Protecting wood floor from fridge rollers

[Dan Mages]

I am installing some Pergo engineered flooring in a room with a fridge. I have made a couple of efforts to put the fridge on the floor with layers of cardboard underneath only to destroy it with deep impressions. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to get the fridge on the floor without destroying it??

Thanks!

Dan Mages

[James Tibbetts]

I will be doing exactly this project next week. The online reviews indicated this potential problem and the only solution I have come up with is shipping blankets under 3/4"
plywood. Basically I will move the fridge out; lay the floor and put the fridge back. I'm considering an equal thickness layer of ply,(instead of Pergo), under the fridge where it will be hidden. Subject to the approval of the "design department" of course :D

[Mike Circo]

I just used 1/4" ply with an edge beveled to a ramp.
Its strong enough to protect the floor, but flexible enough to go over the humps.

[Kev Williams]

How about some HDPE, a couple of 6" x 30" x 1/8" strips for the wheels to roll on. Or 1/4" if you think 1/8" isn't thick enough.
And it's failsafe, if you need to move the fridge later, even if the wheels embedded slightly, the HDPE will just slide over the floor. :)

[Steve Jenkins]

I've used a scrap piece of plastic laminate

[Dan Mages]

Thanks for the advice. I created multi later sandwich of cardboard topped with carpet, carpet pad, and then OSB on the floor in front of the final resting place. I rolled the fridge onto the OSB and then right to where I wanted it. I also placed a 3'x4' door mat under the fridge. I hope the thick rubber base with keep the fridge from leaving divots in the floor.

Dan

[Lee Schierer]

I've had our fridge on a pergo type laminate flooring ( I think ours is Armstrong or Formica brand) for years with no discernible divots. For moving a fridge over new flooring, I've often used 1/4" luan sheets or strips to prevent any scuffing. For fridges setting on linoleum floors, I've made 1/4" luan runners for it to sit on to prevent indentations in the floor where it sits for years.

[John Terefenko]

Have been using 1/4" laun plywood for many many years in a couple houses and it works great. I never put any bevels on it. Really do not have to pull the new refrigerators out much these days. can clean from the front.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I put a piece of 1/4" hardboard under our refrigerator when we remodeled 2 years ago.

[Leo Graywacz]

i've used a scrap piece of plastic laminate

This ........

[Jamie Buxton]

Pros often use air sleds. They are essentially hovercraft intended to slip under that huge fridge, and slide it on a bed of air. They're often powered by something like a vacuum cleaner worn as a backpack. There are several manufacturers. Google for more info. You probably don't want to buy one for one-time use, but you may be able to find one for rent at your local tool rental place.

Here's a youtube video of one in operation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk2N3Zaqp0s

[BOB OLINGER]

I used a piece of galvanized thin sheet metal -I think tougher than a wood sheet, plus thinner.

[Brian Elfert]

I used 1/8" or 3/16" Masonite in my previous house that had wood floors.

[Dan Mages]

Pros often use air sleds. They are essentially hovercraft intended to slip under that huge fridge, and slide it on a bed of air. They're often powered by something like a vacuum cleaner worn as a backpack. There are several manufacturers. Google for more info. You probably don't want to buy one for one-time use, but you may be able to find one for rent at your local tool rental place.

Here's a youtube video of one in operation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk2N3Zaqp0s

Now that is cool! I'll keep that in mind if I have to move an appliance again. I wonder if any of the local tool shops rent them.

[Sam Murdoch]

Plastic laminate is usually my technique too.

[Mike Null]

I have used 1/8" hardboard successfully.