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Can appliances be installed on top of Pergo in a kitchen? Or is it best to have the refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and trash compactor sitting on the subfloor? If so, do I have to use a piece of moulding around the refrigerator?
Our sink cabinet is from Ikea and has 6 inch legs so, ideally, the Pergo would be visible underneath. The apron sink and cabinet together will weigh about 200 pounds.
Is it a good idea to use scrap flooring to put under the appliances to raise them to flooring height so they'll be easy to slide out if repairs are needed (if counter height permits)?
Sounds to me like your concern is that the floor won't float with the weight of these items? I don't think that should be a concern: they seem to float enough to allow for expansion and contraction no matter how much weight you put on them.
The true concern would be potential exposure to moisture. Most laminates have special instructions for, or admonsih against, use in such areas as baths and kitchens. I'd check before installing.
If you are worried about scratching your floor if you have to move the appliances, make sure they have glides under them. A scrap of upside down commercial carpet under their feet will also work.
We ran the laminate under the stove, dishwasher and fridge.
We didn't run it under our cabinets (all sit completely flush with the floor - no "legs" anywhere). We ran the flooring up to within a 1/4" of the cabinets, then added quarter-round to cover the gap. Newer appliances usually have some type of "glide" if they don't have wheels (refrigerators tend to have wheels), and we haven't had any scratching problems when we needed to move any of them.
I wouldn't recommend setting your appliances on the subfloor, as you'll chew up the edge of the flooring every time you have to pull them up and over that "lip".
Yes it's true that laminate isn't recommended for wet areas, but unless your dishwasher or fridge has a known leak problem, most of your moisture is going to come from your sink, and as long as that is kept to a minimum, laminate should hold up as well as wood or linoleum.
