What is the best flooring for pets?
I have 4 dogs, a cat and a bird. Two of the dogs are lab puppies who do not like keeping water in the bowl or their mouths. We are waiting to replace until we are done with training accidents. After that is complete then we are replacing all the flooring downstairs. So the urine accidents won’t be a problem. So the only problem will be four very active dogs and a cat. Two rooms are carpet (Living Room and Office) and the rest is vinyl (Kitchen, Laundry Room, and 1/2 bath). The carpet has got to go. I work in fire and water restoration and even my truck mount can’t keep up with 20 paws!!! Thanks for any help!
2 dogs, one cat. We have real wood flooring in the majority of the house . It’s is NOT laminate but is refinished. It is Brazilian walnut- much harder than even oak, so it won’t dent. Get a HARD hardwood (look up Janka scale) and buy a good brand like Bellawood that has a very durable finish on top. Our Persian cat flies through the house, locking his legs and sliding, lol, and despite his claws being like razors, because of the hardness of the wood and the durable finish, it doesn’t have a scratch after 4 years. Softer woods WILL dent with a dog as large as a Lab though. We have a Shih Tzu , Lab/ Rotti mix and the Persian and the wood floors have been amazing. While VERY durable, the Brazilian walnut needs moisture (humidifier) in the winter or the gaps between the boards get very large and dirt is trapped in them. For that reason alone, we are thinking about putting tile in the kitchen, where they get it the dirtiest. The best way to clean up after the mess our beloved cats and dogs can make is the Bissell steam mop. It makes muddy paw prints a breeze to keep up with, as well as the hairballs the Persian has. It’s extra great as it uses only steam, no chemicals to make them sick.
Abraham Furniture Restoration & Kitchen Cabinet, Hialeah FL