If you have one or more indoor pets and are considering replacing your current flooring, you may wonder how the various replacement options will fare with your animals. Between claw marks, bladder accidents or hairballs, and shedding, pets can put a floor through its paces. What are your most durable choices? Read on to learn more about the various flooring options and how they stand up to the typical pet.
Vinyl (sheet or tile)
These floors have become a popular option in many new homes because of their durability and versatility. These floors are available either in a large vinyl sheet, similar to linoleum, or individual tiles that are glued or snapped together.
In general, vinyl floors stand up well to pets' claws and hair. Vinyl tiles can be particularly useful, as they are simple to replace if a portion of the floor is damaged. However, vinyl tiles have tiny openings in between each tile -- prolonged exposure to moisture can warp the tiles or damage the subfloor. Meanwhile, vinyl sheets are moisture-resistant, but if a portion of the sheet is damaged, it may be more difficult to repair.
If you choose vinyl floors, you may want to evaluate the behaviors of each pet before selecting an installation method. If you have a declawed cat who is prone to accidents, you may want to choose a solid vinyl sheet. If you have house-trained dogs who like to skitter across the floor at full speed, vinyl tiles may be a better choice.
Hardwood
There are two primary types of hardwood -- engineered and natural. Engineered hardwood is a composite wood, created from several thin layers of hardwood veneer heat-treated and pressed together. Engineered hardwood tends to be more durable than natural hardwood, but cannot be refinished.
If you choose hardwood for your home, you will likely want to forgo the engineered wood and go with a harder type of natural wood (pine is soft and more prone to scratches, while walnut and maple are much harder). If your floors are eventually damaged by pets, you'll be able to have them refinished to look like new.
Carpet
Carpet is soft and plush, and provides much more cushion for those on their feet all day than hardwood or tile -- however, carpet and pets often do not mix. If you do select carpet for a pet-heavy area, choose a textured style, which can help repel fur (so that it can be easily vacuumed). You may also want to choose a darker color of carpet to avoid staining issues.
Talk to a company like RC Lees Carpet One Floor & Home to find out what kind of flooring they recommend for your home.
Share1 December 2014
