IS YOUR FLOOR PET FRIENDLY?

Dogs add an extra challenge when choosing flooring for your home.  If you have a dog in your home, your flooring has probably fallen victim to scuffs, stains and even lingering odor. Any flooring you can think of has its pros and cons, so it’s a fine balancing act which flooring best suits your dog. The good news is that there are pet friendly flooring options.  The bad news is that there is not one flooring option that is 100% scratch resistant and eventually your flooring will get scratched, whether this is from you or your pet.

At Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas and San Luis Obispo, we can help you find the solution that best meets your needs and the comfort of your pet.

carpet

Carpet is much softer and more comfortable under paws, but it’s not the ideal choice with a dog because carpet is liable to stain and hold odors. Dog hair is also hard to remove from carpet and unless carpet is vacuumed almost daily, dog hair can become almost embedded in carpet fibers.

HARDWOOD

Hardwood flooring can be damaged by a dog’s nails so look for a wood with a quality urethane finish.  If you do choose to go with wood floors, solid hardwood is the best option as engineered wood floors can only be refinished once or twice, while solid hardwood can be refinished as often as necessary.  Any spills or accidents on hardwood should be cleaned up immediately, to avoid staining or damage.  

BAMBOO FLOORING

Bamboo is an excellent choice for homes with pets, for many different reasons. It’s harder than the hardest hardwoods, meaning it will stand up to more traffic. It won’t wear out, and it’s completely renewable, so it makes a good choice for those who are trying to be green. It is stain resistant, so people don’t have to worry about accidents or spills. Due to bamboo’s hardness it will save money compared to repairing other types of flooring. For those who are trying to decide between using hardwood and vinyl flooring, choosing bamboo floors is a great compromise.

LAMINATE

You can achieve the look of hardwood with laminate. A high quality laminate flooring is known for it’s durability and many people choose it when they have pets. One caution with laminate, it does not respond well to water or liquid so make sure spills are wiped up immediately. Once laminate is damaged, it can’t be repaired, it must be replaced.

CORK FLOORS

Cork is a green flooring choice good for the environment and the health of the occupants, pets included. Cork is an antimicrobial type of flooring that will reduce the growth of mold and other allergens. Cork is scratch resistant, though it should be swept regularly to prevent scratching from particles of dirt left on the floor. It is an excellent sound absorption option, so as pets walk across the floor, it will not be as loud. While the flooring is water resistant, it is a natural product, so spills should be cleaned up promptly. Discoloration of this flooring will happen over time when exposed to sunlight.

STONE TILE FLOORING

This type of flooring is amazing for pet owners because it does not scratch easily, and scratches don’t show as they do in other types of flooring. When pets have accidents on the floor, there is much less reason to worry over how this will impact the condition of the flooring. With these two factors considered, this is a good choice for pet owners. 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, especially if they feature a polished finish.

CERAMIC Tile

Much similar to stone or porcelain, ceramic tile is a good choice in terms of wear and tear for pets. It won’t scratch easily. If pets don’t manage to make it outside before relieving themselves, the urine won’t damage the condition of the tile.  Many dog owners go for a ceramic tile floor in the belief that it has a durable surface that is not absorbent. That is partly correct, but with ceramic tile comes grout and grout is very porous and susceptible to staining. It is recommended to seal the grout to help avoid staining and discoloration. The downside to ceramic is that the surface can be is slippery and hard on the dog’s joints, especially as they age.

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.

I hope this helped!  There are many options and I do think flooring with pets is a touch decision that needs to be addressed at the onset of the project.  Contact Cinderella in Salinas or San Luis Obispo for a free in-home measurement and let us help you pick the right floor for you and your pet.