How to Install Pergo Presto Flooring

Pergo is one of the most widely recognized brands of laminate flooring in the world. Homeowners often choose Pergo as an economical alternative to traditional hardwood. Like other laminate products, Pergo offers easy, flexible installation. It's designed as a floating system, which means it floats over the subfloor without the need for glue or nails. This means that homeowners can install a complete laminate floor in just a few hours, using only basic tools and equipment.

Things You'll Need

• Pergo Presto flooring
• Tape measure
• Hammer
• Pry bar
• Trowel
• Leveling compound
• Planer (wood subfloors) or grinder (concrete subfloors)
• Broom or vacuum
• Pergo MoistureBloc
• Plastic spacers
• Rubber mallet
• Tapping block
• Saw (hand or power)
• Finish nails

Instructions

Preparations

1. Measure your floor to determine how much material you need. Multiply the length and width of the room to calculate square footage, then add about 5 percent to this number before making your purchase. The extra material can be used for future repairs and will also make up for some material lost to cutting.

2. Place your Pergo Presto flooring in the room where you plan to install it. Leave the material there for 48 hours so it can acclimate to temperature and humidity changes.

3. Remove all trim or baseboards from around the perimeter of the room. Use a pry bar or the claw end of a hammer for this task, taking care not to damage the walls. Remove all nails from the trim and set it aside for reuse.

4. Prepare the subfloor. For wood subfloors, use a planer to remove high spots in the wood. Grind away bumps and ridges from concrete subfloors using a grinder. Fill low areas in any type of subfloor using a leveling compound, applied with a trowel.

5. Clean the subfloor to remove any dirt, dust or debris. Use a vacuum or broom for this task, depending on the level of cleaning needed.

Installing Pergo Flooring

1. Cover the subfloor with Pergo Moisturebloc underlay. Lay the material in rows so that each row overlaps the adjacent one by a few inches. There is no need to fasten this material to the subfloor.

2. Lay your first row of flooring starting on the longest or most visible wall in the room. Place plastic spacers between the wall and the laminate to create a 1/4-inch expansion gap around the entire perimeter of the room. To connect the planks end to end along the first row, line up the tongue-and-groove connectors and press both pieces of Pergo flat to the floor.

3. Connect your second row. Hold the laminate at a 45-degree angle to the floor and align the tongue-and-groove connectors. Press the flooring toward the subfloor until it is flat. If the laminate does not connect tightly, use a mallet and tapping block to press the two boards more securely together. Do not use the mallet without the block, as this will damage your floor.

4. Continue connecting each row of material as you work your way across the floor. Stagger the joints along each row to create a more stable and attractive installation.

5. Cut laminate planks as needed using a saw. For hand saws, keep the material face up when cutting. If you use any type of power saw, place the laminate face down when cutting to protect the finish. Discard sections smaller than a foot to maintain a professional-looking finish.

6. Slide the last row of flooring into place; then use a pry bar to connect it to the adjacent row. Make sure to leave another 1/4-inch expansion gap along this wall so the floor can expand and contract over time. When installation is complete, remove all spacers and reinstall molding or trim to complete the project.

References

• Pergo Flooring: Expanded Installation Guide
• Pergo: Presto Flooring Installation Instructions