Calling all pet owners! If you're in the process of choosing flooring for an upcoming home improvement project, your pets should be one of your main considerations.
Sure, solid hardwood flooring looks nice, but it won't look so great if your cat uses it as their personal scratching post. And while carpeting can be soft and cozy, the appeal will soon disappear when the family dog keeps leaving muddy pawprints all over your cream shag pile.
Although aesthetics are important, pet-friendly flooring should be easy to clean and scratch-resistant. It should also offer good sound absorption and a decent amount of traction. Looking for new floors that meet all of these requirements will keep both your flooring and your four-legged friends safe and protected.
So, what is the best flooring for pets? Keep reading to find out!
1. Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is perfect for pet owners, offering a durable surface that's easy to install and even easier to clean. What's more, there are more options to choose from than ever before when it comes to choosing flooring that matches your home's design and color palette.
As for your furry friends, they'll love the way that vinyl is cool in summer and warm in winter - especially if you install heating beneath your new floors. There's also no chance of your dog's pads and claws skating across vinyl flooring since this kind of flooring offers a good amount of traction.
2. Ceramic and Porcelain Tile
Tiled floors are one of the most timeless, durable, and popular options out there. And with good reason. There are so many materials, finishes, and styles to choose from, you're sure to find a tile you like. But, while natural stone looks good, the best flooring for pets are ceramic and porcelain tiles as they're sealed and glazed for added protection.
As you might imagine, the benefits of tile flooring are numerous, from helping to keep your home cool in summer to improving air quality. For pet owners, in particular, tiles avoid the clicking noise of pet claws thanks to a cement board underlayment, and they're very easy to clean with a quick wipe and difficult to stain. That said, investing in stain-resistant epoxy grout or additional sealing is a smart move when choosing flooring for dirt-magnet, accident-prone pets.
One disadvantage is the lack of traction that some tiles can offer. Older pets may have trouble getting up from a sitting position on a tiled floor so you might want to go for tiles with a better grip when choosing between flooring options.
3. Cork Flooring
Although cook flooring isn't very common, it's an excellent choice for pet owners. Cork looks like hardwood flooring and it's also microbial. This means that even if your pet has an accident on the floor, the flooring is less likely to develop mold, bacterial growth, or other harmful allergens.
So, although you should always strive to clean up messes as soon as possible, you won't have to worry about the consequences if you don't spot it straight away.
Another benefit of cork flooring is how well it absorbs sound. If you're not a fan of the clipping noise that your pet's claws make as they traipse through your home, cork could be the best flooring for your pets and for you too.
4. Concrete
Most people consider finished concrete flooring to be for industrial and commercial spaces. But, as concrete gains popularity as an option for residential floors for its minimal, clean look, many are starting to appreciate how a well-finished concrete floor is also very durable and resistant to stains.
Although white concrete isn't advisable for pet owners, colored concrete flooring stain offers you a choice of hues for your home. Many condos and apartments across the country already have a concrete floor base so you might only need to prepare the concrete for staining and finishing. And, to prevent moisture absorption from pet accidents, adding a water prevention layer is a must.
5. Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo is another less-common option that's ideal when choosing flooring that both pets and pets owners will love.
Even though it's considered wood flooring, bamboo is actually a type of grass. Some bamboo flooring, such as strand-woven bamboo, is extremely durable thanks to the infusion of resins during the production process. As for your pets, they'll love the natural warmth that emanates from bamboo during the winter.
6. Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is a great choice for pet owners and their pets, with this option offering a more affordable price tag than real hardwood as well as a good level of scratch resistance.
That said, you'll need to check the abrasion class (AC) rating of your choice of laminate to see how scratch-resistant it is. Floors rated as AC1 or AC2 might not be suitable for dogs so you should look for laminate flooring with an AC rating of 3 and above. Although, AC4 and AC5 floors tend to offer fewer design options since they're usually for commercial settings rather than residential floors.
We'd also advise that you choose a thicker 12 mm laminate floor with an underlayment. This can help cut a lot of the hollow clipping noise of pet claws as your fur baby walks around your home.
7. Engineered Wood Flooring
Engineered wood flooring offers the best of both laminate flooring and solid hardwood floors. The engineering part involves adding a "wear layer" on top of layered wood and a thin layer of real hardwood. For those of you who might be worried about the possibility of scratches and stains, it's possible to sand down some engineered floors and refinish them, especially if they have the right protective finish to withstand these issues.
As well as this additional durability, engineered wood floors are warm and come in a wide range of finishes, colors, patterns, and qualities. Small spills and other forms of surface moisture are also easy to clean up from engineered floors without causing damage. Although, excessive spills can result in permanent damage so this might not be a good flooring option for puppies.
Choosing the Best Pet-Friendly Flooring for Your Home
Before you make a final decision on the best flooring for your pets, it's a good idea to weigh up the pros and cons of each option.
While some pet owners might prioritize warmth and comfort, others know how only the most durable, stain-resistant flooring will do. But, whichever flooring option you go for, make sure to get it from a flooring retailer with unrivaled industry knowledge.
Looking for more information about pet-friendly flooring? Want the best price and service when shopping for new floors? Feel free to contact us today for a free estimate.
