I need new floors. Help.

[Xander]

I want to rip out the carpet in my living room and put in hardwood floors. However, I was told to go with Pergo by a friend who does this stuff for a living. Really, I don't care--whatever sells easier, and he says hardwood and Pergo are about the same re-sale wise, and they cost the same.

So, what do you guys think is the best? I'm going to go with mid-toned:
http://www.pergo.com/shop/category.aspx?categoryID=6&startpage=0

I like these, but would like feedback.
http://www.pergo.com/shop/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=PH%204707
http://www.pergo.com/shop/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=PH%204825

Which would you get?

[CTGirl]

I have a friend in construction who is not a fan of Pergo. Not sure why, but he really doesnt seem to like it, so I thought I'd just throw that out there. :p

And I like the medium tones better than the lighter ones btw, makes coordinating easier.

[Xander]

Doh!

Ok, well, lets just talk about color then. I'll decide between hardwood vs. Pergo up until the last minute. :p

?
http://www.pergo.com/shop/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=PJ%202623

[CTGirl]

Doh!

Ok, well, lets just talk about color then. I'll decide between hardwood vs. Pergo up until the last minute. :p

?
http://www.pergo.com/shop/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=PJ%202623

Oh, I like that color a lot! That's the color my parents chose for our kitchen back home, looks fantastic with the dark green countertops in there.

[capella]

I would NOT go with Pergo. It's cheap crap. I would do real hardwood floors. The military housing I lived in had Pergo flooring and they put the cheapest, shittiest stuff in military housing.

[capella]

I like the Western Cherry and Austin Oak color. I agree about the medium tones.

[wordsmith]

My pops, the contractor, would advise against Pergo (probably using the charming colloquialims "it looks like shit on a white duck."). Laminate just isn't as quality as an actual hardwood floor.

[cheshrcarol]

The good thing about pergo is that it'll be easier to clean/more durable than real hardwood. But I'm pretty sure hardwood has more value. Whatever you do, don't get the light-colored, pastic-y looking stuff.

[analogman]

*Throwing a wrench here* :D How about bamboo? It's pretty durable, nice looking, and environmentally sound (it grows like weeds and is easily renewable).

[winneythepooh7]

The fiance of construction has his head phones on right now editing some music but remind me later and I will get his recommendation for you.

[embrassezla]

Definitely go with something other than Pergo for your main living area. Hardwood, bamboo, cork, etc. I have oak in my living room and pergo in my kitchen/dining room. It works REALLY well, but the Pergo's really only there because it's durable, can get wet (kitchen), and looks good next to the hardwood.

[EmberMae]

Well I'm going to be the voice of dissent here and say that my parents have had laminate floors for about 7 or 8 years now and I think it looks pretty nice, not trashy by any means. They were deciding between hardwood and laminate and chose laminate. It's a medium wood, similar to the Western Cherry you showed. I'm not 100% sure why they went with the laminate, I'll have to ask them, but it wasn't just about price since they could afford hardwood if they really wanted it. I think it also had something to do with durability and ease of cleaning, but again, I'm not totally sure.

[Xander]

Durability is a huge issue because I'm going to get a dog, and the dog will without question scratch up the hardwood. So I'm hoping the laminate will be durable enough to resist any scratching (my friend said he rollerbladed around on it and tried scratching it with his keys and it withstood a lot).

If I get hardwood, I'll have to resurface it. There's no way around it. If I get laminate, I may not have to do anything with it (but if that scratches I'm screwed)... Also, installation for laminate is cheaper.

It's not just a cost issue, but a durability issue. If I go with hardwood, I'd only consider the hardest--Brazilian Cherry (like what I have right now), but BC is a bit dark.

And I wanted a diagonal cut, but that's going to add to the cost as well with little added value, and it's not like I have a huge place--it's just a small 1 bedroom condo.

Oy. I'm going to look at hardwood, laminate, and "prefinished hardwood" tomorrow. But all of this feedback helps. Winney, let me know what your fiance thinks. And for the others who've heard Pergo is crap, is that just Pergo, or all laminate? Thanks!


p.s. Bamboo is way too soft.

[wordsmith]

Just so you know, my brother's dog has done a number on his laminate flooring, and it's not a big, heavy, dog, it's a little shiba inu.

[embrassezla]

Yeah a dog is gonna scratch the floors, but you really can't see it unless you are at eye level with the floor. I only have cats, and they tear around the house like lunatics scratching up the floor, but you really can't tell.

[weary]

another vote for HW here. i love mine, and love it more every time i come home from spending time at a home w/ pergo in it. i find it very, very easy to maintain...so i'm not sure why pergo is touted as being "easier to maintain". i guess maybe for once in a (very long) while waxing? (i'm assuming pergo doesn't need to be waxed?)

also voting for the medium tones...they go with everything.

good luck, whatever you pick. and, congrats on the place, btw! :)

[asm198]

I'm apparently an odd duck, but I hate hardwood floors. I prefer carpet because I hate the way hardwoods feel on my feet and think it's dumb have them, but cover all but the foot of floor around the walls with a giant rug. That said, I'd 100% prefer actual hardwood to pergo or anything of that sort. My mom put in a laminate flooring in her kitchen, dining rooms, and family room last year. It's fun to freak out the dogs with, but I wouldn't want to live there. It looks nice and seems well made, but I think it looks sorta fake and I would hate to walk on it with bare feet.

Honestly, the only place that I could stand having any sort of hardwood stuff would be a dining room. I would despise it in a bedroom or the living room, which is why I'm only allowing my fiance to eventually pull up the carpet in our dining room to expose the near perfect, original to the house, hardwood floors underneath. But I think hardwood floors are way overrated.

[embrassezla]

I prefer the look of hardwood to carpet, but additionally, carpet holds so much dust/allergens that I don't think I'll ever want carpet in my house again. I only have it in my basement because it's a home theatre and carpet is needed for sound quality.

[Winter Storm]

I'm the opposite of ASM. I grew up in a wall-to-wall carpeted home and thought that was the best way to be. Until I moved to a place with hardwood parkay floors and fell in love with them.

I just love the way wood floors look and find them so much easier to clean. Plus I love how it looks to throw a nice rug over them and accent it even more.

I hope to never go back to carpet. My mom now wishes she had my floors, she is so sick of trying to keep her gray-ish carpet clean.

[Winter Storm]

I prefer the look of hardwood to carpet, but additionally, carpet holds so much dust/allergens that I don't think I'll ever want carpet in my house again. I only have it in my basement because it's a home theatre and carpet is needed for sound quality.
I was in this ladies apartment last weekend and it cemented my distaste for carpet. She had just moved in but her carpet looked like it was 100 years old. I could only imagine the dust, crud and soil impedded into each fiber over all those years.

Eeeech!

[embrassezla]

I was in this ladies apartment last weekend and it cemented my distaste for carpet. She had just moved in but her carpet looked like it was 100 years old. I could only imagine the dust, crud and soil impedded into each fiber over all those years.

If you've ever steam-cleaned a carpet, the water comes back BLACK.

[cheshrcarol]

I really don't like the feel of hardwood either, so I wear slippers all the time. I love the look, though. I live in an old rehabbed house and the floors are gorgeous. The only bad thing to me (which is actually good, probably) is that a lot of dust collects and I have to swiffer all the time. It's probably good though, because instead of being invisible on the carpet, that stuff gets cleaned up.

[Chameleon]

I can't really weigh in on the hardwood vs prego though a few acquaintances bought houses within a few months of each other and installed laminate flooring for cost and for durability. They were all swing/ballroom dancers and wanted to have people dance at their homes without freaking out about scratched floors. I'm not sure how that's worked out for them.

I agree with em and WS, carpets get really nasty. I have mostly tile floors which made for some weird acoustics without a rug and are really cold to walk on bare foot. Rugs are also easier to clean/air out/replace than installed carpetting.

[Winter Storm]

I really don't like the feel of hardwood either, so I wear slippers all the time. I love the look, though. I live in an old rehabbed house and the floors are gorgeous. The only bad thing to me (which is actually good, probably) is that a lot of dust collects and I have to swiffer all the time. It's probably good though, because instead of being invisible on the carpet, that stuff gets cleaned up.
Yeah I'm a slipper-whore in the winter but I love roaming around barefoot in the summer.

But I don't happen to notice much dust on my floors. Perhaps, because I have two active cats running around? Eh! I've been using that Method wood cleaner from Target. Smells like almond.

[weary]

Yeah I'm a slipper-whore in the winter but I love roaming around barefoot in the summer.

But I don't happen to notice much dust on my floors. Perhaps, because I have two active cats running around? Eh! I've been using that Method wood cleaner from Target. Smells like almond.
i luuuuuuuuuuuuuuurve the almond method wood cleaner. i have to water it down though...it's kinda strong full-strength to me.

winter - do you have any carpeted areas? i ask b/c i am a slipper-whore too, but i have carpeted floors (bedrooms, basement) and HW floors (dining room, etc.)....and when i walk across the carpeted floors in slippers i get crazy static and am always shocking myself when i go to turn on/off lights or whatever. it sucks and really hurts sometimes!!!

[Winter Storm]

i luuuuuuuuuuuuuuurve the almond method wood cleaner. i have to water it down though...it's kinda strong full-strength to me.

No, they need to make it cheaper and sell it in bigger volumes. I ration my shit! Gotta make it last!

winter - do you have any carpeted areas? i ask b/c i am a slipper-whore too, but i have carpeted floors (bedrooms, basement) and HW floors (dining room, etc.)....and when i walk across the carpeted floors in slippers i get crazy static and am always shocking myself when i go to turn on/off lights or whatever. it sucks and really hurts sometimes!!!

I have no carpet, just throw rugs everywhere and they create no static.

[asm198]

I just couldn't do hardwoods, even with all the issues you guys have brought up. None of us have any sort of allergies, so that's not an issue. Our carpet is a light bone/stone color and does get crazy dirty, but we deal because I HATE wearing socks unless my feet are freezing, so I definitely can't stand slippers.

Plus, our dogs would have a fit. Our older dog despises going into our kitchen, which has linoelum, so he's have a complete fit if the entire house was slippery and would do exactly what he does at my mom's house. When he's there, he stays in her carpeted areas unless he's called, then he slowly makes his way towards the person calling him in the family room and stops multiple times along the way.

Plus, I get a sick sense of pleasure with shampooing our carpets and seeing how gross the water can get.

[EmberMae]

My mom said she went with laminate because "it's easier to maintain and her children are slobs."

I think wood (real or fake, whatever), looks pretty nice, but when we're all in the family room and we run out of couch space it sure is uncomfortable as hell to sit on. They have a little oriental rug covering part of it, but it still is uncomfortable.

On the other hand, I am fed up with this cheap shit apartment carpet. We've only been here two years (granted it wasn't new when we got here), but it looks horrible and I don't even know how it got so dirty. Well my fiance does insist upon wearing his shoes in the house all the freaking time. We need to steam clean it but I'm afraid we're still going to get charged when we move out. I think it's their fault for getting piece of shit carpet.

My parents have berber carpet upstairs and it's pretty nice, it definately looks better than what I have.

[Xander]

My mom said she went with laminate because "it's easier to maintain and her children are slobs."
Hahah... :p

Well, there is zero way in hell I'm going with carpet (even though it's already carpet), so that's that. I'm thinking if laminate is strong enough to not scratch with a dog, I'll go with that. If it's not, I'll go with hardwood so I can refinish it when I sell (can't refinish with laminate).

Now it's a matter of color... mid-tone for sure, but I'm thinking with a red tint.

[capella]

I LOVE berber carpeting. My house is mostly ceramic tile... those big 16x16 tiles. I wasn't a huge fan when I moved in since I prefer carpeting (it's more comfy), but I like it now because it's easier to clean (not a fan of cleaning grout though). We have carpet in the family room and the bedrooms. I will be replacing the carpet in the family room with berber when it's time.

[texasgirl]

We need to steam clean it but I'm afraid we're still going to get charged when we move out.

Most apartment complexes replace carpeting every four years, so if you've been there 4+ years then you won't owe anything since they'll have to replace it anyway. If the carpet is less than four years old when you move out but they have to replace it, they are supposed to pro-rate the amount... Like if the carpet costs $500 but you've been there 2 years, they should only charge you around $250. (You may already know this, but I just discovered that policy at our complex!)