There’s not much that wears on a floor more than the pitter-patter of paws! A pet can make a house a home, but they can also tear up carpets and mark hard floors. If you want animals in your life and in your home, it’s important to choose your flooring carefully!
Even a quiet and unassuming feline friend can do a number on your floors. Dogs, of course, are the most common culprits when it comes to damage, so owners of pooches must be extra mindful about what materials they use. Read on for some tips on how you can ensure your floors are pet-friendly and able to stand up to the extra wear.
Carpet Flooring
This warm and comfortable floor covering is a common choice in homes, and it’s certainly a cozy one. However, it’s not a top pet-friendly choice for several reasons. Depending on the colour, it is easily stained and can’t be mopped or wiped clean. It can also be easily damaged by claws.
If you’re keen on carpet and canines—or carpets and cats, capybaras, or any other kind of pets—there are ways around the issues. We suggest considering the following points:
- If you want carpet, choose one with “cut pile” rather than “loop pile”, so claws don’t get caught.
- Try a synthetic carpet like Solution Dyed Nylon which has a stain guard and supported by a stain resistant warranty that covers pets.
- Choose something dark-coloured to hide stains! One of the major hazards of having pets in the house is the dirt, and a light-coloured carpet doesn’t stand much of a chance.
- In areas where you are not too concerned about the aesthetics or fluffiness of your carpet—such as garages, rumpus rooms or sheds—you might like to use garage carpeting which is extremely hard-wearing.
Wood
It’s always exciting to pull up old carpet and discover original wooden floorboards when renovating a home. However, claws are rough on beautiful wooden flooring and can cause scratches and nicks. Of the popular woods used in New Zealand flooring, Matai is one of the hardest, so if your home boasts lovely Matai board, you and your pets are in luck. Wooden floors are also prone to water damage. Dogs, especially big ones, can wreak havoc on lovely varnished floorboards.
The harder the wood, the better it is for a busy pet-inclusive home. Matai is a popular choice for flooring in New Zealand, and has been for a long time—it is a very hard wood, so those with Matai are in luck. Pet owners with wooden floors should also carefully consider the finish they use. Several coats of polyurethane or an aluminium oxide finish are ideal, and will protect the floor from scratches and dings for a longer period.
Vinyl
This is a very solid flooring option for pet owners. It is durable and scratch-resistant, easy to clean, and quiet underfoot—so you won’t be hearing the constant click-clack of claws and paws. Vinyl is also comfortable for both humans and pets to walk on. The only thing to be wary of when housing pets on a vinyl floor is to ensure that water or other liquid does not seep into any seams. The flooring itself is waterproof, but water can get through at the edges, so keep things dry!
A good-quality, heavy-duty vinyl is often considered the top practical choice for homes with pets. And perhaps its best feature is affordability—so even if it does get damaged by a wayward furry friend, it’s not a huge expense to replace a section.
A pet can mean you need to put a little extra thought into your flooring choices, but for most people, the extra love and fun is well worth the consideration. Keep your animal family members happy and your floors in good condition with the suggestions outlined above!
Take a look at Calbeni’s flooring services to see whether we can help you out with installing a pet-friendly floor. We specialise in vinyl laying and can offer a wide range of carpeting including some great options for pet owners.