Pergo flooring durability

[jking]

For those who have any experience with Pergo (or similar) flooring, how durable it?

The church I attend is considering reflooring the kitchen & a group of ladies selected some Pergo floor. I'm on the team coordinating the installation & one of the concerns that came up was how well this type of product stands up to use. It's not a home, so, the kitchen doesn't see heavy use every day, but, it is used twice a week and there are alot of people in & out. Scratches, dents, and especially water spills concern us. I picked up a sample last night & it looks like an MDF base with the laminate "wood finish" on top. It looks like if it got wet, it would swell up pretty good. I think it will be difficult to ensure the floor is cleaned "per instructions" as we also are re-painting the kitchen, partly b/c people have cleaned the walls with bleach water. I also suspect we may have some water vapor transmission coming up through the floor, although, I haven't checked that.

The one post I found doing a search it seemed kind of hit & miss on success using these types of products. I'm looking for any additional advice or experience anyone might have. Thanks.

[jhart]

We installed a "Pergo" type in our kitchen about 3 years ago and was also concerned with the possibility of water spills being a problem. We ended up putting 3 coats of oil poly over the flooring and it has held up very well to this point. No problems with spills.

[viking4949]

I installed pergo in my living room and it looks great. After 5 years there are a few scratches visible, but not too bad. My only complaint is that an open water bottle spilled and was left over night, now 2 joints in the floor where the water was are raised just proud of level. You can feel it with your bare feet or in socks, but it is not really visible. I do not think any laminate in a kitchen is a good idea. Water or grease would make it very slippery.

Brandon

[messmaker]

I have it in about 1/2 of the house. I don't care for the look but the new stuff is better. I think the lighter colors work better. I have it in the kitchen. It has held up well.

[Larryl]

It will definately buckle if it becomes wet, I wouldn't recommend it for the kitchen or bath areas from personal experience.

[capncarl]

I've never liked the noise of a floating laminate flooring vrs a real attached wood floor. It is just a click clap on every step. The noise of a bunch of men in hard soled shoes and women in high heel shoes clomping around would be too much.

capncarl

[mschrank]

I installed some in my basement. I had a recurring problem with water coming out of the floor drain in the laundry room. Water and laminate flooring don't mix. The joints buckle, then start wearing/chipping. Other than that, it seems really durable.

I've read that it will hold up to water/spills if you glue the joints, but that seems like too much effort.

You might consider vinyl flooring. I've seen some with a wood pattern that is actually decent looking. While it doesn't feel like wood, it looks good and would be more appropriate for the kitchen.

[pacwind3]

Yeah I'm mixed on recommending it in a kitchen or "wet area" situation. I have a pergo type flooring in my kitchen, same buckling problems with the seams. I put down throw rugs in front of the sink and fridge (ice and water in the door). Main problem was ice cubes or water spillage in front of the fridge. Throw rugs took care of it. I'm not sure that would work so well in a church kitchen.
Otherwise, I love the stuff. I got some fake maple flooring in the discount bin at Ikea. Paid less then .50 per SF. Put it down in a 100 SF bump out of my shop. I keep meaning to get pics up, but it looks great.

[x00018]

Stop at your local BORG and ask for a sample of Dupont RealTouch laminate. Cut a piece off and let it set in a bucket of water overnight and the next morning you will be surprised at the lack of damage to it.

It is slick when wet so spills still need to be wiped up ASAP.

[sunsetman]

Its ok

I installed a similar product in a photography studio. It holds up well. six months ago there was a leak on the roof and it got pretty wet. It was cleaned immediately and there is no swelling. If you drop a pan it chips and than it peels. It looks good though.

[rnelson0]

It is slick when wet so spills still need to be wiped up ASAP.

This is your biggest concern for a kitchen. No-one will notice a piece that is slightly proud, but if you trip there are LOTS of things to hit your head on - not to mention what happens when someone is carrying a knife.

[conwaygolfer]

Pergo Flooring

I would advise against placing any wood type floor in a "wet" area. All you need is a water leak that goes unnoticed for awhile and you have thrown good money away. I install ceramic tile, etc., for a living. About 2 months ago I tiled 2 baths and a laundry room for a client. He decided to use pergo in the living room to save money. He was going to install it himself. He called me last week to install tile in the same area. His laundry room is next to the living room. When the washing machine started leaking, it ruined his wood floor. So from my point of view, don't waste the money. Besides, tile probably will save you money in the long run. And at the big box stores, you can find very decent tile for under a dollar per foot. Hope this helps.

Conwaygolfer

[tung tied]

I'd check out the existence of class action suits against Pergo before proceding.