Flooring Types Pros & Cons

Best Flooring for Pets

With so many options, choosing the right flooring for your home can be overwhelming. And if you are one of the 90.5 million American households with a pet, you have more things to take into consideration.

We love our fur babies, but they can be a bit of trouble around the house. Scratching, chewing, tracking in mud, and having accidents can quickly damage your floors. It’s important that you select suitable flooring for pets. This list will help you decide which flooring will not only look attractive in your home but provide comfort for you and your pets and can withstand their wear and tear.

Carpeting

Unless you have a very well-behaved and well-groomed pet, you should not consider carpet. Pets love it because it is comfortable and provides traction for when they get the zoomies, but it won’t last. Carpet can easily become pulled, snagged, and torn by your pet’s paws. And it can be extremely difficult to clean. Pet hair and those dreaded accidents can leave your carpet with some nasty smells and stains.

Wood Flooring

There are many different types of wood flooring and each type has its benefits. No matter what type you choose, it likely isn’t recommended for homes with pets. Why? The main reason is that no wood flooring is water resistant, so if you want them to last, pet messes must be cleaned up right away. They are also slippery and can cause pets to take dangerous falls. Here are some more pros and cons of each type:

Engineered hardwood typically has a very durable, protective layer but if it does get scratched, it cannot be refinished. It is also one of the most expensive types of flooring.
Solid hardwood floors are timeless and hypoallergenic! But it’s more of when than if they become damaged. When deep scratches need repairing the floors can be refinished. However, it is costly to both install and maintain hardwood floors.
Softwood floors, commonly pine, cypress, cedar, spruce, or hemlock, are more comfortable than hardwood for pets. Unfortunately, the softness that makes it comfortable, also makes them extremely prone to damage.

Wood Flooring Alternatives

Cork and Bamboo are generally considered types of wood flooring. However, technically neither are wood. Cork is actually made from the bark of cork oak trees and bamboo is considered a type of grass. That being said, cork flooring is very similar to softwood. It is less rigid than wood, making it more comfortable for pets. In addition to being comfortable, cork is hypoallergenic, absorbs sound from large pets, resists scratches, and is relatively affordable. But it is susceptible to damage and stains easily. Bamboo, on the other hand, is more similar to hardwood. Quality bamboo is tough, durable, stain-resistant, and easy to clean. But it is also loud when pets are running on it and is not very comfortable for pets.

Tile & Stone Flooring

Tile or stone flooring might seem like a great option for homes with pets. It is one of the most durable types of flooring you can buy. Tile and stone are extremely difficult to scratch or damage and are resistant to water and other messes. They come in a wide range of prices, but the lifespan and easy cleanup can make even the most costly tiles worth it. While this might be the best option for you, tile and stone are cold, loud, slippery, and uncomfortable for pets. If you have your heart set on tile or stone, be sure to have rugs, pet beds, and other comfortable areas for your pet to lounge.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is resistant to stains, scratches, and moisture. Across the board, durability typically goes hand-in-hand with easy cleanup and laminate is no exception. Contrary to other durable floors though, laminate provides comfort comparable to softwood and cork floors. It falls about middle of the road in price. A downside of laminate is that it can be extremely slippery and dangerous for active or older pets. You can avoid falls by opting for scraped or textured laminate flooring. There are many types of laminate planks that are designed to be slip-resistant.

Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring is one of the most durable options available. Luxury vinyl is highly water resistant, easy to clean, and relatively soft and comfortable compared to other types of flooring. Vinyl is also quieter and less slippery than other types of flooring, making it a great option for large, old, and active pets. It falls just below laminate in price, but you definitely pay for quality with vinyl – the higher the price the longer the lifespan. If you’re thinking about vinyl flooring, we strongly recommend COREtec vinyl plank flooring.

Linoleum Flooring

Linoleum flooring is almost as good as vinyl in being resilient, soft, and quiet. But it falls in the middle of best and worst flooring for homes with pets. The biggest draw to linoleum over vinyl is that it is eco-friendly and antibacterial. However, it can be slightly more costly than vinyl and can be extremely slippery for pets. Another downside is that there aren’t too many options for linoleum. It had fallen out of popularity, but because it is eco-friendly, it is starting to make a comeback and we expect to see more linoleum options in the years to come.