Ouch - Just Spent $3K on Pergo

[Paul Fitzgerald]

We went with the Casual Living from Lowe's in Goldenrod Hickory and got 15% off + 12 Months No Payments No Interest.

Good thing I'm just about finished with the torsion box assembly/outfeed table 'cause it looks like I'll be tackling the flooring in one room at a time until the whole house is done... well... right after I get done making new doors for all the kitchen cabinets. ;)

I've been reading through all the threads here that have to do with Pergo or other laminate flooring and have found quite a bit of good info. I also have the video and have been reading loads of stuff on the Internet. I still have a couple of questions though, so speak up if anyone here has experience installing this stuff. :D

Hmm... I wonder how hard it would be to get permission to spend $3K on some Grizzly equipment. :rolleyes: LOL

[Eric Roberge]

Paul,
I installed it in our master. Looks good and holds up well with the dogs. (no scratches) Goes down easy, cuts easy, etc... Get the little kit that comes with the hammer block, spacers and the metal thing for getting in tight spaces. I found it to be worth the $20.
What questions do you have?

[James Stokes]

I am a Pergo Endorsed installer, What questions do you have?

[Mark Bolton]

I will warn you that most laminate flooring will wear out a blade. You may want to pick up a decent dedicated blade that is worth resharpening. Go to your shop and dim the lights and cut a piece, you can usually see bright sparks right at the tooth edge.

Not much to the install, we have installed them on jobs many times.

Mark

[Lee Schierer]

I've installed two rooms with Wilsonart laminate flooring and it has held up well to our dog, our cat, grandkids and the grandkids dog. It still looks good as new after over 5 years on the floor. I found I could make splines from cut off pieces of tile and I could make grooves with my Freud thin kerf ripping blade.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

I'm sure I'll have some more questions as I get further into this, but here's what I'm trying to wrap my head around right now...

First set of questions...

I've seen people say to take the baseboards off, space the laminate 1/4" from the drywall, and reinstall the baseboard without shoe molding or quarter round. I've also seen people say to leave the baseboards on and space the laminate 1/4" from the baseboard. I haven't really seen any "requirements" related to this, so I can only assume it's personal preference.

I think taking the baseboards off and not using shoe molding might work well, especially in areas such as my entry hall where I have a section of tile that will meet up with a section of Pergo. The transition strip could be fit between the baseboards installed on each wall of the hall. If I had shoe molding to contend with, I'd either have to stop and restart the shoe molding where the transition strip was placed... or install the transition strip between the shoe molding rather than between the baseboards.

Is there a preferred method? Are there other pros and cons to either?

Second set of questions...

We will only have one place in the entire house where the Pergo will be installed by an exterior door. The Pergo installation instructions state I can rip one side of the 4-in-1 Molding off to make it into a narrow piece of End Molding or I can just use it straight away (but it will be much wider).

My Lowe's doesn't carry "Pergo" brand 4-in-1 Molding -- what they carry looks quite cheap and inferior to the flooring itself. It's very reminiscent of the crappy particle board furniture that Walmart sells. Further, its installation instructions do not state it can be modified in any way.

Does Pergo indeed manufacture matching 4-in-1 Molding and where can I get it? Can I also get the pre-manufactured End Molding so I don't have to "make my own from the 4-in-1 Molding?" The dimwits at Lowe's told me that all the 4-in-1 Molding they sell is "Pergo Brand" even though it doesn't say Pergo on it and comes in colors and patterns for every brand of laminate they carry.

Back to the exterior door... If I'm thinking about this correctly, won't I be able to see the cut ends of the End Molding when it's installed?

Third and quickest... :)

There are a few areas where I'm not sure the best direction to run the Pergo. I've attached a rough floor plan. The grey areas do not have flooring. The blue areas have tile. The white areas will be getting Pergo. The windows are shown in yellow.

If you were installing it, in which direction would you run the Pergo in each of the rooms?

Thanks a bunch!

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Just a quick update...

I don't know if the 4-in-1 Molding that my Lowe's sells is actually made by Pergo or not, but it's referenced in the Pergo Brochure. So I guess it is the right stuff to use. It was just a bit hard to believe the Lowe's associates, who happened to also tell me I had to seal the Pergo after it was installed. :D

And another question...

Out of the following saws, which is used most during an installation? Jig Saw, Circular Saw, Miter Saw, Table Saw

I don't think I'll need my Jig Saw at all for my installation. I figure I could use my Circular Saw to "scribe" the long edges if needed. I would expect my Miter Saw to get the most use. And I don't know if I'll need my Table Saw or not -- I'm kind of thinking I won't.

I'm trying to decide which blades I need. And since each of the previously mentioned saws requires a different size blade, I'm trying to determine which sizes are required.

I'm either going to go with the Freud LU98R series, or the Freud Diablo or Avanti for Non-Ferrous Metal that were referenced here: http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=29869

Paul

[John Fricke]

Our entire house except bathrooms and kitchen is laminate. My wife and then 12 yr old son installed 90% of it while I was doing the ceramic tile in the bathrooms and kitchen. We actually used the jig saw quite a bit trimming around doorways and such. The power mitre saw was used extensively. I used my table saw with a cheap blade for the ripping. There isn't that much to rip, the last row in every room. LOML felt more comfortable using table saw than circular saw. We ran ours lenthways of the longest wall in each room. I would reccommend dry fitting/measuring each room before you start. It sucks to get to the last row and have just a narrow sliver to do. In those cases we split the difference and ripped pieces for both side walls.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Our entire house except bathrooms and kitchen is laminate. My wife and then 12 yr old son installed 90% of it while I was doing the ceramic tile in the bathrooms and kitchen. We actually used the jig saw quite a bit trimming around doorways and such. The power mitre saw was used extensively. I used my table saw with a cheap blade for the ripping. There isn't that much to rip, the last row in every room. LOML felt more comfortable using table saw than circular saw. We ran ours lenthways of the longest wall in each room. I would reccommend dry fitting/measuring each room before you start. It sucks to get to the last row and have just a narrow sliver to do. In those cases we split the difference and ripped pieces for both side walls.

John,

I forgot about having to trim around the doorways. Do you recall what type of blade you used in the jigsaw? Fine finish wood blade maybe?

As for the direction to run it, there's a couple spots in particular I'm not sure about how to handle. The direction changes and how they affect the aesthetics are what concern me. I've heard it looks best going either in the same direction as the longest wall of the room or in the same direction the sunlight would shine through a window.

First spot... I think I'll need a t-molding between the living room and the connecting hall. And another t-molding between that hall and the one that intersects it in the shape of a T. So would I run along the long wall of the living room, then down the long wall of each of those two hallways? That's two direction changes within about 6'.

The other spot is the front hall and two small bedrooms. Since those two bedrooms are 10'x10', I thought I'd run it in the direction of the sunlight. That means the two bedrooms would be running in different directions. Seems aesthetically, it might look better for both rooms to run the same direction.

Finally... the direction the flooring is run in a particular room or hall may end up being perpendicular to the direction of the longest wall in the adjacent closet. The installation instructions state a t-molding isn't required for closets unless you can walk into them. So in those cases, the closets would have many short planks rather than a few long planks. Is that the best way to handle it?

Thanks!

[John Fricke]

John,

I forgot about having to trim around the doorways. Do you recall what type of blade you used in the jigsaw? Fine finish wood blade maybe?

I felt that a course blade worked better. Cut good side down. Remember that any cut aress should be covered by trim so quality of cut not so important.

As for the direction to run it, there's a couple spots in particular I'm not sure about how to handle. The direction changes and how they affect the aesthetics are what concern me. I've heard it looks best going either in the same direction as the longest wall of the room or in the same direction the sunlight would shine through a window.

First spot... I think I'll need a t-molding between the living room and the connecting hall. And another t-molding between that hall and the one that intersects it in the shape of a T. So would I run along the long wall of the living room, then down the long wall of each of those two hallways? That's two direction changes within about 6'.

It worked out that we ran the whole house pretty much in one direction. When I got to a hallway I just lenthened the run and continued same pattern.
The other spot is the front hall and two small bedrooms. Since those two bedrooms are 10'x10', I thought I'd run it in the direction of the sunlight. That means the two bedrooms would be running in different directions. Seems aesthetically, it might look better for both rooms to run the same direction.

Finally... the direction the flooring is run in a particular room or hall may end up being perpendicular to the direction of the longest wall in the adjacent closet. The installation instructions state a t-molding isn't required for closets unless you can walk into them. So in those cases, the closets would have many short planks rather than a few long planks. Is that the best way to handle it?



Thanks!

That's how we did it. It was our first insallation, I'm no expert by any means...but it passed the LOML test so all is good :)

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Just a reminder...

There's still a few unanswered questions here. I'd certainly appreciate any help you guys could offer.

(Mods, I wonder if maybe this thread would be better suited for another forum? I figured it wasn't really woodworking, so I didn't think it fit anywhere else.)

[Paul Fitzgerald]

That's how we did it. It was our first insallation, I'm no expert by any means...but it passed the LOML test so all is good :)
John,

Thanks for the tips!

Paul

[John Fricke]

Paul,
Might help if you pointed out what questions you still needed answers too. Have you started the project yet? How's it going?

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Paul,
Might help if you pointed out what questions you still needed answers too. Have you started the project yet? How's it going?

John,

The first two questions on post #6 of the thread.

I haven't started laying the floor yet. I'm completing my assembly table now. Then I have 20 kitchen cabinet doors to make first.

Thanks!

[Walter Plummer]

Hello Paul. Mine is perpendicular to the rising sun and it gives it a rippled look that goes away as the sun goes up so that isnt really a big deal. I undercut all my door jambs with a scrap of 3/8" ply and an 8pt. handsaw. Then the flooring slid under for a neat finish.

[Paul Johnstone]

Paul,

I have installed a lot of this. My advice is to get a bandsaw blade and use it only for cutting pergo. The bandsaw blades will of course dull a little bit, but they last a lot longer than a circular saw blade will. I've done 5 rooms on one blade, and it still cuts pergo.. In contrast, when I used a miter saw, I couldn't even finish one room before I had to put serious muscle on the saw to cut through.

If you don't have a bandsaw, I'd consider using a circular saw (at least for the "cross cuts").. At least then, you are wearing out blades that are cheap enough to be disposable. The cut does not need to be perfect, as it gets covered with molding anyhow.

If you are doing an entire house, you are going to dull a lot of 10" or 12" blades if you are using a miter box/tablesaw.

oh yeah, don't buy the Pergo brand quarter molding. It is horrible.. basically cardboard .. Get solid wood quarter molding to cover the edges and room transitions.

[Paul Johnstone]

John,

I forgot about having to trim around the doorways. Do you recall what type of blade you used in the jigsaw? Fine finish wood blade maybe?

As for the direction to run it, there's a couple spots in particular I'm not sure about how to handle. The direction changes and how they affect the aesthetics are what concern me. I've heard it looks best going either in the same direction as the longest wall of the room or in the same direction the sunlight would shine through a window.

You leave the existing door molding up. Use a handsaw to cut part of the bottom of the casing and slide the pergo under it.

It really doesn't matter which way you run it.. either with the sunshine or perpendicular to it, you will see the "seams" no big deal. I think it looks best if the entire house has it laid in the same direction.

[James Stokes]

Paul here is your plan with the way I would run the laminate. I personelly use a table saw for cutting the laminate with a cheap 80 tooth blade from Harbor Freight. I have done so many I am very comfortable using the table saw for notching around the doors. About the only thing I use a jigsaw for is cutting a round whole. I use a medium tooth blade on that.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Paul here is your plan with the way I would run the laminate. I personelly use a table saw for cutting the laminate with a cheap 80 tooth blade from Harbor Freight. I have done so many I am very comfortable using the table saw for notching around the doors. About the only thing I use a jigsaw for is cutting a round whole. I use a medium tooth blade on that.

You da man James!

Other than the spots where laminate meets tile, I only see two spots where you say T-Molding is required and those are the only two spots I thought T-Molding wasn't required -- the linen closet at the end of the hall and the coat closet near the front door. :confused:

Why is that?

Paul

[Paul Fitzgerald]

One more question for you James.

You said remove the baseboards and reinstall on top of the laminate.

Do you also recommend using shoe molding or quarter round in addition to the baseboards? I think our baseboards are 7/16" thick. I can check when I get home if it matters.

Paul

[John Fricke]

I only used baseboard on mine. Only reason I know of that you would need additional was if you had gaps you needed to cover. I believe on mine they recommended 1/4" gap from walls for esxpansion........7/16" should cover fine.

[James Stokes]

There are 2 reasons for the t-molding in the closets. The first one is just to make it easier on you. Your Pergo is longer than the door is wide, You can use 2 pieces to get it under the jambs or make it easy and rip it to fit under the jambs and put the t-molding. The second reason is all of the laminate will be held to gather by a 2 foot join going in to the closets, you will get enough movement out of the laminate that that join will come loose over time. If you have T-molding there each side can move independently of each other and you will never have to worry about it.
As far as putting quarter round against the base I probably would, you are covering a large area and you will get a fair amount of movement out of the floor, 1/16 of an inch does not allow for much movement with out coming out from under the base. You could go with a 1/4 inch expansion around everything but in my experience for an area that large I prefer a wider expansion joint. There is less chance you will get binding from the movement of the floor. If you live in a humid area I have seen the laminate expand and shrink by around a 16th of an inch per plank so I prefer to leave a larger expansion joint around the perimeter.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Great info! Thanks again James,

Paul