Best Flooring Options for Dog Owners

If you have a dog or dogs in your home, your flooring has probably been victim to scuffs, stains and even lingering odour. Any flooring you can think of has its pros and cons, so it’s a fine balancing act which flooring best suits your dog.

Many dog owners go for a ceramic tile floor in the belief that it has a durable surface that is not absorbent. That is partly correct, but with ceramic tile comes grout and grout is very porous and susceptible to staining. It is recommended to seal the grout to help avoid staining and discolouration. The downside to ceramic is that the surface can be slippery and hard on the dog’s joints, especially as they age.

Carpet is much softer and more comfortable under paws, but it’s not the ideal choice with a dog because carpet is liable to stain and hold odours. Dog hair is also hard to remove from carpet and unless carpet is vacuumed almost daily, dog hair can become almost embedded in carpet fibres.

Hardwood flooring can be damaged by a dog’s nails so look for a wood with a high Janka rating as well as one with a strong finish. It’s often the finish that gets scratched and damaged by a dog’s nails.

You can achieve the look of hardwood with laminate. A high quality laminate flooring is known for it’s durability and many people choose it when they have pets. One caution with laminate, it does not respond well to water or liquid so make sure spills are wiped up immediately. Once laminate is damaged, it can’t be repaired, it must be replaced.

You can also find many wood flooring maintenanace tips in this wood flooring maintenance and care giude.

For advice about the best wood flooring for your home feel free to contact the ESB sales team. Contact us now to request your no hassle no obligation free samples or come down to our North London showroom for a closer look.