It’s not hard to get sidetracked when talking about the pros and cons of Pergo flooring. For many years, Pergo floors were synonymous with laminate floors; The reason is that it was Pergo who first came up with the idea for laminate floors. Pergo remains the largest producer of this type of flooring, even though the company is now owned by Mohawk, another excellent producer of laminate flooring. In any case, any discussion about what is good or bad about Pergo floors often degenerates into an argument about the pros and cons of laminate floors in general.

Good things about Pergo

Pergo has been in the laminate business longer than anyone. Today, there are many highly competitive brands, but Pergo is still the best-selling brand by a significant margin, which tells you something about the quality of its product line. Another positive indication that Pergo is a brand you can trust lies in its warranties, up to 30 years, and more than reasonable for most types of floors. However, warranties have exceptions. If you regularly spill liquids on the Pergo floor and do not clean it afterwards, the floor will start to deteriorate over time and the warranty will no longer be valid.

Pergo laminate floors are almost ridiculously easy to install. The individual planks just snap together. Most laminate floors, including Pergo floors, require an underlying material between the laminate and the subfloor. The Pergo Allocade product line is an exception, as a base material has already been added. Hardwood floors are difficult for non-professionals to install. If you can join two boards, you can install the Pergo floors yourself.

Lastly, you can buy Pergo flooring for half what you would spend on hardwood flooring, and from a distance, Pergo is indistinguishable from real wood. Additionally, you can install Pergo in rooms where it would not be advisable to install genuine wood floors, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and rooms located below ground level.

Not so good features

There is little to say about Pergo floors that are really bad, although there are some really bad examples of laminate floors on the market. If you want to find out what some of those bad examples are, buy laminate flooring that is sold at clearance prices. Quality flooring products are rarely sold at prices that will “never be repeated.”

Don’t expect Pergo floors to last as long as oak, maple, or other hardwood floors. Thirty years is roughly the maximum, and brands like Pergo, Mohawk or Armstrong should give you at least 20 years of good service.

One of the main disadvantages of Pergo floors is that they cannot be repainted. The “wood” is a thin veneer; very thin veneer. Scrape it off and the inner core could reveal itself. The inner core is not attractive and a damaged board or panel will probably need to be replaced.

No matter how much laminate flooring looks like the real thing, it rarely increases a home’s resale value. A prospective buyer looking for a home with hardwood floors will generally overlook any home on the market that has laminate flooring, even if that floor is top-of-the-line Pergo flooring.

What types to buy

Color and texture are definitely your choice, and only your choice. Current best sellers are Oak, Hawaiian Koa, and various Hickory styles. Wider planks have become more popular in recent years. Pergo comes in widths ranging from 5 inches to 12 inches and in thicknesses ranging from 8mm to 12mm.

Should you buy Pergo flooring?

If you like laminate flooring, the answer is definitely yes, if you can find a style that suits your tastes, that shouldn’t be difficult. A good tip would be to “go thicker” and opt for 12mm boards instead of 8mm or 10mm boards. Thicker boards should be affordable, plus they’ll have a more solid feel, absorb heat better, and be a bit quieter to walk on.

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