When making the decision to have a new flooring installation, there are a plethora of considerations a family has to make. One that is frequently overlooked by homeowners, and one they come to regret not making, is how their flooring will affect their pets, and vice versa of course. Dogs and cats can find certain types of flooring difficult or uncomfortable to walk on and can even damage them.
Types Of Flooring To Avoid
There are two types of flooring that a family should generally avoid if they keep pets around the house. The first of these is, surprisingly, tile flooring. While at first glance tile floors seem perfectly suited for pets as they are durable and generally liquid resistant. While these are true in general, tile floors can also be slippery and difficult for larger animals to walk on, especially as they age. Cats in particular also seem to have a distaste for walking on tile flooring and will avoid it if possible, leading to them walking across countertops and tables which many families do not appreciate. Tile flooring also includes grouting between the tiles, and grout has a tendency to stain when exposed to liquids. Sealing the grout can actually help prevent this staining effect.
The second flooring type to avoid is hardwood. Though this type of flooring is beautiful in any home, hardwood floors are prone to scuffing and scratching from the claws of dogs. Hardwoods with a higher Janka rating (a scale that measures the hardness of wood) will resist scratching more effectively, although the finish could still be in danger. Dogs also occasionally have trouble walking on hardwood floors as they age, although not to the extent of tile.
Pet Friendly Flooring
The first and most common option for pet friendly flooring is carpeting. Carpeting is soft and provides an easy surface for pets to walk on and is not prone to damage from little clawed feet. Carpet does have a downside in that it can be stained by pet urine if it is not cleaned up immediately, however a number of products are now available to counter this particular issue.
Laminate floorings are one of the best choices for pet owners for a number of reasons. Laminate floorings have the same aesthetic appeal of tile or hard wood but are not as slippery or prone to damage as they are. The only concern with laminates is that they are prone to water damage but as long as accidents are cleaned up quickly there should be no problems.
And if you still have questions about the appropriate flooring for your 4-legged friend, give us a call today.