Your flooring plays a massive part in tying the aesthetic of your living space together. Therefore, it must look great and fit seamlessly with your home’s decor. Moreover, it must be hard-wearing enough to stand the test.
For some, hardwood flooring may seem like the perfect solution. But while hardwood can (and does) look fabulous in several use contexts, it does have its limitations. For example, hardwood is prone to warping when exposed to moisture, and while it can be sanded down and re-finished, it can be tricky keeping up with all the little dents and scratches that can mar its appearance. What’s more, it can be devilishly tricky and expensive to install.
On the other hand, laminate flooring has come along leaps and bounds in recent years. As a result, it offers a look and feels that it is virtually indistinguishable from hardwood at a fraction of the price.
What is Pergo TimberCraft?
Pergo Timbercraft is a beautiful laminate wood flooring that combines the look and feel of hardwood with superior waterproofing. It features a decorative outer layer that provides a pleasing grain, which sits atop a core of the high-quality, high-density fiber. The printing process has been painstakingly engineered to deliver the idiosyncrasies of wood grain, knots, and cracks in hardwood while providing superior durability.
Each TimberCraft board is made by fusing the multiple layers with a process that uses intense heat and pressure. This brings you a sturdy feel (each plank is 12mm thick) and a natural hardwood sound, combined with the easy interlocking, making it much simpler and more satisfying to fit.
Please note: Unlike other Pergo products like their Outlast Plus range, the Timbercraft line does not come with its foam underlayment attached. This should be applied if you’re to get the best out of your TimberCraft laminate flooring. It provides a little more softness and yields underfoot while supporting impact resistance. It also adds to the waterproofing measures already inherent in the flooring and improves the flooring’s insulation for a more comfortable feel and superior soundproofing. Pergo Timbercraft flooring is designed for use with Pergo Gold underlayment.
WetProtect – Overcoming the traditional limits of hardwood flooring.
One of the most frustrating limitations of hardwood flooring is its susceptibility to warping when used in bathrooms and en-suite shower closets. The beauty of Timbercraft laminate flooring is that it allows you the look and feel of hardwood without ever needing to worry about warping. That’s because TimberCraft boards are made with the brand’s signature WetProtect technologies which prevent household spills, bath and shower water, and even pet accidents from staining, warping, or damaging the flooring in the ways that are all too common with hardwood.
In this regard, Pergo TimberCraft flooring is superior to hardwood. It will retain its look, color, and shade as the years go by without variation in color, shape, or texture. No matter what spills, drops and accidents occur along the way.
If you’re training a new puppy, in the early years of starting a family or want to use Pergo Timbercraft in the bathroom, you’ll enjoy a great look that’s wipe-clean and water-resistant for years to come.
Scotchguard – Protecting your flooring where it needs it most
Water isn’t the only thing this high-quality laminate flooring can easily repel. A layer of Scotchguard protects the lustrous finish. While it is invisible and undetectable to the touch, it’s always hard at work repelling stains, spills, and scratches so that you can enjoy the same excellent finish for decades to come.
This will provide great peace of mind for those who want to lay down TimberCraft flooring in areas of high foot traffic like the kitchen or living room, where drops and spills are par for the course. It’s also great for those with playful pets whose claws could create worrisome scratches on lesser flooring. Not to mention those with young kids who like nothing more than getting creative with paints and crayons while sitting on the floor.
Available finishes
Speaking of the finish, Pergo’s TimberCraft line features a wide range of great colors to fit virtually any home’s aesthetic and architectural personality. So whether your tastes veer towards the traditional and conservative or the contemporary and experimental (or even a little bit of both), you’re sure to find something that’s an excellent fit for your space and your home.
Available finishes for this range include;
- Antique barn wood
- Empire oak
- Cayman oak
- Gatehouse oak
- Wheaton oak
- Crest ridge hickory
Want a closer look? You can see each color in greater detail by checking out Pergo’s website.
Pergo Timbercraft installation guide
Pergo TimberCraft flooring is designed to be quick and easy to install. However, if this is your first time, you might need a helping hand to ensure you get it right. With that in mind, we’ll end the review with a quick installation guide to show you how easy it is to install and ensure that you set off on the right path.
TimberCraft is designed for a “floating” installation. This means it can be laid down right out of the box if your flooring has a flat surface, such as concrete or wood. Tiled floors, however, are uneven and can compromise the integrity of the planks. If you have a tiled floor, you’ll need to remove the layers of tile and grout and smooth your floor before laying your laminate flooring.
A demo hammer with a flexible blade is an excellent tool for this.
Despite the water-resistant nature of TimberCraft, it’s also a good idea to lay down a moisture barrier like tar paper before applying your underlayment. This will ensure superior protection from water damage, even in floods.
Now that your surface is prepared, you’re ready to add your laminate flooring. Here are some guidelines to get you started…
- First, measure out and plan your first line, taking care to inspect each plank. Start in a corner if possible.
- Remove the tongue on the short and long edges of the first row of boards and lay them down straight across the room. Be sure to leave a 3/8-inch gap at both ends and wall sides. This will be filled with 100% silicone and a 3/8-inch compressible PE foam backer rod for water resistance, sound, and draft-proofing.
- Suppose you have a fireplace and backfill planks with a tapping block and mallet. Scribe uneven walls onto the end plank if the wall is rough. If the wall is straight, remove the tongue.
- Add new planks by inserting the end tongue into the groove and rotating downward.
- Make sure joints are tightly closed before moving on.
- On the second and subsequent rows, your first piece should be at least 8-inches long to guarantee it will hold. Leave at least a foot between joins.
- When inserting the tongue of each new plank, do so at a slight angle, leaving a 1/2-inch gap along the long side. Rotate the board downwards. You’ll hear/ feel a click as the short edge joints lock.
- When short ends are joined together, raise the long outside edge of the plank by about an inch and tap into place with a mallet and push block.
- Repeat until the entire room is finished.
Final thoughts
With outstanding waterproofing, a highly durable finish, and a fantastic look, Pergo TimberCraft gives you the excellent watch and feel of hardwood with perhaps even more outstanding durability and versatility at a great price.