Blog > What is the best flooring for dogs and pets?

What is the best flooring for dogs and pets?

February 18, 2013

My first choice for a pet-friendly floor is ceramic or porcelain tile.  These floors are scratch-proof and waterproof.  If the tile look isn’t your thing, think to keep in mind that not only are there ceramic tile looks, but there are now very realistic hardwood looks made from porcelain tile.  One good idea, when using tile, is to upgrade to more stain-resistant grout, such as Tec’s Power Grout. This will give your grout added stain protection.

In hardwood, you should look for distressed hardwood floors.  These will better mask the inevitable scratches that come with larger pets.  Also, lower gloss finishes will show less scratches in reflected light.  Hardwood floors that are denser such as Hickory, Brazilian Cherry, or Tigerwood are less susceptible to denting than softer hardwood floors.

For carpet, we recommend a nonlooped, continuous filament fiber.  Mohawk’s Smartstrand carpet is one line to consider.  This carpet, made from the new carpet fiber Triexta offers incredible stain resistance and comes with a lifetime stain & soil warranty.  Even bleach won’t discolor the carpet.  Also, the best pet pad on the market is Stainmaster’s Visco Plus padding.  This padding has a breathable vapor barrier and environmentally friendly enzyme treatment.  The Stainmaster pad is a great choice for pet owners.  

Higher-end vinyl is also a good alternative in flooring for the pet owner.  Vinyl sheets, planks, or tiles are waterproof (from the top) and will hold up well to traffic.  Base-grade vinyl products will not do as well with scratches as better vinyl floors.

Lower gloss laminate flooring will do well with traffic and scratches but can show swelling at the seams if subjected to repeated moisture.