Decorative Laminates

Report Overview

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What Will Support Decorative Laminate Market Gains?

• growth in cabinet and furniture production as housing construction and kitchen and bathroom remodeling activity continues to climb
• manufacturers responding to current design trends and offering a wider variety of products with improved aesthetics
• residential construction trends favoring larger kitchen spaces and multiple bathrooms, boosting demand for products that incorporate laminates, such as cabinets, kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, flooring, and wall panels

However, most decorative laminate markets are mature, and sales growth will be restrained by intense competition from other products and surface materials such as acrylic veneers, luxury vinyl tiles, and natural and engineered stone.

Key Findings in the Decorative Laminates Study:

Cabinet and Furniture Markets Continue to Drive the Decorative Laminates Industry

Cabinets and furniture were the two largest markets for laminates in 2017 and will remain so in 2022. The cabinet market is projected to post the most rapid gains of any major market. Increases in the number of new homes built through 2022 – especially starter homes – will provide additional sales opportunities, since many of these new homes will include stock cabinets, which are often made using saturated paper and other low-pressure laminates on an engineered wood substrate.

Decorative laminate demand in the furniture market will benefit from the use of engineered wood in the production of ready-to-assemble pieces, as laminates are valued for their cost/performance benefits in the surfacing of this wood. However, domestically produced laminated products will continue to be restricted by greater competition from imported ready-to-assemble products.

Low-Pressure Laminates to Remain Dominant Laminate Type

Suppliers of low-pressure laminates, which account for the vast majority of all decorative laminate demand, will post the fastest average annual gains through 2022. Low-pressure laminates will outperform high-pressure types and edgebanding due to performance improvements that will lead to increased use as a low-cost decorative surfacing material. Thermoplastic films, for example, can now be more easily applied to substrates with raised panels (as in cabinet doors) and curved edges (as in store fixtures and furniture) than other laminate types, and saturated papers are finding greater use due to their ability to provide a high gloss appearance at a low cost.

Study Coverage

This study presents historical demand data (2007, 2012, and 2017) and forecasts for 2022 and 2027 by type (high-pressure laminates, low-pressure laminates, and edgebandings) and market (cabinets, furniture, store fixtures, wall panels, countertops, flooring, and other), as well as an analysis of raw materials used in the production of decorative laminates (plastic resins, overlays, adhesives, and wood substrates). The study also evaluates company market share and provides analysis on industry competitors including Formica (Fletcher Building), Wilsonart, Panolam, Arclin, SURTECO, Mohawk Industries, OMNOVA Solutions, RENOLIT, and Wrede (Interprint).