About 63 percent of all U.S. households have a pet. We love our animal friends! But they can be tough on some types of floors. One of the biggest problems with pets is their nails. If you don’t keep them trimmed, they could scratch a laminate or hardwoodMany pets also shed, and, they may not always remember they’re housebroken! The good news is that you can have a beautiful floor and still keep the family pet! Vinyl flooring is a popular flooring option for families with pets. Luxury vinyl and vinyl sheet are highly durable, long-lasting, and resistant to moisture, scratches and dents. They are also easy to maintain. And here's another benefit of vinyl: it softens the sound of your pet’s nails when they walk across the floor. Laminate is an excellent choice if you have a pet who has the run of the house. Armstrong laminate floors have the VisionGuard™ wear layer that protects against scratches, stains, and scuffs. Laminate is also easy to clean.

Just dust mop or vacuum regularly and use a damp mop and Armstrong Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner for a thorough cleaning. Hardwood flooring and pets aren’t typically a marriage made in flooring heaven. If your pet creates any spills or puddles on your hardwood floor, you have to mop them up immediately because the boards can stain and warp from moisture. and toys can also wreak havoc on a hardwood floor. The Performance Plus Hardwood collection offers a durable finish combined with acrylic micro-beveled edges. This special design resists scratching because the beveled edge give your pets’ nails something to grip onto as they cross the floor. Hardwood flooring with a rustic or distressed look is a good design choice since it already shows signs of wear and will hideWe also recommend selecting flooring with a lower gloss level to help hide additional marks that may occur. If you want the look and feel of hardwood flooring that’s easier to maintain we recommend our Vivero Luxury Vinyl collection.

This flooring features our Diamond 10™ Technology which provides added durability and easy cleaning. Vivero also has 100% waterproof planks in case you have a pet that’s accident prone. Don’t forget Buddy or Fluffy when you're choosing a new floor! Consider a pet-friendly floor that will make your pet feel at home and give you peace of mind. Talk to an expert at your local flooring store to find out more about the right floorHome Improvement Info Resources When building a new home or remodeling an existing home, flooring choices are everything. With pets in the home, this becomes even more important, because pets are just as hard, if not harder, than people on flooring surfaces. What are the best flooring choices for pets in the home? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of several types of flooring to help in the decision making process. Though this is one of the most desired types of flooring in a home, it is not the best choice for homes with pets.

Pet urine can stain the hardwood, leaving a terrible smell and a dark spot in the wood. Even if urine accidents are cleaned up quickly after the fact, the urine may still seep into the wood, causing damage. To remove these stains, you may have to go so far as to strip, sand, and refinish the floor. If the stains are contained to one small area, this is hassle enough, but if the stains all over the place, the entire floor may need to be redone. Can You Add Jets To A Garden TubAt times, the odor and stain may reappear because of salt crystals left behind from the urine that cannot be dissolved. Mirror'S Edge Pc Game Free DownloadIf this happens, completely replacing the wood may be necessary.Fire Curtain Cost Uk Another thing some pet owners forget to factor in when it comes to hardwood is the pet’s water bowl.

If possible, place the water bowl on a mat of some sort to help protect the hardwood from moisture when the bowl spills. Quickly dry the spill after it happens, because moisture can soak down into the wood causing it to swell and contract. Keeping pets nails trimmed or filed will also be necessary to avoid extraneous scratches on the flooring. As pets walk or run across the floor, their claws may damage the surface. While some owners may elect to declaw their pets, it certainly isn’t a possibility for all. If the flooring is coated with a high quality urethane, it will be more scratch and stain resistant. Sweep the floors clean at least once a week for best maintenance. Bamboo is harder than the hardest hardwood flooring and is one of the best pet-friendly flooring choices. Due to the hardness of laminate flooring, pet owners may turn to it instead of traditional hardwood. While this may work to provide the décor people want, it can be difficult for pets, especially dogs, because they will slip and slide as they walk or run through the home.

This will cause their hips to move in unnatural ways, which may cause damage to their bodies. This is pronounced in smooth, high gloss laminate floors and can be mitigated somewhat by choosing a laminate floor with an embossed or textured finish. Laminate won’t show scratches as easily as some other surfaces, but because they are slippery and uncomfortable to lie on, rugs are recommended throughout the home to help the pet. 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.

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. 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 stone tile 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, but the floors are hard and cold so they are not very comfortable to lie on, unless the floor is heated by radiant heat.

Consider using area rugs and pet beds to alleviate this problem. 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. Much similar to stone, porcelain or 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 floor as it would with hardwood. However, much like stone, the surface is hard and uncomfortable for pets to lie on, but rugs will help. While many people wouldn’t think vinyl flooring 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.