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Your pet is a beloved member of the family, so of course you’ll think about their activities on your choice of new flooring in your home. Owners of dogs, cats, and other furry friends often opt for sturdy laminate or vinyl flooring because it’s scratch-resistant, water-resistant, strong, lasting, and feels good under feet and paws.
Think about what type of style, resilience, and texture you’d like for your family and pets, then consider which flooring meets most or all of your preferences and needs. It’s helpful to make a checklist of the features that are most important to you:
- Scratch Resistance
- Moisture Resistance
- Ease of Maintenance
- Anti-Slip-and-Slide Texture
- Pleasing Look
- Cost Effective
An Effective Claw & Nail Shield
Even with regular nail trimmings, dog and cat nails can inadvertently scratch and nick the surface of some flooring materials. Choose a quality vinyl or laminate flooring with solid, reliable layers and an especially durable wear coating. You’ll want to go with a rigid core product, as it’s far sturdier than flexible vinyl flooring, so can brave beautifully through years of your pet’s boisterous activities without a mark or gouge to be seen.
Exuberant Licks, Wet Weather & Tipped Water Dishes
It’s all part of the lifestyle…water and drool and other oopsies just sort of show up once in a while when you share a home with a pet. It’s worth the inconvenience when you weight it with all the awesome advantages of a pet’s unconditional love; and, having an extra-helpful floor can make it even less of a big deal. Your waterproof flooring makes an easy wipe up quick work. Just be certain to get those accidents cleaned up right away so there’s no fear of staining or warping. Use paper towels to soak up the wetness, then wipe with a gentle cleaner to make your surface pristine again. It’s a smart idea to also place mats under dishes and stay-put entry rugs near doors where your pets have access to the outdoors on snowy, muddy, or rainy days.
Simple Upkeep: Sweep Or Vac + Regular Mopping
Most pet owners already know that their home-cleaning routines must be a bit more thorough than some others and they are fine with that. For pets that shed a lot of fur or dander, bring in dirt and debris from the outdoors, or have messy eating and drinking habits, more frequent sweeping, vacuuming, and light mopping are usually necessary. Vinyl flooring makes it easy to keep up with this routine, as it’s an easy foundation to briskly neaten up and wipe down without complicated steps, products, or tools. Use common sense to figure out how often each area of your home needs freshening up. Rooms that are most frequented by your cat, dog, or other pet will need more regular attention.
Consider Anti-Slip Coatings
Your treasured pet wants to be near his or her favorite creatures—human loved ones. Make it easy and comfortable with a safe, strong slip-free surface. Many laminate and vinyl products are available with an anti-slip finish for better gripping. If your dog is a senior, this is an especially crucial need as they are more prone to injuries and difficulties if they’re forced to walk on a slippery surface. Use grip-backed throw rugs and area rugs on floors that they’ll use if the coating is currently too slippery for them, and seriously consider a product with an anti-slip coating the next time you install a new floor.
A Great Looking Foundation For The Whole Family
Along with a safe, secure and durable floor, you’ll want to choose one that your gang will find appealing to look at for years to come. Many homeowners love the look of faux wood flooring, and especially enjoy how warm and inviting it feels when they see their sweet pets relaxing upon it. As well, there are lovely tile-look options that have a rich feel when paired with an elegant area rug. Some pet owners go with shades of wood-look or other patterns that are ultra-forgiving against stray pet hairs (until they can be swept up) especially in a multi-pet household. Textured top coats on many wood-look vinyl planks and tiles have a rustic grooved or embossed pattern so that adds another forgiving element and a bit more grip for paws.
Tail-Wagging Affordability
If you’ve looked at the prices of authentic wood floors, tiles, marble, high-end carpeting, and others, you’ll welcome the difference in vinyl and laminate material & installation costs. While there is wide range of flooring costs within the vinyl choices, nearly all varieties are much more affordable than authentic counterparts. The photo images and textures give such a real appearance, many people have trouble telling them apart—however vinyl includes the advantage of a softer feel underfoot, too. Set aside a good amount of time to browse all the many styles and aesthetic options for luxury vinyl plank and tile flooring in your price range and you’ll see there are many gorgeous choices. Use the money you save to buy well-deserved treats for that furry family member.
Materials With Concerns For Pet People
If you’re still thinking about flooring made from other materials besides luxury vinyl, it’s best to be informed about drawbacks before making the investment.
Hardwood
While hardwood flooring is revered by many for its beauty and grace, there are many selections of hardwood that are difficult to maintain and more likely to suffer from moisture damage, claw scratches, and scrapes. Daily action and scuffling from dogs and cats may show up sooner on some of the softer wood varieties. Extremely hard woods hold up a bit better, and informal rustic woods are preferred for camouflaging minor incidents. Any authentic wood floor in a home with pets should also have a scratch-resistant coating applied regularly.
Tile Or Marble
As your pets are running across a sleek tile or marble floor, they may tumble or slide and at the very least be frightened of that out-of-control feeling. It’s hard to gain balance when the foundation beneath their paws is so slippery. The last thing you want is an uninviting space for them or an injured pooch. These floors are also usually quite hard on both human and pet joints, without any give, so keep that in mind for the future.
Carpet
It’s soft under foot and paw, so that may appeal to you; however, consider its maintenance needs especially for pet accidents and shed fur. You’ll need to vacuum frequently and spend more time and effort scrubbing out any stains or marks left by pets. For any carpeted areas in a pet-occupied home, go with low-pile choices that have stain-resistant applications, making them easier to clean when necessary. Or better yet—stick with luxury vinyl for easier maintenance.
It’s All About All Of You
Thank you for keeping your precious pets in mind when choosing a new flooring option for your home. We all know they are incredibly valued members of the family, so ensuring their comfort and happiness is important. Having an easy-to-use and maintain floor offers you and your family more happiness and time to spend together, as well. Here’s to pets, and here’s to you!