Pet-friendly and Pet-safe Flooring

You want your home to be as comfortable for your pets as it is for you.

What do you think about when you dream of redecorating? Gleaming hardwood floors, new tile in the bathroom, his-and-hers sinks … You might even think about a welcoming guest room, or a game room for when the kids are teenagers.

But what about your pets?

For them, it’s largely about the floor. Let’s be honest; they spend a lot of time down there. Luckily, we’ve helped many pet-loving clients with redecorating dreams, and we have the expertise to help you, too.

Wear and tear.

Think about your furry friend. If you have a dog who loves nothing more than sleeping the day away, you might want soft carpeting in the room where she spends most of her time. (Bonus: carpet absorbs sound much better than harder floors.) Or, maybe she’s perfectly content with her bed in the corner (or the couch!) and hardwood or tile is just fine.

Hardwood Specialties Pro Tip: If you do choose carpet, consider going with an option without loops; cat and dog claws can snag looped carpet and make it wear out faster.

If you’re interested in something soft, but you’re not into carpet, think about cork flooring. It’s sustainable, it gives under your feet and it’s naturally antimicrobial, making it a nice option for calmer breeds. It also offers a little bit of sound-proofing, for those with heavy-footed pets.

If your dog is big AND full of energy, you might consider ultra-durable tile flooring. Tile is also the perfect option for your new puppy--and all her potty-training accidents! Most tile options take pet abuse very well, with the exception of marble, which is a little higher maintenance. Most other kinds of tile stand up to everything from mud to scrabbling toenails. (We recommend choosing a darker color if your dog is a mud-lover!)

For medium or smaller breeds, keep this rule of hardwood flooring in mind: the harder the wood, the more likely it will be to stand up to scratching. We’ll help you find the perfect hardness of your choice flooring on the Janka Hardness Scale.

Odors and fibers.

While your pet probably comes with his own odors and fibers, that’s not what we’re talking about. Your pet will spend much more of his life close to the floor. Rolling on it, playing on it, licking it, and, unless you have a REALLY large breed, just plain living only a few inches above it, day in and day out. Carpets can trap and hold odors, as well as harbor mold and mildew over time.

With all that in mind, something that’s easy to sweep and mop, like durable bamboo flooring, might be just the thing. Remember that chemicals in urine can stain floors if the puddle is left for too long.

And, if your heart is truly set on carpet, you can always steam clean your carpets on a regular schedule to keep them odor- and mold-free.

Comfort.

There are many things to consider when thinking about comfortable floors for your pet. Do you want to watch your cat careening into the wall every time she tries to run into the kitchen for a treat? Funny internet videos aside, traction is something to consider when you think about flooring. If your heart is set on richly colored hardwoods that glow in the afternoon light, maybe you can come to a compromise with Princess by laying down a sticky-bottomed rug in the hall outside the kitchen.

If it seems like there are a lot of options for pet-safe and pet-friendly flooring, don’t despair. At Hardwood Specialties, we know how to get the perfect balance of style and practicality in your new flooring, so both you and your pet can live with it--and on it--happily. And, as always, our products are installed by expert contractors, happiness guaranteed.