Wood or Laminate (Pergo)???

[ScottPugh]

The wife and I will be soon tearing up the linoleum in the kitchen / bath rooms and the carpet in the rest of the house. Upstairs (including the new loft (office) / master and 2nd bedroom) will most likely be getting carpet again but the 1st floor, kitchen and both baths (one on each floor) is not going to get the same carpet / linoleum. We are thinking hardwood floors / Pergo in the living room & kitchen, whith Tile in teh bathrooms and the front entrance way.

Anyone have any experience with the wood floors? How much of a beating (spills / pets) can Pergo vs. Real wood take?

Much of a "look" difference?

Did you do it yourself and how easy was it?

[JohnWester]

I've done wood floors, pergo and tile.? All my self. (i don't do carpet)

tile is tile.? Obviously, add sealer to your grout, or get the kind of grout with the sealer already in it, just add water.?

and pergo is obviously cheaper then wood, they look pretty close to the same. If you get close, you can tell.? still looks nice though.? But if pergo gets wet, in the joints, they will swell and you have bumps.? Wood is the best.? That's what I have through out the main floor in my house.? Ya, the kids and dog will scratch it, but you can always refinish it in 5 years.? My wood floor was just the raw unfinished wood when i put it down, then I had a buddy come in and sand it and finish it.? But check out the prefinished wood floors.? They are the same 3/4 inch or 1 inch thick wood pieces, but you don't have to go through the hassle of getting them finished (dusty mess) and you still have the benifit of refinishing them years down the line.? I think you might get a little better (tougher) finish on them coming from the factory that way.?
and if you do your own floor, read up on it about stagering joints, not having them end to close to another, and get it laid out well beneath your cabinets in the kitchen(looks much nicer) and use the best quality under layment paper to prevent moisture from getting up underneath your floor.? And much, much more info then that.?
It certainly looks good when you are done though.? And nothing beats the satisfaction of having that sore back for a week after your done with it too...?

[shakey legs 2]

We went through a major remodeling of the whole house this spring and went with the pre-finished wood floor.  I agree with the previous post that the factory finish might be a little more durable than one you would put on yourself.  A little more costly than laminate but it should hold up better in the long run.