Shaw Laminate Flooring: Reviews, Prices, Pros & Cons VS Other Brands 2024
Shaw is one of the largest laminate flooring manufacturers with 24 lines grouped into three collections. Most are produced in a handful of colors, but a few lines have more.
Shaw laminate flooring cost is $2.50 to $3.75 per square foot. The MSRP on Shaw flooring is usually much higher than the prices you can find online and in retail flooring stores.
This summary table allows you to compare Shaw laminate collections at a glance.
Specialty:
Line
Look
Warranty
Cost/sq. ft.
Thickness
Repel
Traditional, Modern
30/None
$3.10 - $3.75
12mm
Mixed Width
Traditional, Rustic, Beach
30/5
$2.50 - $2.95
12mm
Long Board
Traditional, Contemporary
30/5
$2.85 - $3.30
10mm
Standard:
Line
Look
Warranty
Cost/sq. ft.
Thickness
Ellenburg
Traditional
25/None
$2.40 - $2.70
8mm
Dawson Ridge
Traditional
25/None
$2.40 - $2.70
8mm
Piedmont
Contemporary
25/None
$1.95 - $2.25
8mm
Trestle Ridge
Classic
25/None
$2.35 - $2.60
8mm
That’s the current lineup. When you shop for Shaw laminate flooring, the list of products might be slightly different.
Note on pricing: The costs in the table are for the flooring. You might also need underlayment, transition strips and other installation accessories. The cost of these extras is about $1 per square foot. By the way, you can buy Shaw and most laminate brands from flooring stores and online for well below MSRP price.
Installation is extra too, unless you're DIY. Hiring a pro installer costs $1.75-$2.50 per square foot.
Shaw Repel Laminate Flooring
Repel is the most popular Shaw laminate collection. There are 9 lines, each 12mm thick with several colors of flooring. The collection gets its name because it is engineered for enhanced moisture resistance.
Here's a look at some of the best-selling Shaw Repel laminate lines.
Shaw Repel Laminate Flooring
The Shaw Anthem Plus Collection is easily mistaken for hardwood. The appearance is genuine, and the embossed surface looks very much like real wood. There are 12 colors, mostly neutral (Summer Seattle) and cool tones (Boulder Sky). Colors are medium-light (Wyoming Sky) to medium-dark (East Virginia). Woodgrain is very prominent.
Best used: This Shaw laminate flooring is a good fit for homes with traditional, country and rustic style. The 7"x50" planks provide a classic, hearty look to any room in your home.
The Cades Cove in 5 American-made colors is a sophisticated line for modern homes, but it complements traditional and country décor too. Like all the Repel laminate floor lines, it is backed by a 30-year warranty. Colors are neutral (Burleigh Taupe) to cool (Skyline Gray, Evening Walk).
Best used: This is a versatile style, but the best fit is homes in modern-contemporary style. The Shaw Cades Cove looks good in traditional/historic settings too. As noted, it looks best with neutral and cool colors – and might clash with warm wood tones like cherry and red oak.
The Pinnacle Port and Pinnacle Port Plus are both produced in 6 colors. Both show heavy character in the wood images such as knots, stains and heavy grain. A good range of colors in cool (Weathered Hickory), neutral (Golden Hickory) and warm (Baytown Hickory) are available. The Plus line is slightly narrower but an inch longer at 52".
Best used: These lines are ideal for beach houses like Cape Cods, rustic get-aways and your primary residence if your decorating scheme is relaxed and casual. These laminates would look great in a sunroom/Florida room too.
The Shaw Repel Carriage House laminate line has the warmest, darkest colors. The look is very rustic. Composed Gold is a honey-brown hand-sawn image and the lightest of this line. Variety Mocha is dark and handsome.
Best used: Traditional homes with a rustic flare, cabins and mancaves.
Shaw Mixed Width Laminate Flooring
As the name implies, the two Mixed Width lines include planks of different dimensions: 3.5", 5" and 6.375". This gives the floor unique visual appeal.
This line also comes with a 5-year light commercial warranty not offered on Repel laminate flooring. Shaw Repel flooring is made in the US. These lines are produced in China.
Shaw Mixed Width Laminate Flooring
The Mixed Width Manor Ridge line has 4 colors ranging from neutral and cool (Ashlee Gray) to warm medium (Spice Brown) to chocolatey brown (Dark Canyon).
The Castle Ridge line of Mixed Width laminate is available in 5 colors of brown ranging from ruddy brown (Anneal & Forge) to medium brown (Galvanize & Brazen).
Best used: Manor Ridge and Castle Ridge are elegant floors best suited to homes with traditional and classic design. The rich wood look are quite versatile and can be at home in contemporary and rustic settings too.
Shaw Long Board Laminate Flooring
Most Shaw laminate plank floors are 48" to 51" long.
The Shaw Mt. Everest and Matterhorn laminates boast planks nearly 79" long and a robust 8" wide. They're 10mm thick.
Both lines are produced in Germany. They also have a 30-year residential warranty and 5-year light commercial warranty.
Shaw Long Board Laminate Flooring
The Shaw Mt. Everest collection is all hickory. Natural Hickory is pale and a bit rosy. Classic Hickory is gray brown. Other popular colors are slightly ruddy Historic Hickory and deep brown Rich Hickory.
Best used: Mt. Everest has a classic wood floor appearance. It is a good choice for any home from traditional and Old World to contemporary and modern. It's not a best fit in rustic homes and settings.
The Shaw Long Board Matterhorn laminate is produced in 3 Oak colors: Lace Beige Oak is a neutral brown. Mystic Gray Oak is a medium-charcoal tone. Tavern Brown Oak has a milk chocolate hue. The image on Tavern Brown is of well-worn floor, so it is aptly named.
Best used: Beige Oak and Mystic Gray Oak are quite contemporary in style. The Tavern Brown is more traditional, casual and rustic.
Shaw Standard Laminate Flooring
There are a handful of lines that don't fall into the categories above. Here's an overview of the best-sellers.
Ellenburg and Dawson Ridge laminate are affordable 8mm flooring backed by a 25-year warranty. The looks are gorgeous. Most feature warm, classic wood floor images with an embossed surface for authentic feel. Iced Oak stands out as the lightest color in this group.
Piedmont features narrower planks and a smooth surface. The effective is an attractive, contemporary/modern look with rich oak graining. The flooring is backed by residential (25 years) and commercial (5 years) warranties. Surprisingly, this is one of Shaw's most affordable laminate lines.
Trestle Ridge is produced in very dark tones with a handscraped surface. The look is classic and traditional. There are four colors of Hickory ranging from rusty brown to dark brown with nearly black grain lines. It's backed by a 25-year residential warranty.
Special Features of Shaw Laminate Flooring
There are a few features that help separate Shaw laminate from other brands.
OptiGuard: Shaw's patented protective coating is extremely scratch resistant. It is also very glossy and designed to bring out the realism in the image layer of the flooring. Most Shaw laminate that is made in the US (Repel, for example) is coated with OptiGuard.
One-species lines: Shaw makes laminate to replicate many wood species. But it often creates a line with just one wood type. If you know what wood type you want, then shopping becomes easier. For example, the Matterhorn is all Oak colors while the Mt. Everest collection is all Hickory – as are Pinnacle Port (and Plus).
Shaw is right there with Armstrong and Mohawk in offering a huge (100+) selection of laminate styles and colors.
The Long Board and Mixed Width collections are visually appealing. The planks in the Long Board collections are 78". Only the 88" planks of the Shaw New England Long Plank collection and Dream Home Long Length 88" planks are longer.
The Shaw Repel water-resistant line is comparable to AquaGuard, Armstrong Audacity, Mohawk RevWood Plus and Pergo WetProtect. It guarantees against water damage for 24 hours. Only AquaGuard's 30-hour protection is better.
Most Shaw laminate is GreenGuard certified to be low in volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.
Cons:
There are no stone or tile looks in the Shaw collection, but that's not too unusual. Only Armstrong has a large selection of them.
Shaw makes only
two lines with a commercial warranty, and the warranty is just 5 years. Pergo and Armstrong are among the brands with longer commercial warranties – 10 or 15 years.
Ratings:
Range of color/style options: 4
Overall Quality: 4
Ease of installation: 4
Green/Low-VOC: 4
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
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Feel free to leave a comment to share your reviews of Shaw flooring or Shaw installer below.
FAQs
Q: Is it acceptable to use a steam mop or wet mop on Shaw Repel laminate flooring?
A: No. While a spray mop won’t damage your flooring, the company recommends sticking to brooms, dust mops, and vacuums with soft roller heads unless you are spot cleaning.
Q: Can I combine Shaw’s laminate flooring if it was made in separate years?
A: In some cases, but it all depends on the year your flooring was produced. Laminate manufactured before 2007 won’t work with the company’s new locking system, although moldings are still an option to join two different styles of flooring.
Q: Where is Shaw’s laminate flooring produced and manufactured?
A: While we didn’t check on every laminate collection, the majority of Shaw’s flooring is produced in China.
Q: What rooms are best suited for installing laminate flooring from Shaw?
A: You can install Shaw laminate flooring in almost any room of your home. Above, on and below-grade rooms are all viable options, as long as you keep moisture and humidity levels in mind.
Q: Are transition pieces available for Shaw’s laminate flooring lines?
A: Yes. The selection may vary, but most styles have t-molding, quarter round, molding tracks, and overlap stairnose transitions available.
Q: Is a vapor barrier still required when using laminate with a pre-attached backing layer?
A: If you are installing new laminate directly over a wooden subfloor, no additional protection is required. For concrete, you need to use a barrier that’s at least 6mil thick.
Q: How far can I run laminate flooring from Shaw without sing a transition?
A: According to the company, you will need to transition after any run that’s larger than 45’ x 45’ in length and width.
Q: Are Shaw’s products certified against VOCs and other areas that can affect my indoor air quality?
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