Best Floor To Install If You Have Dogs – Dog Friendly Flooring

Having dogs in the home is typically a simple family addition. We love our furry buddies and try to do everything we can for them. Now it’s time to make sure we’re doing everything we can to protect our home and keep it looking great. Dogs are usually pretty easy to care for, but there are some breeds that are a little more rambunctious, active, large or just have longer nails.

There are certain parts of a home where they leave evidence of their “cuteness” behind and that’s primarily the floors. They just seem to show wear and tear faster with 4 legs on the ground. If you just purchased a home or are remodeling, keeping your pets in mind while selecting your flooring is important and knowing which floors are tough and dog-friendly is a must while shopping.

If you’re planning on selling your home and are making repairs or remodeling, this can be an added selling feature for potential buyers. How cool to have Your Realtor advertise dog-friendly flooring! That’s different and many buyers like those types of unique upgrades.

So let’s take a look at the best choices for a new floor in your home that is dog-friendly and can also be kid friendly! You need a floor that is durable, easy to clean and scratch/moisture resistant as much as possible. Of course you still want a “nice” looking floor to boot.

Porcelain tile is the best pick and top choice due to it having a nonporous surface. While this floor is quite hard, it has zero tolerance for scratches or stains. This floor means business! Porcelain tile is durable and clean up is a breeze. Because it’s nonporous, that means it’s moisture-proof. This is great news in the event of a little “accident”. Another alternative is ceramic tile choices but stay away from porous stone tiles. Porcelain tile now comes in unique choices and styles like stone or even wood! Dogs typically like the cool tile in the summer and if you add radiant heating, your dog will really love you in the winter. If you’re considering a concrete floor, it’s not a bad choice, just make sure to use an epoxy finish to minimize your upkeep.

Hardwood/Wood Flooring is a classic favorite but can be scary if you own dogs. No one looks forward to refinishing their hardwood floors and dogs can really leave their mark. So what’s the best hardwood to consider installing? You’ll want to stick with the harder woods like Brazilian cherry, oak or even hickory. Scratch-resistant Bamboo is also a great new alternative and they come in so many colors and styles. I’m loving Bamboo right now. Hardwood floors can be expensive to install and maintain, but they have a great life to them and if taken care of properly, you won’t need to rent that sander very often. You’ll want to definitely consider a pre-finished floor with a factory-applied aluminum oxide top coat. This will make sure there are no scratches or dings. Tip: To minimize and disguise scuffs, apply a matte penetrating-oil finish. This will not only help with the little marks, but it will also make it less slippery. Nothing like poor Fido taking off to go outside and sliding everywhere and scuffing your beautiful wood floors. Plus one nasty fall and your dog could end up with an expensive vet bill.

Vinyl or Linoleum flooring is always a classic choice. Honestly, the floors in homes of yesteryear are really the best for a high-traffic home. So easy to clean and sanitize, but unfortunately vinyl and linoleum has become the less desirable choice as of late. If you’re okay with vinyl or linoleum flooring or maybe in a certain “dog” room in the house, this is the floor for you. It’s best to select glued down sheets. They have less seems. Seems will cause you grief. Single tiles, click-together versions and planks will be the least recommended. Dog urine and acids in vomit can seep into the seems and degrade glues over time. Stick with sheets and you’ll have a virtually maintenance-free cost-effective flooring for your pets and family.

Cork Flooring is a new option in the industry. While it’s a decent option for dogs, and becoming more desirable to homeowners, it has the same downside as vinyl and linoleum above. Glued down seems can attract the nitty gritty and can deteriorate with frequent accidents. Cork is a nice option due to the soft, cushioned material. Great for older dogs or for dogs with joint issues. This floor will be quite comfortable for them and you.

Laminate is very popular right now in the flooring department. So many colors, styles and looks. It’s a relatively cheap floor to install but don’t go too cheap with this one! There is a downside to laminate flooring. The floating planks made from coated fiberboard can really be a pain when it comes to moisture. It’s pretty great for scratches and dings, but it can be slippery and you may get annoyed with the constant “clicking” sounds your dog’s nails will make. There are a couple of excellent choices in laminate though. You’ll want to get the medium to high grade padding, (that will help with the noise) and there is a click together option out now with built in padding which they say is water resistant! Make sure you do your homework with laminate and choose carefully. Don’t be tempted by the $.99 per square foot sales even though they look fabulous! You may regret it down the road.

Carpet and rugs aren’t the best choices for a home with a dog or dogs. It’s pretty obvious that carpet is a nightmare with accidents and stains. It can also be a problem with constant pet hair. There are a few recommendations though if you’re a big carpet fan. Make sure you upgrade and get the moisture-resistant padding. Dog and cat urine can really ruin hardwood floors underneath. Color-fast solution-dyed fibers is another thing to look for while shopping. If you have the budget, you can opt for modular carpet tiles. With the tiles, you can simply replace single pieces as needed. Then there is the indoor/outdoor carpet option that can be hosed down but you’d really need a specific room for this choice; perhaps a 3-season room. Whatever you do, stay away from loop style, snagging Berber. One snag from a dog’s nail and it’s all ruined. Cut pile will be your only option for wall-to-wall. You could always go with a cheaper area rug or runners for your high-traffic areas. They’re easily replaceable and washable. And another tip: Carpet outlet stores will sell you off the roll remnant carpeting. They’ll even bind the edges for a small fee or you can do it yourself! This can act as a cheap alternative to a more permanent wall-to-wall. It will fill the room but can be easily brought up!

Do you have additional tips or choices for dog-friendly flooring? I’d love to hear them! Comment below.

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