Tarkett Laminate Flooring Review: Is It Any Good?

Tarkett might not be the first name you think of for laminate flooring in the U.S., but their unique collection at Menards is worth a look. They offer a variety of styles, all mimicking natural wood, and their laminate is easy to install with a click-together system. Let’s dive into this Tarkett laminate flooring review and see what makes their flooring stand out, exploring their prices, styles, and pros and cons.

Tarkett Laminate Flooring Brand?

While Tarkett might not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of laminate flooring in the U.S., they’ve got a rich history and a variety of flooring options. The original company is rooted in France, and they’ve started to make headway in the U.S. market.

As for what Tarkett offers, they make many different types of flooring, divided into two main categories: carpets and hardwood floor alternatives. The latter can be broken down into sheet vinyl, LVT, and today’s main feature, Tarkett laminate flooring.

Tarkett Laminate Flooring Is a Menards Exclusive

Tarkett laminate is only sold at Menards, which puts it in the same league as Select Surfaces laminate flooring and Costco laminate flooring.

If you’re unfamiliar with Menards, it’s a big-box home improvement chain like Home Depot or Lowes—but it’s only found in the Midwest.

There Are 7 Collections of Tarkett Laminate Flooring

Overall, there are seven collections of Tarkett laminate, but only six are featured on their website. Each collection offers a handful of looks, all of which mimic various types of wood flooring along with different wear layers. 

Each of the following uses a click-together flooring system—in other words, they’re all floating floors; no glue-down products here.

Tarkett AquaFlor Plus (Water-Resistant)

Price: $2.00–$3.30/square foot

Tarkett AquaFloor Plus comes in two different wood-look patterns. It features a lifetime residential warranty and a 10-year light commercial warranty. Each plank is 12mm thick, water-resistant, and features an excellent AC4 rating.

All laminate is given an AC rating out of 5, which measures how resistant the floor’s surface is to damage. AC5-rated products are fit for heavy commercial applications, while AC1-rated products are, well, basically cardboard.

Tarkett AquaFlor Premier (Water-Resistant)

Price: $2.00–$3.30/square foot

The AquaFlor Premier line offers the exact same specifications as the AquaFlor Plus collection, except it also comes equipped with an underlayment that “reduces sound and installation time.”

 It also comes in two different styles.

Tarkett Bravado & Invitation

Price: $1.00–$1.80/square foot

The Bravado and Invitation collections are essentially the same floors but in slightly different color palettes. Like the previous collections, Bravado and Invitation only come in a handful of different styles.

Each floor is 8mm thick and has an AC3 rating (standard residential durability). The collection has no commercial warranty, but the limited residential warranty lasts 25 years. Neither of these collections is water-resistant.

Both collections are FloorScore and Ortho-Phthalate free certified.

Tarkett Grovewood

Price: $1.80–$2.00/square foot

Tarkett’s Grovewood collection upgrades the Bravado and Invitation collections in 3 ways: it has a pre-attached underlayment, 9.2mm-thick planks (also with an AC3 rating), and a 30-year residential warranty.

Like the previous collections, Grovewood only comes in two styles, and it’s not water-resistant.

Tarkett Malibu

Price: $1.80–$2.00/square foot

Tarkett laminate flooring collection Malibu is the only one to use an embossed-in-register (EIR) technique, which Tarkett calls “realistic grain and matching embossing” for enhanced realism.

Despite the more authentic look, the Malibu collection isn’t water-resistant and its planks are only 9mm thick with an AC3 rating.

Tarkett High Tide (Waterproof)

Price: $1.80–$2.39/square foot

The most recent addition to Tarkett’s laminate flooring collection, High Tide, comes in three different styles and is promoted as waterproof. Its planks are only 8mm thick and have an AC3 rating. High Tide has a 30-year residential warranty.

Pros of Tarkett Laminate Flooring

To get a complete idea of Tarkett and their products, let’s talk about their laminate flooring’s advantages.

Tarkett Laminate Flooring Is Easy to Maintain

Like most laminates, Tarkett’s laminate is pretty easy to clean and maintain. Regular sweeping or vacuuming should get the job done.

You can also mop the AquaFlor collections—just make sure that the floors can dry shortly after. As for the non-water-resistant collections, we only recommend using a laminate-specific cleaner (because Tarkett laminate reviews agree that these floors don’t like water).

Tarkett Laminate Is Affordable

Tarkett laminate flooring is exceptionally affordable compared to other types of laminate. The most expensive option only costs about $3 per square foot.

Here’s a price breakdown:

• 8mm thick: $1–$1.70
• 9mm thick: $1.80–$2
• 10–12mm thick: $2 to $3.30

All that said, keep in mind that we’re only talking about how much it costs to buy Tarkett laminate flooring. You’ll still have to factor in the cost of installing laminate flooring, which generally runs between $2 and $7 per square foot.

All Tarkett Laminate Flooring Is FloorScore-Certified as Low-VOC

One of Tarkett’s core values is sustainability. While we won’t go as far as saying that Tarkett laminate is eco-friendly flooring (it uses plastics and binders in its makeup), each floor is FloorScore-certified as low-VOC flooring.

What does this mean, exactly?

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are harmful chemicals that are found in many man-made products. To qualify as low-VOC flooring, a brand has to subject its products to third-party testing, hence Tarkett’s FloorScore certification.

Tarkett Laminate Flooring Reviews Say the Wood Texture Feels Authentic

Aside from the High Tide and Malibu collections, Tarkett’s faux textures aren’t as nice as those offered by the best laminate flooring brands. But they’re still pretty good, and Tarkett laminate flooring reviews tend to mention this. 

Premium Tarkett Laminate Has an AC4 Rating (It’s Scratch Resistant)

The AquaFlor collections of Tarkett laminate flooring are the best the brand has to offer. An AC4 rating is officially considered exceptionally scratch-resistant flooring.

Most Tarkett Flooring Only Has an AC3 Rating (Which Still Isn’t Bad)

Outside of the AquaFlor collections, all other Tarkett laminate flooring collections have an AC3 rating. While this is an obvious downgrade from their AC4 floors, these floors are still rated for heavy residential traffic.

If you’re looking for the most durable flooring options, you’re better off looking elsewhere, but Tarkett laminate flooring should be fine for the average household.

Cons of Tarkett Laminate Flooring

Before we start talking about the cons, let’s start by saying that Tarkett laminate flooring is meant to be a budget option, so they’re not necessarily trying to compete with premium floors. Nevertheless, here are Tarkett laminate flooring’s drawbacks.

There Aren’t Many Style Options

Despite offering seven collections, there are only about a dozen different styles in total, all of which imitate popular wood floor colors and patterns.

We would say this is a result of the company being more of a budget brand, but many other brands of the same caliber offer way more styles.

Only a couple of Styles Are Approved for Commercial Installations

Outside of the AquaFlor collections, Tarkett doesn’t make any other laminate products that are approved for commercial settings.

Tarkett Laminate Flooring Reviews Say the Floor Needs To Be Acclimated for at Least 48 Hours

Acclimation periods help a floor adapt to its intended environment to prevent warping after it’s installed. The top laminate flooring brands usually need 24 hours or less (if any time at all) to acclimate, but Tarkett laminate needs at least 48 hours.

This isn’t a red flag, exactly, but it is unusual—even for budget flooring.

Tarkett Laminate Flooring FAQs

Before we wrap up this review, here are some answers to Tarkett laminate flooring FAQs.

How Do You Install Tarkett Laminate Flooring?

Tarkett only makes floating laminate floors, which means they use a click-lock system and use gravity and friction (as opposed to glue, nails, or staples) for security. 

The process is pretty simple and a favorite among DIY-ers.

Can You Install Tarkett Laminate Flooring Anywhere in Your Home?

We don’t recommend this. Low-traffic areas like bedroom flooring are acceptable, but we strongly advise against installing Tarkett laminate in the kitchen, as mudroom flooring, or even laundry room flooring because the moisture risk is too high.

Tarkett laminate simply isn’t up to the heavy-duty nature of these rooms. 

Does Tarkett Laminate Flooring Look and Feel Like Hardwood?

If you want laminate that looks and feels just like the best hardwood floors, then the answer is no. Tarkett laminate flooring does a good job imitating real wood, but other brands like Newton offer textures that are arguably more convincing.

Is Tarkett Laminate Sold at Lowes?

No. Tarkett laminate flooring is Menards exclusive.

Does Tarkett Laminate Flooring Need an Underlayment?

Yes, underlayment protects floors from moisture damage, and some underlayment options offer added benefits. Occasionally, you’ll find products that don’t need an underlayment, but we generally recommend using one anyway because it won’t hurt your floor and it’s usually a small investment.

Does Tarkett Make Commercial Laminate Flooring?

Yes, Tarkett is one of the bigger names in the commercial flooring market. They don’t, however, make commercial laminate flooring. 

Conclusion

Whether Tarkett laminate flooring is worth buying depends on your specific needs and preferences. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly, durable option for areas not prone to moisture and you’re okay with a smaller selection of styles, Tarkett could be a good fit. However, if you need waterproof flooring or want a vast array of design options, you might want to explore other brands as well.

Remember, no matter how much research you do, it’s always better to see and feel the product in person, and perhaps even talk to a flooring expert, before making your final decision. It’s all about finding the right balance between quality, functionality, aesthetics, and price. Flooring is a significant investment, so taking the time to choose the right option is very important!