Quick Step Laminate Flooring (NatureTek) | Home Flooring Pros Review

In this Quick Step flooring review we are going to focus on their laminate flooring collections called NatureTEK Plus and NatureTEK Select. Our team of in-house home flooring pros, along with our network of contractors across the US, have taken a deep dive into Quick Steps premium laminate flooring line and here are the results. Updated for 2023 we run through your options, pros and cons and installation advice. We also let you know how much Quick Step laminate costs compared to other leading brands and finish up with some customer and retailer reviews.

QUICK STEP NATURETEK LAMINATE OPTIONS

Quick Step is a European flooring manufacturer that has been producing laminate flooring since 1990. Although primarily known for their laminate floors they also produce a range of resilient vinyl floors (EnduraTek) and commercial carpeting. They were acquired by the flooring behemoth Mohawk Industries in 2005.

NatureTEK is Quick Step’s premium line of laminate flooring. It is available with unique design choices, wider and longer planks and innovative technology that improves its performance against moisture.

The NatureTEK Select is very water-resistant and marketed as a waterproof laminate with a 10 year warranty. NatureTEK Plus lines are virtually waterproof with WetProtect technology and a lifetime surface and subfloor waterproof warranty.

Since it’s launch in 2018 Quick Step has streamlined its range from 14 collections down to 10. One collection, NatireTek Plus Sango, fetaures planks with a Maple look grain while all other collections have an oak look grain pattern. Some collections feature planks as long as 80” long and 9” wide. Stain choices run the gamut from almost white to very dark grey with many natural, reddish tones, browns and grays.

Read More: Oak Wood Floors | Maple Wood Floors | Hickory Wood Floors

Below we look at some of the collections to get an idea of what’s available.

NatureTEK Select has three collections:

Leuco, 10mm thick with a 2mm attached padding, 7.5 inches wide and 55 inches long, with an EIR (Embossed in Register) surface texture

Reclaime, 12mm think (no pad/underlayment), 7.5 inches wide and 55 inches long with a smooth surface.

Provision, 12mm think (no pad/underlayment), 7.5 inches wide with a shorter 45 inch length and smooth surface

Stain colors range from the very light beige of White Wash Oak to the dark brown of Old Town Oak.

The bulk of NatureTek collections are Naturetek Plus products.

The 7 NatureTek Plus collections are:

Colossia, 10mm thick, no pad, 9 inches wide and 80 inches long, EIR textured surface and 10 colors

Nesprima, 8mm thick with 2mm of padding, 7.5 inches wide and 55 inches long with an EIR texttured surface and 5 colors

Vestia and Tilleto, both 10mm thick with 2mm of padding, 7.5 inches wide and 55 inches long with an EIR texttured surface and 9 colors between them

Styleo, 12mm think (no pad/underlayment), 7.5 inches wide and 55 inches long with a smooth surface and 4 colors

Perdestia, 10mm thick with 2mm of padding, 7.5 inches wide and 47 inches long with an EIR textured surface and 6 colors

Sango, 12mm think (no pad/underlayment), 7.5 inches wide and 55 inches long with an EIR textured surface and 4 colors with a Maple look grain finish

As you can see, Quick Step laminate flooring options range from classic beauty to many interesting, updated colors and styles. That’s why we think Quick Step is worth a look.

PROS AND CONS

These are the advantages

• NatureTEK products are available in a wide selection of very realistic looking wood graphics. A full spectrum of color tones are used. Plank dimensions vary to offer a range of looks. In short, you should find several options to match your taste, style and the character of your home.
• The FloorScore certification means NatureTek products won’t release any harmful VOC’s into your living space.
• All NatureTEK products have earned the North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) Certification Seal, which means that these products have met flooring performance criteria for durability, strength and overall quality.
• The NatureTEK Select and Plus lines are waterproof. These features make the flooring easier to care for and there are fewer worries about spills.
• GenuEdge is a technology available with NatureTEK Select and NatureTEK Plus. The surface design layer is wrapped around the edge of the plank, so there are no visible unfinished areas. The result is laminate flooring that looks more like genuine hardwood planks.
• NatureTek Plus is backed by a lifetime warranty and lifetime waterproof warranty for residential installation.

These are the disadvantages

• Not sold through the big box stores. Ask your local independent flooring retailer for availability and prices.
• Some, now discontinued, NatureTEK products with beveled edges shouldn’t be installed where water on the floor is a normal part of life. Always look for Naturetek Select and Plus for bathrooms, mudrooms and entryways were wet shoes are left on the floor.

Note that products without beveled edges can be installed in these areas because the waterproof or water-resistant layer is wrapped over vulnerable edges.

QUICK STEP INSTALLATION

NatureTEK products feature the Uniclik locking system that eliminates the need for glue. The tightly fitting joints prevent water from seeping between the planks, though again, it makes sense to promptly clean up spills.

This floating floor laminate system makes installation easier for the DIYer.

The company website links to complete installation instructions for NatureTEK Select and NatureTEK Plus. All products require a clean and dry subfloor. Your two subfloor options are concrete or wood-based plywood or O.S.B.

All NatureTEK laminate must acclimate in their original packaging for 72 hours in the room in which they will be installed.

All flooring should be inspected for obvious defects prior to installation. Look for unfinished planks and plank that aren’t straight, horizontally or vertically.

PRICES

Quick Step laminate flooring prices are lower than solid or engineered hardwood and cost about $2.50 to $4.50 per square foot depending on the collection.

The cost of the NatureTEK Select and NatureTEK Plus, the waterproof lines, is at the upper end of the cost range. The prices are for product only, installation is additional.

PRICE COMPARISON

Quick Step laminate floors are in the top mid range price bracket for laminate flooring. Here’s a look at how Shaw’s flooring cost compares to other brands:

BRAND	PRICE PER SQ FOOT
TrafficMaster Laminate	$0.75 – $1.50
Pergo Portfolio	$0.83 – $2.58
LifeProof Laminate	$2.00 – $2.50
Home Decorators Collection	$1.55 – $2.65
Lambton	$1.75 – $2.65
Mohawk RevWood	$1.90 – $3.50
Montserrat	$1.99 – $2.45
Pergo XP	$1.99 – $2.99
Islander	$2.45 – $2.60
Shaw Floors	$2.50 – $3.50
Pergo TimberCraft	$2.50 – $2.99
Quick-Step Laminate	$2.50 – $4.50
Pergo Outlast+	$2.65 – $2.79
Mannington	$3.50 – $3.99
ECOfusion Flooring	$4.40 – $6.15

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

NatureTEK products have been receiving much more positive reviews from customers, as well as industry insiders, including Floor Covering News.

Karen from North Carolina says… “Not only is the product beautiful but it has not scratched, dented, or warped. The quality of the product seems to be excellent”.

Some of the customers noted scratches or the edges coming up and the top layers peeling but the specific product was not indicated.

Walt from Pennsylvania stated that… “the Uniclik locking system made the flooring easy to install.”

About the Author:

Greca Fotopoulos

Greca is the lead style writer at Home Flooring Pros (more), with a BA in Technical Art, she’s focused on flooring trends, flooring ideas, and flooring brand reviews.

“There’s nothing more satisfying than creating a home that you love. The hardest thing about this job is trying not to covet all the great floors I get to review; if I could remodel my home every month, I would!”