Choosing the Right Flooring for Pets in the Home

Having pets in the home, make choosing a floor become even more important and difficult. What are the best flooring choices for our pets? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of several types of flooring.

Hardwood Flooring

Even though this is one of the most desired types of flooring, it is not the best choice for homes with pets. Pet urine can stain the hardwood, leaving a dark spots. Even if urine accidents are cleaned up quickly after it was made, the urine may still cause damage by seeping into the wood. To remove these stains, you may have to go so far as to strip, sand, and refinish the floor. If the stains are all over the place, the entire floor may need to be redone. At times, the odor and stain may reappear because of salt crystals left behind from the urine. If this happens, completely replacing the wood may be necessary.

Pet owners sometimes forget to factor is the pet’s water bowl. You should place the water bowl on a mat of some sort to help protect the hardwood from moisture if the bowl spills. Quickly dry the spill after it happens, because moisture can soak down causing it to swell and contract to the wood.

Keeping pets nails trimmed or filed will also be necessary to avoid scratches on the flooring. Their claws may damage the surface while walking or running across the floor.

If the flooring is coated with a high quality urethane, it will be more scratch and stain resistant. For best maintenance, sweep the floors clean at least once a week.

Bamboo is is one of the best Pet-friendly flooring choices and it is harder than the hardest hardwood flooring.

Laminate Flooring

Because of the hardness of laminate flooring, pet owners may turn to it instead of traditional hardwood. This choice works to provide the décor customers want but it might not be a very good choice for pets (especially dogs) because they will slip and slide as they walk or run, which may cause damage to their bodies. Laminate won’t show scratches as easily as other surfaces, but because they are so slippery and uncomfortable to lie on, rugs are recommended.

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo is an excellent choice for homes with pets. This surface will stand up for more traffic since it is harder than the hardest hardwoods. This fact will also save money compared to repairing other types of flooring. Another pro is the fact that it won’t wear out, and it’s completely renewable, this meaning it makes a good choice for those who wish to be green. Bamboo flooring is stain resistant, so people don’t have to worry about spills. For those who are trying to decide between using hardwood and vinyl flooring, bamboo floors are a great choice.

Cork Floors

Cork is a green flooring choice. This is a great pick for the environment and the health of the occupants (including pets). Cork is an antimicrobial and this fact will reduce the growth of mold and other allergens. Even thought cork is scratch resistant, it should be swept regularly to prevent scratching from particles of dirt left on the floor. As pets walk across the floor, it will not be as loud since cork is  excellent at sound absorption. Also, it is recommended that the spills should be cleaned up immediately. Because of the exposure to sunlight, discoloration of this flooring might happen.

Stone Tile Flooring

Since this type of floor does not scratch easily, stone tile flooring is amazing for pet owners. When pets have accidents on the floor, there is much less reason to worry over how this will impact the condition of the flooring. The down side is that those floors are hard and cold so they are not very comfortable to lie on, unless the floor is heated by radiant heat. We recommend you to consider using area rugs and pet beds. Granite is the hardest of the natural stones and is the best choice for scratch resistance. Softer stones such as marble, slate, and travertine may require somewhat more maintenance than granite.

Tile

Much similar to stone, porcelain or ceramic tile is a good choice for pets. The great thing is that it doesn’t scratch easily. Pet urine won’t damage the condition of the floor as it would happen with hardwood. However, the surface is hard and uncomfortable for pets to lie on, but rugs or pet beds will help.

Vinyl Flooring

While most people wouldn’t think vinyl to be a very pet friendly flooring choice, the new luxury vinyl flooring is an excellent choice, and it’s great for small children, too. The flooring is scratch and stain resistant, low in allergens, easy to clean and maintain, and even quiet to walk on.

Carpet

If you own a pet, carpets seems to be the worst flooring choice, simply because it is easy to destroy. Even normal wear and tear on carpet in a pet-free home happens faster than with other flooring options. If carpet is the only choice because it is the most cost effective option, the best thing to do is to pick a carpet without loops since this can cause the carpet to wear faster.

While budget and ease of installation will be factors impacting the flooring decisions of a home, taking time to consider the best flooring options for pets beforehand may save money you might spend for repairs. Cutting corners on flooring to save money is not a good choice if the flooring needs to be replaced.