Most Durable Flooring for Families with Pets

Those of us with dogs and cats know that they’re more than just pets, they’re a part of the family. So when it comes to choosing between the floors you really want and the floors that can stand up to your pet’s claws, the choice is a no-brainer.

But what if you could have the aesthetics you crave without worrying about scratches? With the most durable engineered hardwoods, you can. Perhaps even more important, with LIFECORE Hardwood Floors, you get a low VOC option that’s safe for the air your pet breathes. And with the new H2OME line of waterproof floors, cleaning up your pet’s accidents is easier than ever.

Flooring Options Floors for Pets

First, let’s look at the alternatives to hardwoods and why they may not be the best option for pet-friendly floors.

Carpet

While carpet doesn’t dent, it does stain. Even industrial-strength carpet cleaners may not fully remove urine or mud stains. Plus, if you have a cat that likes to stretch its claws, you may find your carpet has become a scratching post. For people with allergies, pet dander, dirt, and pollen can all cling to the fibers, which can cause sinus issues or headaches, and aggravate allergies and asthma.

Laminate

Afraid of scratches and stains? You may want to think twice before choosing laminate for your floors. Worse, laminate uses so many synthetics that it’s prone to off-gassing, and those VOCs are not good for any of us, especially your dogs and cats who live their lives closer to the ground.

Vinyl

Like laminate, vinyl is particularly guilty of off-gassing VOCs like formaldehyde, and for households looking for a more high-end look, vinyl is rarely going to deliver on those sophisticated design aesthetics.

The Most Durable Engineered Wood Flooring for Your Pets

Engineered hardwood flooring is durable, has a protective coating, and planks can be replaced—depending on the situation—if need be without having to redo the entire floor. Plus, hardwood floors actually increase the resale value of your home.

LIFECORE Flooring takes those benefits a step further. This pet-friendly engineered hardwood is real hardwood sealed with our proprietary low VOC nine-layer, UV hardened finish of aluminum oxide, preventing scratches and dents complete with a 50-year warranty.

One of the best features of LIFECORE pet-friendly flooring is that it’s manufactured with ZERO-ADD technology, which means no added formaldehyde. LIFECORE floors have VOC safety levels well below the strictest regulations, which is great news for asthma and allergy sufferers.

LIFECORE floors also come in five durable species.  For families with pets, Hickory is a great option, known for its extraordinary durability, graining, and color variations. Combined with a hand-scraped aesthetic, it will hide potential scuffs exceptionally well.

How to Keep Your Hardwood Floors Looking Great When You Have Pets

While engineered wood is the clear choice for pet friendly floors, we do have a few helpful tips to keep your floors looking their best:

• Keep pet nails trimmed.
• Put a placemat or some other protection under water and food bowls, and the litter box.
• Use hardwood flooring cleaners that are pet-friendly and approved by the warranty.
• Sweep regularly to remove dirt, grit, and fur.
• Wipe up spills and accidents as soon as they happen.
• Keep wipes by the door to remove mud and other debris from pets’ paws when coming in from outside.

For more information on this topic, check out a related post we published on How to Live with Your Pets and Your Hardwood Floors.