Installing Pergo floor

[Big Daddy]

I am getting ready to install Pergo in my kitchen. I have a newer house and I currently have vinyl in the kitchen. I want to install the Pergo right over the vinyl and I've heard this is possible, but what I can't seem to find anywhere is how to level the floor should I have any depressions in the floor greater than 1/8". I've heard about leveling compound, but would I apply this directly on top of the vinyl? What is the best way to do this without ripping up the vinyl? Thanks.

[Big Daddy]

[luv2cmwork]

Well, I live more than 20 miles away and I put down a Pergo floor in my kitchen, so I guess that makes me an expert!

Under Pergo, you will need to put a "felt" underlayment. There were two types, when I put my floor down. One was quite thin (and cheap) and the other was quite thick (and more expensive). I opted for the expensive one. I didn't do any leveling. I laid the Pergo over those old vinyl type tiles that were used in may commercial buildings in the old days.

AS long as you use the underlayment fabric, I don't think you'll need to do any leveling, unless it has some REAL dips and bumps.

[George E. Cawthon]

Yes, put it directly on the vinyl. I have only used one brand Armstrong S-194 and it worked very well. It is like portland cement but dries very quickly 20-30 minutes open time. In addition to putting it on chipboard before installing laminate flooring, I have also put it on embossed vinyl before installing new vinyl. If you were putting it down as a skim coat over embossed vinyl and adding new vinyl you would need to be very careful to fill all the embossed valleys or the embossing would would bleed through the new vinyl. But with laminate on top you don't need to do be that careful, just level to within 1/8". You need a concrete smoothing tool and after it dries you will probably need to sand a bit.

Too bad you don't live nearby, you could have a half a sack of the stuff. I've only used about 1/6 of the sack on two bathrooms (laying vinyl) and on a kitchen/dining/hall (laying laminate). Cheers.

[George E. Cawthon]

Most laminates say to level if there is more than

1/8" in 2 to 4 feet. Lots of floors have dips or rises of more than 1/8" and some have more than a 1/8" between practically every joist or beam. I used a carpenter's square and was highly surprised at the dips of greater than 1/8' in my floor. I would never have guessed the dips were that much just by eying it.