks, and here smooth often makes more sense. Polished stone and glazed tile are smooth, so a smooth plank reads truer. Slate and rough stone looks carry a texture, and they hide wear better, just as textured wood looks do.
Mixing textured and smooth in one home
You can use both finishes in one home, with textured planks in the busy rooms and smooth or lightly textured ones in a formal dining room or bedroom. Change finishes at a doorway, where a transition molding usually sits already, so the switch looks planned rather than patched. For patterns, borders and mixed-width layouts, see our article on designing with laminate patterns and textures.
The same textures on vinyl plank and hardwood
The texture names on laminate mean the same thing on vinyl plank and hardwood, and the trade-offs carry over. On vinyl plank the texture is pressed in, just as on laminate. On hardwood it is carved, scraped or brushed into the wood itself, which is why no two boards come out the same.
Textured vs. smooth vinyl plank
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) uses the same finishes and labels, from embossed and embossed in register to smooth, and texture hides wear on vinyl just as it does on laminate. The bigger difference between the two materials is water. Vinyl plank is the usual choice for full bathrooms and laundry rooms, so pick the material for the room first and the texture second.
Wire-brushed and hand-scraped hardwood
Real hardwood gets its texture by removing wood rather than pressing a pattern. The NWFA counts hand-scraped, wire-brushed, distressed and sculpted boards as textured wood floors, meaning any surface that is not traditionally flat. Real texture varies board by board in a way a print cannot fully copy. If you want the real thing, browse the wire-brushed and hand-scraped looks in our hardwood flooring catalog.
How to shop for a laminate texture that looks real
To find a realistic texture, look for embossed in register on the spec sheet, a low gloss level and a high count of unique plank designs. Then judge samples with your own eyes, hands and feet, in your own light. No brand looks real by default, so the spec sheet and the sample decide.
- Read the spec sheet. Look for the surface texture, the gloss level and the number of unique planks. Mannington's sheets, for example, give each its own line.
- Check the texture against the print. Run a fingertip along a printed grain line and across a knot. On embossed-in-register laminate, the ridges follow what you see.
- Look at it in low light. Hold the sample near a window and look along it at a low angle, which shows how texture and sheen will read in a sunny room.
- Lay out several planks. Put five or six side by side to spot a repeat. Consumer Reports and Mohawk both advise mixing planks from several boxes at installation for the same reason.
- Walk on it. Stand on a sample barefoot and in socks.
- Check the wear rating and water resistance separately, since texture changes neither.
These are the words you will see on spec sheets and sample boards, and what each one tells you.
| Label term | What it means | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Embossed | General grain pressed in | Budget floors, rentals |
| Embossed in register, synchronized | Texture follows the printed grain | Realism in any room |
| Hand-scraped | Scooped, worn-looking boards | Rustic rooms, pets |
| Wire-brushed | Soft grain brushed away | Modern and coastal rooms |
| Distressed, rough-sawn | Saw marks, knots, cracks | Farmhouse rooms, heavy wear |
| Low gloss, matte, low lustre | Little mirror-like shine | Most homes |
| High gloss | Strong mirror-like shine | Glam rooms, light traffic |
| Square edge, micro-bevel | No groove or a tiny one | Modern, flatter look |
| Painted or pressed bevel | Grooved, finished plank edges | Realistic plank look |
| Unique planks, repeat | Plank faces before a repeat | Higher looks more real |
Don Bailey Flooring, a family-owned South Florida flooring dealer with four showrooms in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Miramar, carries laminate in both smooth and textured finishes. Its laminate lines come from makers including Mohawk, Mannington, Shaw Floors, Karastan and Bruce. You can browse and filter them in our laminate flooring catalog, or ask us to bring samples home so you can judge texture and sheen under your own lighting.
How to clean textured and smooth laminate
Clean laminate dry first and barely damp second. Vacuum with a hard-floor head rather than a beater bar, wipe with a well-wrung microfiber mop and the maker's cleaner, and dry the floor. Never use wax, polish, soap or abrasive pads, whatever the finish. The finishes differ mostly in the first step, because grit hides in texture.
Cleaning textured laminate
Your textured laminate looks dull and gray in the grooves, and sweeping does not seem to help. Usually that is fine grit a broom rides over, and Shaw warns that grit left on a floor can scratch or dull its finish. Sometimes it is film from a soapy or shine cleaner, which Mannington warns leaves a dull finish.
If your planks have beveled edges, check your care guide before any damp cleaning, because Mohawk strongly recommends dry cleaning only for its bevel-edge RevWood floors. Otherwise, the makers' care guides add up to this routine.
- Vacuum with the hard-floor attachment or a soft brush head, with any beater bar turned off.
- Vacuum along the length of the planks, so the brush runs with the grain and the bevels.
- For a deeper clean, apply the maker's laminate cleaner to a microfiber mop or cloth rather than the floor, wring it well, and wipe along the grain.
- Dry the floor with a clean cloth, which Mannington asks for after any damp cleaning.
- For a stubborn spot in the texture, a soft-bristle brush with the cleaner lifts what a mop misses.
Cleaning smooth laminate
Smooth laminate needs the same care with less effort. A dry microfiber dust mop picks up most of what lands on it, and a barely damp wipe with the maker's cleaner handles the rest. The thing to watch is film, which shows on a flat or glossy surface. Too much of any cleaner leaves streaks, and a soap-based one can leave the whole floor looking dull.
What never to use on laminate
Skip wax, polish, oil soaps, shine restorers, abrasive pads, steel wool and scouring powder on any laminate. The Mohawk, Mannington and Shaw care instructions rule them out between them, and Mannington warns that wax, polish or soap can leave the surface slippery and smudged. Do not try to restore shine or even out a texture with a coating, either. Mannington says its laminate should never be waxed, polished, sanded or lacquered, or treated or sealed after installation.
Can you steam mop or use vinegar on laminate?
It depends on the brand, so check your own floor's care guide first. Mohawk's RevWood instructions rule out steam cleaners, while Mannington approves residential steam mops for its Restoration Collection laminate. Vinegar is not the default in any of the three care guides. Mohawk calls for an approved laminate cleaner and warns that other products might damage the floor, Mannington suggests a clear, non-sudsy ammonia cleaner, and Shaw wants a laminate cleaner and warns against strong ammoniated ones.
When the guide says no, or you cannot find it, use a well-wrung microfiber mop with the maker's cleaner and dry the floor after. Our guide to making laminate floors last longer covers the rest of a long-term care routine.
When your laminate already shows every scratch
You cannot change a laminate floor's texture or sheen after it is installed, but you can hide the wear, repair the worst of it and choose differently next time. For fine scratches and dull traffic lanes on a smooth or glossy floor, cover the paths that take the most wear. Mannington suggests rugs or mats in heavy-traffic areas, and a custom area rug can be made to the size and shape of a hallway or sofa zone.
Add felt pads under furniture, trim pets' nails and put a mat at every exterior door. For a chip or a deep gouge, Mannington's installation guide suggests a color-matched filler, and a badly damaged plank can be replaced. NALFA notes that many laminate systems allow a single plank to be swapped, which is easy when you kept a spare carton. Our flooring services include flooring repairs, and when the whole floor is worn out, the next one can be textured and low gloss.
Questions people ask about textured and smooth laminate
Is textured laminate flooring the same as textured laminate for countertops and cabinets?
No. Textured laminate for countertops, cabinets and wardrobes is a thin decorative sheet glued onto a panel. Laminate flooring is a rigid plank or tile with a fiberboard core and locking edges, as NALFA's standard defines it. Both use a printed layer under a hard resin surface and both can be textured, so the names overlap, but they are different products for different jobs.
Can you refinish, seal or smooth out textured laminate?
No. Laminate cannot be sanded or refinished, and makers rule out coatings. Mannington says never to wax, polish, sand or lacquer its laminate, or to treat or seal it after installation, and NALFA notes that laminate never needs refinishing in the first place. If a texture feels too rough, the fix is a rug in the rooms you walk barefoot, or a different floor, not a clear coat.
Does the texture on laminate wear off over time?
No, not on its own. The texture is pressed into the hard wear layer during manufacturing, so it lasts as long as the wear layer does, and that layer is what the wear rating measures. A laminate floor is worn out when the printed design wears through, not when the texture flattens, and on a textured floor the pattern keeps hiding the wear along the way.
Is textured laminate waterproof?
It depends on the product line, not the texture. Some laminate is made waterproof, such as Mannington's Restoration Collection with its SpillShield Plus technology, and NALFA says laminate belongs in a bathroom only when its maker specifies it as waterproof. Check the spec sheet and warranty for the exact line.
How can I make dull laminate look new again?
Start by removing whatever film is on it. A dull or streaky floor may be wearing residue from soap or a shine product, and Mannington warns that soap-based detergents leave a dull finish. Clean it with the maker's laminate cleaner on a well-wrung microfiber mop, then dry it. Skip the shine restorers sold for laminate, which Mohawk lists among the products never to use.
Fill chips and replace badly damaged planks. Where the printed layer has worn through, nothing brings it back, and the answer is a new floor.
Which laminate texture is most popular right now?
Embossed-in-register wood looks in a low sheen are where the category has moved, usually in wider, longer planks with a realistic bevel. Floor Covering News describes today's premium laminate as combining embossed-in-register visuals, water resistance, attached pads and longer, wider planks. Smooth laminate remains a choice for modern rooms and stone looks rather than the default.
Is textured laminate harder to install?
No. Textured and smooth laminate click together the same way and cost the same to install, and the extra care is in the layout. Installers inspect each plank and blend planks from several cartons so the texture and color do not repeat side by side, which Mohawk's installation instructions call for. Our flooring installation team installs the laminate we sell, so the layout is handled for you.
If you are still torn between textured and smooth, put both where the floor will go and look at them in your own light. Request a free estimate, and we will bring samples of both finishes to your home, measure the room and quote the floor that fits it.
