Best Flooring For Cats And Dogs

Tile And Stone Flooring: Best Waterproof Flooring For Pets

Tile and stone flooring are definitely our top picks if you are looking for the best scratch-resistant flooring that is also waterproof. However, they are not the most comfortable for your pets, so make sure to add softness and warmth for them.

Durability & Quality :

Installation :

Water-resistant, stain-resistant, and easy to clean, tile and stone flooring can hold up to whatever your pet dishes out. It is one of the best options when it comes to pet-friendly flooring.

If you know your pet is prone to accidents or loves bringing mud and water into the home, you may decide that you need waterproof flooring. Tile and stone flooring are the best waterproof options, as they wont be damaged or retain stains.

Stone and tile for pets work well for pets of all ages. Whether you have a new puppy that is still learning to potty-train, or an older dog who has trouble controlling its bowels, these floors are very forgiving.

And if you forget to trim your pets nails, you dont have to worry about them scratching or damaging your floors. Tile flooring can be highly affordable, costing from as little as $1.00 per square foot, though good quality tiles can set you back as much as $30.00 per square foot.

Now, the downside is that while tile and stone are convenient for you, they arent the most comfortable flooring for your pet. These floors are hard and cold.

Tips When Using Tile and Stone Flooring for Pets

Types Of Floorings To Avoid

The main material you should not use if youre planning on having your pets indoors is carpet. Unfortunately, carpeting will collect odors and will stain easily, not to mention the number of hairs it can collect if your pet tends to shed.

However, choosing a carpeted floor is the softest option on your little ones feet. If you do decide to go with it, we recommend getting a good vacuum cleaner and stain remover. Talk to your flooring company beforehand to make sure you have the right kind for your carpet.

What Is The Best Flooring For Kids

It depends on the age of the children. For newborns and infants that are prone to spills and messes, laminate floors are ideal due to their easy cleaning. For toddlers on-the-move, carpet is a safe bet due to the extra padding. Additionally, it can take the beating of toys being dragged across it without showing any damage.

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Which Type Of Wood Flooring Is Best For Dogs

If real wood is the most important thing to you, then engineered wood with a thick protective finish is the best option. It will cost you extra but can save you refinishing costs in the long run.

Theres no great answer to this question. Wood and dogs simply arent a great combination. However, this is your best option if wood matters to you. And your resale value will thank you.

Cat Friendly Carpeting Carpets That Work Well With Cats

Cats are a very important part of the household, and my customers know I love cats . I own 2 catsor maybe I should say, they own me and allow me to pay the mortgage. Cats are wonderful, but sometimes they can do number on carpets, so its ideal to select a carpet that will co-exist well with your cat. What types of carpets are best for cats?

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The most common issue with cats are that the carpet pulls . But,, there can also be issues with hair balls, vomit, spraying and urine. Once you have spraying and/or urine in the carpet, its nearly impossible to solve short of removing the carpet. Thats because of 2 things. First, cats can smell much better than we can. Second, usually, these items penetrate beneath the carpet into the carpet pad and the backing, so even the best carpet cleaning will never fully solve the issue. You need to remove all evidence of the smell and start fresh.

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How Do You Install Vinyl Plank Flooring

LVP is relatively easy to install, meaning the cost to install vinyl plank flooring is very appealing. You have multiple options, so you can go with whichever sounds easiest to you and whichever will best suit your needs.

Basically, there are two main methods:

What is a floating floor? Its a floor that isnt attached to the surface below it. And there are two main types of floating vinyl floors:

is type of LVP installation. This method uses special grooves in the side of each plank to join the floor together, creating a seamless surface.

Are there some disadvantages of floating floors? Yesbut almost all of them can be solved by using a proper underlayment for vinyl flooring rather than putting them directly atop the subfloor.

Note:peel and stick vinyl plank flooring isnt generally the best flooring for dogs. Its more of a temporary fix and wont stand up to running puppies for long.

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Ceramic Or Porcelain Tile Floor For Dogs

A tiled floor is generally a good choice for a home with pets and is one of pet parents’ most common options.

It is reasonably priced and is pretty durable.

This is actually considered dog proof flooring.

Ceramic can handle most wear and tear from pets, and it doesnt scratch easily.

Ceramic or porcelain tile is easy to clean, and pet messes wont damage the condition of the floor.

Again, the only drawback to this type of flooring is that it is hard and cold, which can easily be remedied by area rugs, a nice doggy mat, or a chew-proof dog bed.

Ceramic or porcelain flooring is the best-looking one out of all these mentioned above .

It’s also one of the most expensive choices.

So if you feel you can afford it, this may be the top choice on this list.

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Luxury Vinyl For Cats

Luxury vinyl flooring is a durable flooring product that is made with several layers of materials, put together to create a dimensionally stable floor. The top layer, or wear layer, is what helps keep stains, dents, and scratches from penetrating the actual flooring. Its a good option for homes with cats because it is a reliable, durable floor. Luxury vinyl is taking the world by storm with its gorgeous, visually inspiring wood-look planks. This flooring is stain and wear resistant, so you dont have to worry about cats making a mess! Also, with its water-resistant and even waterproof options, liquid stains are no longer an issue. You can install luxury vinyl in living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, finished basements, laundry rooms, and wherever you keep your cat box! Invest in luxury vinyl flooring that will not only wow you with its advanced technology and ease of maintenance, but also its charming designs and youll be happy you did.

Is Vinyl Or Laminate Better For Pets

While both types of flooring are durable and waterproof, vinyl usually has the edge when it comes to being protected from scratches and marks. Vinyl is often more springy and comfortable for pets to walk on, however, this can also be down to the underlay you use too. Also, you may find that some types of flooring come with extra cushioning on each panel or tile, designed for cushioning and soundproofing.

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Best Flooring For Living Room With Pets

Globus Cork Flooring

Globus colored cork products are the most eco-friendly cork flooring line in the market as the company is a pioneer in sustainable cork floor manufacturing. Globus has also received numerous awards and positive reviews due to the quality of its products. While some companies use vinyl top layers, Globus uses 100% cork with edges that wont peel or separate.

iCork Flooring

iCork flooring is sustainable, hypoallergenic, and often longer wearing compared to other hard flooring types. What sets them apart from their competitors is the three-layer polyurethane varnish that keeps the flooring more water-resistant. Their products also have a cellular memory which means that they will spring back from compression over time.

Tile And Stone Flooring

As we mentioned in the introduction, if youre only interested in your own ease and comfort then ceramic and porcelain tiles or natural stone flooring is definitely the best floor for dogs and cats. Tough, stain resistant, water resistant and easy to clean this type of flooring can stand up to anything.

Cats wont mind it too much either, they can always find a soft chair or bed to curl up on, but dogs can find a tile or stone floor pretty hard and uncomfortable. Cold too unless you have radiant underfloor heating, if you go with tile or stone be sure to get plenty of rugs put down in strategic places.

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How Dogs Damage Floors

You might have the most angelic and well-behaved dog on the planetbut your pups behavior and temperament has little to do with the damage that can occur from sharing your home with a dog.

Dog breeds that shed a lot will of course damage things like wall-to-wall carpeting much faster, explains Lisa Modica, interior designer at Cherry Tree Interior Design. Some dog breeds, like Labrador Retrievers and Basset Hounds, have oily fur that can cause a lot of dirt buildup and staining on rugs.

And of course, heavier dogs, or really any dog with a lot of energy that runs around is more likely to scratch up your flooringwhich is why youll definitely want to look into damage-resistant flooring if you want to maintain the look without limiting what and where your dog can play inside.

Best Flooring For Cats And Dogs

We love our dogs, cats and other pet animals they give us love, joy and companionship. However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows and your floor might agree.

Pets might have small “accidents” before they are house-trained. They shed hair. And now and again they may decide to sharpen their claws on pieces of furniture. With Pergo at least the floor is one area you needn’t worry about.

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Pet Friendly Flooring Brands

So far we have concentrated on the best types of flooring for dogs, cats and other pets, but what about the top flooring brands? Many of the household flooring manufacturers are selling products specifically designed with pets in mind. Here is a summary of whats available online and from major retailers.

Offers a couple of products aimed squarely at pet owners. SmartStrand is their branded carpet designed to be moisture resistant, easy to clean with stain protection. They also produce waterproof vinyl planks under the brand name SolidTech designed to cope with any and all pet accidents.

While not specifically a flooring for pets their new Vivero range of luxury vinyl is advertised as both waterproof and extremely scratch resistant.

Their COREtec vinyl plank flooring range is waterproof and ideal for pets.

• Stainmaster

The Best Pet Friendly Floors

• Vinyl Flooring Durable, waterproof, easy to clean and relatively soft.
• Linoleum Flooring Almost as good as vinyl and eco-friendly, but costs more.
• Cork Flooring Hypoallergenic, less rigid than wood but can be damaged by dogs.
• Bamboo Flooring Quality bamboo is tough but not so comfortable for pets.
• Tile & Stone Flooring Great for cleaning but hard and cold for pets.
• Laminate Flooring Durable but slippery and loud for pet claws.
• Hardwood Flooring Softer woods prone to scratches, hard surface for pets and avoid pet urine.
• Carpeting Pets love it but you wont enjoy the cleaning or floor damage.

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Why Do Floor Types Matter

While there’s been little research on the importance of flooring for dogs, some studies, in fact, have demonstrated how certain floor types directly impact a dog’s health.

For example, some flooring types can cause lameness in dogs, locomotion problems and allow dogs to injure themselves easier.

For dogs with conditions like Swimmers Puppy Syndrome, hard or slippery floors can be life-threatening. A type of floor also may cause general dog paw and feet-related health problems and simple discomfort.

Further research into this has also shown how certain animals dogs included are also affected psychologically by the type of flooring they walk daily.

In another study, when given a choice of different flooring types, animals clearly had their preferences and chose one type of flooring over another.

Because your pet will be walking, sleeping, and playing on this floor daily, it has to fit your dog’s profile. At the same time, you also want to make sure the floor will be beneficial for you and your family and look good and complement home decor.

Why Laminate Might Not Be The Best Flooring For Pets

Even if you buy from the best laminate flooring brands, youre inviting disaster if you buy a non-waterproof laminate floor. The best flooring for dogs simply has to be waterproof.

Additionally, the protective coating that makes laminate scratch resistant can also make it slippery. Your dog may have a difficult time moving easily on laminate floors, so the trade-off may not be worth it. You can, however, try a textured type of laminate so that your dog can get some traction.

Finally, as with any other composite, laminate isnt always the most eco-friendly flooring choice. Some products like Armstrong laminate flooring arent even sold in the US anymore because of chemical issuesso be sure to shop for non-toxic laminate flooring only.

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Picking My Top Floors For Cats

There are many things I had to take into account to get my order of best floor for cats. First off, this is best for the homeowner with cats. Its not the best for the cat .

Second, all the floors in this list will work for cats. Especially if your cat is potty trained, nearly any floor will work. So if you hate a floor on the top of this list, keep moving down and youll probably find something you like.

Some common things I took into consideration for best floor for cats were:

• will it be easy to clean up vomit ?
• is it easily damaged by moisture?
• does anything make it difficult to clean in general?
• how expensive is it and can you replace individual sections if there is damage?

1. Luxury vinyl

Luxury vinyl flooring can give you the look of almost any other type of flooring you can think of, from stone to hardwood, without having to worry about moisture. The surface layer is made out of plastic, and when sealed and installed correctly, there is no way for water or cat urine to seep through the luxury vinyl.

When you need to clean up after your cat, luxury vinyl makes it easy. You can mop, sweep, or clean up any messes with a damp rag. Its impermeability also prevents staining.

Despite its durability, luxury vinyl is one of the softer flooring materials out there. It insulates against temperature changes and the tiles or planks have a comfortable feel, which is good for your cat.

Interested in luxury vinyl? Check out our free unbiased guide on how to buy it.

2. Bamboo

3. Tile

Pros Of Waterproof Vinyl Flooring For Pets

• Stain- and scratch-resistant flooring: The thick wear layer helps protect your vinyl floors from sharp claws, but you still want to keep your pets nails trimmed to be extra careful.
• Easy to clean: A quick wipe and disinfecting of the area will do the trick.
• Quiet underfoot: Play with your dog without waking up the rest of the family! Vinyl floors help reduce the sound of his playful paws.
• Waterproof: Well, this ones obvious. With the spills and accidents that come with pets, youll want all the help you can get in keeping your floors looking great. The waterproof factor helps to do the maintenance for you!
• Realistic wood and stone looks: If theres a look you want, youll definitely find it. Concrete, travertine, and slate are very popular when it comes to stone-look vinyl tiles. Wood-look vinyl comes in all the colors and finishes as real hardwood floors. These stylish trends in vinyl flooring make for a dream home to you and your pets.

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Linoleum Floor For Dogs

Linoleum flooring is cheaper than most flooring choices, and it holds a lot of benefits for pet owners and non-pet owners alike.

Like other flooring options mentioned above, linoleum is eco-friendly, hypoallergenic, and antibacterial.

It is easy to clean and is a softer, quieter flooring choice for dogs.

Even though it is softer, its pretty durable and not easily scratched.

However, one thing to consider is that it is prone to fading over time and requires regular maintenance, which isn’t ideal for pet parents themselves.

Moreover, linoleum also looks the cheapest out of all the flooring types we’ve mentioned so far.

So if that’s not an issue with you, you may want to consider this as yet another winner right next to cork flooring and pick something affordable from here.

Wood With A High Janka Score

When you choose your engineered floors, you will want to pick a wood with a high Janka score. The Janka hardness test measures the resistance of various species of wood to denting and wear. Janka scores indicate the force required to embed a 0.444-inch steel ball into half its diameter in wood. White oak and hickory both have high Janka scores. To research a wood species that youre considering, check out the .

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