Though wood-look products have taken the market by storm with their strikingly realistic visuals—and, until recently, lower price points—consumers still value the authenticity and character of the real thing. With advances in design, finishing techniques and moisture resistance, experts say hardwood is, and will continue to be, the aspirational flooring option for U.S. consumers.
“Plain and simple, people want real wood,” said Lee Safrit, hardwood business leader, Anderson Tuftex. “You have all of these different industries wanting to look like real hardwood, but they all want to look like it. And there’s ways to get there, but people want real wood.”