Traditionally, when aesthetic comparisons were made between laminates and the natural materials they emulate, laminates sometimes were criticized for their flat, almost featureless surface finishes. In short, laminates lacked the tactile feel and surface variations characteristic of natural flooring alternatives.
But increasingly, that criticism no longer applies. Today, laminate manufacturers have mastered new technological processes that are yielding wood-, stone- and ceramic-look floor coverings that, to the non-expert eye, are virtually indistinguishable from the real McCoys.