The Best Flooring When You Have Dogs

Dogs add an extra challenge when choosing a flooring for your home. They can add considerable wear to a floor, often scratch floor surfaces, tend to be sloppy drinkers̵2;splashing water around their water dishes--and sometimes have accidents that can stain and cause odor. Of course, you also need to consider the comfort of your dogs when choosing your floor. Some floors, for instance, are hard, slick and uncomfortable to lay and run on. Though, when it comes to dogs, there is not one best flooring answer, there are several durable options to consider.

  1. Ceramic Tile

    • A natural choice due to its durability, ceramic tile is a popular option for dog owners. Ceramic is stain-resistant, moisture-resistant as well as scratch-resistant. It̵7;s not always, however, the best option when it comes to the comfort of your dog. As the blog Best Flooring for Dogs points out, the hardness and slipperiness of ceramic tile can be tough on the joints of older dogs. Rugs and skid-proof runners can help with these issues, however. You should also take care with the type of tile and grout you choose. Porous surface tile and many grouts can absorb pet stains. Porcelain tile and epoxy grout are great heavy-duty options for dog owners, both durable as well as stain- and moisture-resistant.

    Hardwood

    • Wood flooring is an option many dog owners consider. It is beautiful, easy to clean and offers a softer laying and walking surface than ceramic for your dogs. If you do choose to go with wood floors, however, solid hardwood floors with a quality urethane finish are the best option. Engineered wood floors can only be refinished once or twice, while solid hardwood can be refinished as often as needed. Any spills or accidents on hardwood should be cleaned up immediately, however, to avoid staining or damage. Keeping a water dish on your hardwood floor can also be problematic. If you do, make sure to place it on a water-resistant mat. To prevent floor scratches, it̵7;s best to keep your dogs nails well trimmed with hardwood floors.

    Bamboo

    • Bamboo is a great renewable flooring choice that more and more dog owners are choosing. It is harder than any type of hardwood, making it an extremely durable option. Bamboo is also spill- and accident-resistant and is easy to clean and maintain. And though it does have a durable surface, scratching can be an issue as it is with hardwood.

    Cork

    • Cork is a soft, quiet flooring option that absorbs sound well. It is comfortable for dogs to walk and lay on and easier to clean than carpet. It is not, however, the most scratch-resistant option and should be finished with a quality polyurethane or wax if installed in a home with dogs. It is also not very spill-resistant, so take care with accidents and water dishes.

    Luxury Vinyl

    • High-quality vinyl can be a great option for dog owners. It is less expensive than wood, cork or bamboo and easy to clean and maintain. Luxury vinyl also offers a fairly high level of scratch resistance. If you do choose vinyl, however, go for high-quality vinyl made to withstand high traffic. Dogs can tear up inexpensive vinyl flooring in no time.