Ericka Liam
Best Dog Friendly Flooring – Dogs are man’s best friend, but sometimes they can be the worst enemy on the floor! Here are the best types of hard floors for dogs, tips for dealing with scratches and dog urine.
Although carpet is comfortable, we recommend hard floors for dogs, such as laminate floors, engineered wood floors, or vinyl floor tiles. It is easy to clean and you can still buy rugs and pillows for your dog.
Best Dog Friendly Flooring
Laminate – A wooden base with images printed on it, laminate is a valuable option. It is easy to clean and maintain, and dog nail scratches do not look too bad. However, the laminate is not completely scratch-resistant and not all models are waterproof. A blade can be slippery if it is not textured.
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Engineered Wood – Easier to install and maintain than solid wood (and less expensive), engineered wood still provides the luxurious look and feel of real wood. This is the best wood floor for dogs, but you still need to be diligent about cleaning urine to prevent stains. Some trees also scratch easily.
Luxury Vinyl Tiles – Hard core textured vinyl is relatively new to the LVT flooring market. Ideal for use in kitchens and bathrooms, luxury vinyl tiles are completely waterproof. They combine a durable, scratch-resistant surface with the realistic look of wood, stone and tile effects.
In our opinion, luxury vinyl tile is the best flooring for dogs. It is more stain and scratch resistant than the competition, urine-resistant, and still looks great.
If you like the convenience, value and variety of laminate, there are many styles that are suitable for dogs.
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Look for a higher thickness and waterproof laminate – some laminates are very pet and dog friendly. Another factor to be aware of is the abrasion classification, or AC rating; the higher the rating, the better the scratch resistance. A3, A4 or A5 laminates are best for dogs.
Smooth, slippery laminates can be a problem for dogs, especially older puppies and excitable puppies. In these pet-friendly times, you can get non-slip laminate flooring for dogs. Look for textured laminate styles that mimic the feel of wood grain, as this allows your dog’s paws to grip the floor better.
If your existing laminate has a lower AC rating, your dog’s nails may be scratched. Fortunately, dog scratches on laminate flooring can be easily removed with a wax pen or putty.
Choose a crayon the same color as your laminate to fill in the scratches, then rub to blend.
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For deeper dog scratches on laminate, colored repair putty can help – just make sure it has time to dry and harden before you let your dog in. If all else fails, replace it with carpet or cover it with carpet!
Nothing beats the look and feel of hardwood floors. However, laminate or luxury vinyl tiles can be higher maintenance than flooring and may not be the best choice for angry dogs.
The top layer of engineered wood flooring is still real hardwood, but is easier to install, often cheaper, and can easily be used for underfloor heating. Since hardwood surfaces and engineered wood floors are essentially the same, dog nails can scratch.
If you’re choosing dog-friendly wood flooring, look for lighter colors and harder woods. You can also choose a rustic or distressed wood style, which hides any dog-related imperfections.
Picking The Perfect Pet Proof Flooring
Clean up dog urine, feces and food as soon as they fall on the wooden floor. Wood is a natural product and can be damaged or stained if allowed to absorb dog urine – it can even cause an unpleasant smell. There are many cleaning products that are sold specifically to remove small wood accidents.
If you have hardwood to feed or bathe your dog on, use a rug or sheet to protect it. You can also read our separate blog on cleaning engineered wood floors.
Other than choosing a hardwood, rustic or pale wood color, there isn’t much you can do about dog nail scratches on wood floors. Trimming your dog’s nails will help prevent this.
If your hardwood floor is scratched, you can purchase a stain-filled marker to address each scratch by choosing a color that matches the wood. You can also buy a wood stain to deepen the color of your wood floor. For deeper scratches, try a special wood filler, then sand and stain.
Benefits Of Vinyl Plank Flooring
As we said above, we think luxury vinyl tiles are the best choice for dogs. It is durable and easy to clean like laminate and now offers a wide range of wood and tile effects for the style conscious.
LVT has scratch-resistant and water-resistant properties, making it the most durable and dog-resistant flooring. Luxury vinyl tiles are still relatively new to the flooring scene compared to laminate and wood. It has become popular due to its low maintenance and suitability for kitchens and bathrooms.
Luxury vinyl tiles are very easy to clean and maintain, and will not absorb water and urine. Unlike wood and some laminate styles, dog urine is less likely to damage your floors.
The advantage of hard floors is that they work well with underfloor heating – an alternative to radiators or electric heating. Dogs also love the underfloor heating and it’s safe for them to lie down!
The Best Flooring Options For Pet Friendly Homes
Carpet is a favorite type of flooring for dogs because it is ideal for sleeping wherever they want. However, carpets can harbor dog odors, ticks, dander, and your dog’s poop, making them difficult to clean. Longer pile carpets can also be a hazard for your dog’s nails to get caught.
We recommend a hard floor as the best type of floor for dogs, as it is harder to absorb dirt.
To get the best of both worlds, use rugs and pillows next to hard floors like laminate, engineered wood, or LVT. Some are small enough to roll up and throw in the washing machine.
When purchasing hardwood floors, some styles are marketed as dog-resistant or dog-friendly. There is also a warranty on how many years the floor will last before it needs to be replaced.
Which Wood Floor Is Best For Dogs?
When choosing a floor to use with dogs, consider how long you want to keep it. Scratch-resistant luxury vinyl tiles look the same for years, while wood can be scratched.
Browse our dog-friendly styles below or contact us for more information. We also have a blog on choosing flooring for your hallway.
Premium Baelea Aqua Omni Dark Gray Hard Cement Click Vinyl Tiles Premium Baelea Aqua Omni is perfect for modern settings, and the realistic knobs allow it to fit into traditional interiors. […] See products
Baelea Aqua Omni Premium Natural hard oak click vinyl planks Baelea Aqua Omni Premium is perfect for modern settings, and the realistic knobs allow it to fit into traditional interiors. […] See products
What’s The Best Flooring For Dogs
Baelea Aqua Plus Rigid Core Thassos Marble Click Luxury Vinyl Tiles Baelea Aqua Plus Rigid Core Thassos Marble Click Luxury Vinyl Tiles Baelea Aqua Plus LVT presents a selection of hardwood … View products
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Non-essential cookies are any cookies that are not particularly necessary for the website to function and are specifically used to collect users’ personal data through analytics, advertisements and other embedded content. It is mandatory to obtain user consent before enabling these cookies on your website. Welcome to the Ultimate Guide to the Best Flooring for Dogs! As a pet owner, you know that choosing the right flooring for your home is crucial, especially if you have a furry friend. Dogs can be hard on floors, and the wrong type of flooring can cause scratches, stains, and other damage. In this guide we will explore
