Q&A for How to Install Pergo Flooring

It doesn't really matter which room you start in, since the floor will be ready as soon as you're finished laying it. Start in whichever room is most convenient for you. Within each room, it's usually easiest to start in the back left corner.

You can install Pergo over any subfloor as long as it meets the moisture requirements and doesn't have a floor drain or a sump pump. Just make sure you use an appropriate underlayment.

Never install Pergo over carpet. Pergo should only be installed over the subfloor. If you have a concrete subfloor, you can install Pergo over old wood or tile flooring, but not over carpet.

You shouldn't need to replace the vapor barrier unless it is damaged in some way. If the subfloor is already leveled and the vapor barrier is intact, you can lay down your new floor over the old vapor barrier as long as it meets the basic requirements for your new floor.

The next piece will still snap into place at the joint with the trimmed piece. Just take care to match a tongue end with a groove end.

If your subfloor is concrete, you can install Pergo over tiles. However, if your subfloor is wood, you should remove the tile before installing your Pergo flooring. If you're not sure, it's better to go ahead and remove the old flooring.

You likely can—the question is why would you? As durable as Pergo is, it won't have the strength or durability of marble. Laminate flooring isn't going to be an improvement over marble.

Pergo recommends that you leave the flooring in the sealed carton in the middle of the room for at least 48 hours so your planks can acclimate.

You can if you want, but Pergo still requires a vapor barrier over concrete subfloors, and Redgard isn't a Pergo-approved vapor barrier. It doesn't make a lot of sense to add both when the vapor barrier is all you need.

Remove just enough so that you can put in some of the undelayment. Remove enough to do one column or row, then repeat the process. Yes, it's tedious, but any other way is messy and you may ruin some of your flooring.

Yes you are supposed to. They should sell giant roles of visqueen (your polyethylene) at the home stores. I like 6mil but 4 is ok (thinner than 6).

You should not use additional underlayment. Including an additional layer of underlayment will likely void the warranty.

You don't have to, but it's a good idea, because it's easy for spills to get though that way. You want to seal any spots where water can get through, especially in kitchens.

Yes, you just need to hold down the one side it’s attached to and lift up on the piece you want to remove.

Yes. The underlayment provides a buffer and accounts for imperfections in the subfloor. (3mm works best.)

Yes, but you will need to remove the cabinets, and then reinstall them on top of the flooring.

Yes, you can. What you have described is a base shoe or quarter round over a base board. Treat the base shoe as baseboard and leave the existing baseboard in place. Reinstall the base shoe over the flooring which is installed up the edge of the existing baseboard. Much easier than removing all. This also an alternative to removing a single existing baseboard, where you may install a base shoe or quarter round over the flooring cut and installed afterward.

Use a tapping block and pull bar where the block won't fit, and carefully close the gaps keeping 8" from the edge of the plank. Lock either the short end or the long edge first, then tap the other into place. The planks will flatten out as they are locked. Lifting the long side slightly (1") will help direct the plank into place if you've locked the short end first. The edges chip easily, so make sure your block is positioned correctly.

Curling happens when the floor isn't locking correctly. Tap your planks tighter with a tapping block (it is best to do this one at at time), since your floor isn't quite locked. This should help prevent the curling.