Laminate flooring question

[Art Begun]

Wilsonart can only be clicked once. Mannington as many times as you want. So I dumped the Wilsonart. Read the QuickStep warranty. I think I dumped it based on warranty.

[Jimbo]

My preference in order for the top 2. #1 Pergo Select. #2. Alloc. The rest are copy cats.

One of the top reasons for Pergo, it's a photo laminate process. Meaning if you should have to replace a piece 10 yrs. down the road, and the style is obsolete, you can take a left over piece from any lot in the world and it will match. No other manufacturer can make that claim.

Pergo started making their btm of the line stuff to compete with the Manningtons etc because the average consumer thinks laminate is laminate, and they responded by demand. It's just other manufacturers started making cheaper stuff and everyone uses Pergo as the measuring stick.

Pergo select uses a two step process called HPL (high pressure laminate process), their lower lines use a one step process called DL (direct laminate process). All the copy cats use the lower line Pergo process.

Alloc is nice stuff for covering large areas, if you like working with big pieces.

The higher end Pergo and Alloc will only be found in specialty stores.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

My only experience with laminate is Wilson Art. It has been in my house over five years in the heaviest traveled area. It still looks as good as the day it was installed. I have no idea how it stacks up against other brands. Ed [e-mail]

[Art Begun]

Pergo has a poor warranty and bad reputation for service. Most of the flooring stores in my area dropped it for a while though some are giving it a second chance because the product has improved. Originally their bottom layer was not laminate..... it was just card board.... and very suseptible to water damage and customer complaints. That has been fixed but the bad rap still holds on for a while.

anyone

laminate,

laminate

process.

stores.

[Jimbo]

Simply untrue on the warranty/service & about the btm layer. Cardboard?, where on earth did you get that idea? I've been installing Pergo since it was introduced in the USA about 11-12 yrs ago.

I am certified by the only 2 manufacturers which certify for laminate. One is Pergo, the other is Mannington which discontinued their certification for laminates.

Pergo in my opinion warranties their product better than any manufacturer.

I install all brands being an installer, which means I handle factory warranty repairs. Pergo is tops for warranty service. Surely I have seen more warranty claims than you, I know who is known for denying claims, and who honors them.

Your information is incorrect.

[Art Begun]

People can read the warranty for themselves at:

"Warranty does not apply to water damage, including ..... standing water (water that remains on the floor for more than 30 minutes)"

Kind of reads worthless to me. So if your kid spills a glass of water and no one notices for 30 minutes and Pergo is damaged there is no coverage.

On the other hand Mannington covers normal household spills. Exception is for flooding normally covered by insurance.

Another thing I love about the Pergo warranty is that it says "Installation of flooring that contains any manufacturing defect is not covered by this warranty." So if the product has an invisible defect theoretically they could say so sad, too bad.

Here is the Mannington warranty.

Notice it says that products installed with OBVIOUS VISIBLE defects are not covered by warranty. That is fair. The Pergo warranty is not.

As far as service, all I can go by is what the stores told me. All carried Mannington, Pergo and other brands and claimed Pergo historically was very difficult to get warranty claims thru whereas Mannington was easy to deal with if there was a problem.

By the way, when I had my Mannington installed, I took issue with something that was not installed exactly per specifications. Mannington told me verbally that it would not be a problem and when I asked for the assurance in writing they gave that to me too.

complaints.

Cardboard?,

laminate. One

certification for

manufacturer.

factory

known for

[Jimbo]

You're arguing with the wrong person here.

Stores didn't drop Pergo, Pergo dropped stores on their top of the line products unless the store has a certified installer on staff.

Mannington warranty covers normal household spills, a wide open warranty which is determined upon inspection for claim.

As I said, I do this day in and day out except for over the holidays. I know which product is _better_.

Defects are not covered by _any_ manufacturer if installed defective, the defect has to be detected before installation. Your theory is incorrect.

Mannington isn't a bad product for being a _lower line_ laminate, but it can't compare with the better products of Pergo & Alloc.

You're trying to compare Mannington to another product which you have absolutely no experience or knowledge of.

[Art Begun]

I would recommend that people visit

and go to the groups page. They can then search this group on Pergo, Mannington, and other brands and count complaints. Obviously the biggest seller is likely to have more complaints but I they will find Pergo a standout complaint wise. The vast majority of complaints are about Pergo.

[Jimbo]

Smart people know the difference of a valid complaint. Pergo investigates every complaint or through independent resources, namely an endorsed installer or master installer. Those complaints which are not valid do not fall under warranty. The main reason was improper installation. Same with Mannington. Naturally there will unhappy customers due to their own mistakes or corner cutting, but wanting someone else to pickup the tab.

I suggest you take your own advice and type in Pergo Complaints. From what I've seen was improper installation such as gaps or lack of vapor barrier. I especially like the complaint of scratches keep appearing overnight, or the one where the OP was the only one that answered their vent _twice_. From personal experience on the glued products it has been improper glue and or improper installation resulting in gaps.

You are right about the biggest seller. It takes manufacturer 2, 3, & 4 to equal the quantity produced and installed of the #1 company Pergo. This is a fact.

From professional standpoint, my initial recommendation stands. #1 Pergo. #2 Alloc. If finances don't allow top of line, I would still recommend Pergo lower line even though there are decent manufacturers that follow in their footsteps.