- Pergo is a brand name of laminate flooring, not the flooring material itself. Laminate flooring is actually compressed wood chips with an image of a flooring material over it. It is put through a process that covers the picture with a durable substance. Laminate flooring is easy to clean and maintain and stands up well to spills, scrapes and normal wear and tear. Pergo laminate flooring specifically is a high quality flooring with a great warranty. You can find a Pergo laminate look that matches nearly any kind of hardwood floor, but it's much easier to install than hardwood. The finished floor is called a floating floor because rather than being nailed down, it's either snapped or glued together.
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Pergo flooring, as true with all laminate flooring, expands and contracts depending on the heat and humidity in the air and needs to acclimate to your room before being installed. Leave the cartons of flooring laying flat on the floor, unopened for approximately 45 to 95 hours. If you skip this, your floor can buckle after installation.
All old flooring, glue, tack strips and molding should be removed before installation begins, and the floor should be clean and dry. If you are installing over concrete, a vapor barrier must be put down first. The Pergo company suggests a 6 mil., non-recycled, polyethylene film. If you are installing over a wood sub-floor the vapor barrier is not used. Some of the flooring has a foam backing already attached to it, but if it doesn't, Pergo makes a foam backing that makes the floor quieter and softer to stand on, less irritating to your feet and legs than some hardwood. This foam would be installed next. The last step before installing the actual flooring is to examine each piece of flooring for any damage that may have occurred during shipping. At this point the installation may begin. - Because Pergo, as other laminate flooring, expands during humid times, a 1/4 inch gap is left between the flooring and walls. This can be covered with molding or quarter round when the floor is finished. The planks should be measured to fit across the floor space. Each row of planks will interlock with the next row; the edges of planks will be staggered so the lines will not show, and end pieces can be cut to fit. This is repeated until the entire floor is covered. There are many variations to take into consideration when installing Pergo flooring. For instance, Pergo flooring should not be used on floors that need drains or sump pumps. But if you have a floor that can be covered with Pergo flooring, you can find everything you need in most flooring and home improvement stores. There are complete installation instructions on the Pergo website (see Resources).
