Textured laminate flooring

A decorated floor panel comprising:

• a. a timber-based core having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface;
• b. a decorative layer coupled to the top surface of the core, the decorative layer having an appearance of a hardwood flooring design including at least one knothole;
• and
• c. a wear layer coupled to and substantially covering the decorative layer for protecting the decorative layer,
• the wear layer having an exposed wear surface with a plurality of discrete depressions therein, at least one of said discrete depressions having a variable depth below the wear surface, the depressions being arranged to display a desired textured pattern including at least one depression in registration with the knothole.

A floor system including at least two interlocking panels, each panel comprising:

• a. a timber-based core having a top surface, an opposite bottom surface, a first pair of parallel sides having tongue and groove cuts and a second pair of parallel sides having tongue and groove cuts, each of the second pair of parallel sides being perpendicular to each of the first pair of parallel sides;
• b. a decorative layer coupled to the top surface of the core, the decorative layer having a desired aesthetic pattern;
• and
• c. a wear layer coupled to and substantially covering the decorative layer for protecting the decorative layer,
• the wear layer having an exposed wear surface with a plurality of discrete depressions therein, at least one of said discrete depressions having a variable depth below the wear surface, the depressions being arranged in registration with the desired aesthetic pattern to thereby display a desired textured pattern.

A decorated floor panel comprising:

• a. a timber-based core having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface;
• b. a decorative layer coupled to the top surface of the core, the decorative layer having a desired aesthetic pattern;
• and
• c. a wear layer having a thickness and being coupled to and substantially covering the decorative layer for protecting the decorative layer,
• the wear layer having an exposed wear surface with at least one depression in registration with the desired aesthetic pattern that extends a varying depth of at between least 0.50 millimeters below the wear surface and up to 0.25 millimeters less than the thickness of the wear layer.