Re: Pergo Flooring (UPDATE)
Hi;<br /> Boy iboats is great. Where else can you find people that build rockets to install floors (that's me). I have bee a certified Pergo installer since 1998. Installed them before that but that is when I got certified. I have also installed every other laminate flooring made over the years. I am also certified flooring inspector. Let me see if I can answer a couple questions. <br /> First- I'm thinking the lighter colored flooring will be better since we have a St. Bernard who likes to run around the back yard a bit. <br />Pergo will not warranty against scratches from a dog of that size, nor will any laminate flooring made. I am not saying that they will get scratched up but it depends. What pattern you choose (some hid blemishes better), color, area rugs, dogs nails, etc. Lam floors hold up well under normal usage and that is all they will warranty.<br />Price; Most of the big box stores HD/Lowes have the best price. If I do side work I tell my customers to buy it from them and I will install it. No reason for me to even try any more to beat there prices. Also all Lams are not equal. If pergo is $50 a box and you see another lam at Wal-mart for $20 a box there is a reason. Not saying Pergo doesn't have a equal and you may save a couple bucks not using pergo and using a Shaw or Wilson Art product but they all will be in the same general price range. If there is more then say a $6 difference in there normal prices (not sales) the quality will reflect it.<br /> A couple install tips. First take the class offered for free at Lowes or HD. Lots of tips there. Look around your room and then take any questions with you. I always try to end on a blank (flat wall). That way you are not trying to get a board to snap in a tuff cut up area. Starting in the cut up area first allows you movement without be bound up by the floor you already installed. Just make sure you take good measurements so when you come out of the cut up area you are still square. As for the 1/4 gap. The rules state that is how it should be. In the real world it goes like this. It is a must to bring it to your house and leave it in the room being done for 72hss. Acclamation! Then think that this stuff is mostly wood and acts like it. If your house is dry (winter time, heat on) then make sure you follow the gapping from the wall as close as possible. When humid out we tend to cut them in a little tighter so when you do turn the heat on it will not show gaps around the 1/4 round when the floor pulls back. In the size of a Dining room I don't think you will have much movement at all. Under cut your door jams so the Lam slides under them. Dont even try to cut around them. It just looks bad. Try to use real wood moldings (the 1/4 round must be 5/8 to cover the gap around the walls) it makes the floor look much better. Not a Pergo plug but I have found it to be the easiest to install out of them all. Last if your subfloors are uneven or has humps this may not be for you. When done it is like a giant wood area rug. It will span voids making the floor fell soft when walked on and peaks will cause gaps as the seams bend over them. The subfloor doesn't have to be perfect but the worse it is the worse the Lam floor will look.<br /> I hope this helps. I will be floating around.
Quite by accident, as we were cleaning up, I dropped a crow bar from about 4 feet right onto the new flooring - thought my wife was going to have a cow. Well, we got on our hands and knees to look for the damage done - couldn't find it - because there was none. That stuff is tough.<br /><br />Wish I could remember the cost - I just remember it was reasonable and comparable to carpet.<br /><br />Good luck, tcube
