Spring is here and so is home improvement season. Tearing out that old, shag carpet is often at the top of everyone's list, but what about that pet of yours? Will they scratch the new floor? What about bathroom accidents? These are all valid concerns when considering investing in new flooring. Below are some ideas on what flooring may be best for homes with pets.

Vinyl Flooring, or "Luxury Vinyl Tile"

A newer option on the market, luxury vinyl tile looks great and is scratch and stain resistant - often times waterproof as well. Many brands are very quiet to walk on as well. Luxury vinyl tile is also very low maintenance and easy to keep up. These qualities make it an excellent choice not only for pets, but also for children.

Porcelain, Ceramic, and Stone Tile Flooring

Tried and true, tile is a great choice for those with pets. Much like luxury vinyl tile, tile is a good choice due to it's easy maintenance and resistance to water damage. However, tile can get very cold and is hard to lay on, so it may not be the most comfortable of choices for your feet or your pet.

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo is an excellent option for homes with pets due to its hardness and ability to withstand a large amount of traffic. It is also stain resistant. For those that want a hardwood look but don't want to go with vinyl, bamboo is an excellent alternative for those with pets.

Cork Flooring

This one is a bit uncommon, but cork has proven to be great for pets due to its scratch resistant nature and the sound absorption properties it possesses. However, it is not very spill resistant so accidents should be cleaned up as promptly as possible. Have a large dog romping through your house? Cork could be a great option for you.

Carpet

While carpet may not be as ideal as some other flooring options for having pets, the coziness of carpet is undeniable. If carpet is what you must have in your home, then choose a carpet with warrantied stain resistant qualities, without loops in the strands. Loops are where the claws of your pet can catch and over time cause serious damage to your floor.

Laminate

Laminate flooring can be a very attractive option for homes with a lot of foot traffic and pets due to its renowned durability, low maintenance, and strong resistance to scratches - but that durability can come with a price. Because of the strength of the top finish on most laminate flooring options, the surface can become extremely slippery, making an ice rink out of the floor for your furry companions. Also, laminate is known to have a louder sound than some other options, like solid hardwood or tile.

Engineered Hardwood

If you absolutely must have hardwood, then engineered hardwood with a very high hardness rating with several layers of finish might be your best fit. Engineered hardwood has a top layer of natural hardwood, while the underlying compressed base layers are made of materials designed to give the floor greater stability and resistance to moisture and accidents which makes this a better option than going for the straight solid hardwood option if you have pets.

What About Solid Hardwood?

It is not advisable to have hardwood flooring with pets. Hardwood has a classic beauty, but it scratches and stains easily if not maintained. Hardwood flooring is also susceptible to water damage. If you are wanting a hardwood look but have pets, one of the other options listed here could be a safer, more durable alternative.

There are many options for flooring, many of them affordable. Don't let your pet scare you away from the flooring you've always wanted. Giant Carpet One is an excellent resource for all your flooring needs and questions, especially when it comes to special considerations like pets.

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