Merino Laminate Finishes: A Complete Guide

Why Merino's Finish Range Matters More Than the Shade Name

Two cabinets in the exact same "Walnut" shade can look completely different once you factor in finish — one in Hi Gloss, reflective and formal; the other in Suede, soft and matte. Merino treats finish as a real design variable, not an afterthought, which is why the same decor code often ships in a handful of distinct textures. Picking a shade is really only half the decision — the finish is what determines how it actually behaves in a kitchen, a wardrobe, or a feature wall.

Below is a breakdown of Merino's finish vocabulary, grouped by what they're actually built for.

Natural Wood-Grain Finishes

These reproduce the visual and tactile character of real timber, for designs meant to read as authentic wood rather than an obvious laminate.

• FineWood (FNW) — a two-level wood pore: a fine allover structure meeting a wider, low-gloss graining.
• Pine Sync (PSC) — a visual and haptic finish built to sit as close to a real wood effect as a laminate gets.
• Horizon (HRZ) — horizontal strokes of wood grain.
• Monte (MNT) — the rich colours and patterns characteristic of walnut.
• Valley (VLY) — a wooden finish featuring full-crowned grain.
• Veneer (VNR) — replicates the natural finish of wood grain directly.
• Venza (VNZ) — a natural finish built from half-crowned wood patterns.
• Impression (IMP) — authentic impressions of tree bark.
• Streak (STK) — a linear finish that reproduces straight wood formation.
• Saw Cut (SCT) — duplicates the look of wood cut by a bark saw.
• Parrish (PRH) — asymmetrical waves for a rustic wood impression.

Gloss & Reflective Finishes

Where a design is meant to read as premium and formal, at the cost of showing fingerprints more readily.

• Hi Gloss (HGL) — a highly reflective, shiny surface.
• Jewel (JW) — inspired by a single crystal structure cut into flat facets.
• Opal (OPL) — borrows the look of melted glass.
• Gemstone (GMS) — gloss hints layered against a super-matte base.

Matte & Soft-Touch Finishes

The practical choice for high-touch, daily-use surfaces — these hide scratches, smudges and wear far better than gloss.

• Matt (MT) — a flat, non-reflective, opaque surface.
• Suede (SF) — a soft-touch matte texture similar to suede fabric.
• Feather Touch (FT) — a royal matt with a smooth, creamy touch.
• Pebble Touch (PT) — an ultra-smooth, natural finish with near-zero light reflectivity.
• Nubuck Leather (NL) — an elegant finish that mimics the texture of man-made leather.

Textured & Tactile Finishes

Finishes with real surface relief you can feel, not just see.

• Fluted (FLT) — two gloss levels and tactile depth in a straight fluted visual.
• Woven (WVN) — a thick, fabric-like weave across two gloss levels; dry, deep and tactile.
• Slant (SLT) — straight geometric lines intersecting in diverse directions.
• Grains (GNR) — micro-dots that reproduce a grain texture.
• Microlines (ML) — fine lines with very little gap between them.
• Vertiline (VL) — a multitude of fine vertical lines.
• Fabric (FB) — ripples that imitate the soft movement of woven fabric.
• Linen (LNN) — soft, smooth movements that mimic linen.

Artistic & Pattern Finishes

More expressive, less literal — built for feature panels and accent surfaces rather than whole-kitchen runs.

• Chimera (CMR) — the impression created by fire.
• Crossfire (CFR) — an artistic representation of gunfire from two or more directions.
• Dew Drop (DW) — delicate patterns capturing the freshness of morning dew.
• Drizzle (DZL) — a progressive dash-like structure imitating raindrops on a window.
• Flicker (FK) — horizontal ripples emulating flickering light.
• Wave (WV) — free-flowing patterns resembling moving water.
• Bark (BRK) — inspired by the outermost layers of stems and roots.
• Brush (BR) — strokes that replicate a paintbrush effect.
• Cement (CMT) — a rustic effect inspired by concrete walls.
• Moonscape (MNS) — a rugged, weathered-stone look with a natural, warm touch.
• Whitney (WTN) — a classic, well-defined etched texture.

How to Actually Use This

Match the finish to how the surface gets used, not just how it looks in a sample:

• Kitchen shutters and high-touch surfaces — lean toward Suede, Matt, Pebble Touch or Feather Touch; they hide daily wear.
• Feature walls and low-touch accent panels — Hi Gloss, Jewel or the artistic finishes (Chimera, Crossfire, Wave) can carry more visual drama without the upkeep concern.
• Wardrobe interiors — textured finishes (Woven, Grains, Microlines) add tactile quality somewhere it's rarely touched directly, so gloss level matters less than for a kitchen.

Not every shade is manufactured in every finish, and what's currently available can shift. Browse Merino's stocked shades, and if your picked design doesn't show the finish you want — call us and we'll check whether it can be sourced.