When deciding to bring a dog to your home, you should consider the best possible flooring type for the new pet. It needs to come in a convenient design, but the crucial things are waterproofing, easy maintenance, durability, and comfort levels.
Even though natural options are beautiful and stylish, choosing a less costly material resistant to damage is better. Most owners consider vinyl or laminate for dogs as the best possible alternatives available on the market. Let’s take a closer look at the subject.
Table of Contents
The Best Flooring for Dogs
Floor type
There is no reason to worry about flooring once you decide to bring a new buddy into your home. It will be enough to find one that fulfills as many required features as possible, such as:
Durability – Choosing a flooring type that is resistant to wear as long as possible is crucial. Since dogs speed up material fading and damaging, you should look for durable options.
Comfortable for dogs – The vital thing is to provide enough comfort for your pet. Since different flooring types provide various comfort levels, it is recommended to look for the one suitable to your and your dog’s needs.
Scratch resistance – Since dogs can damage a floor with their nails, it is vital to find a material type resistant to scratches.
Slip resistance – Never underestimate the slip-resistant level for a chosen floor type. Only that way can you prevent possible injuries and broken bones in your dog.
Water and stain resistance – If you plan to bring a puppy, you should be prepared for possible accidents and spills. Therefore, it is necessary to have the floor made of water- and stain-resistant material.
Resistance to odors – Besides making a mess in the house, your new puppy will bring its smell inside. You can expect it to roll in the dirt while outside, so you need a floor resistant to odor.
Noise levels – Sometimes, jumping around a house can be irritating, particularly during days when your dog is overly active and you are too tired or sleepy. Therefore, you should find a way to reduce noise by selecting a suitable flooring material.
Easy maintenance – Picking out a flooring type you can effortlessly clean will make your life easier when a new puppy comes.
Price – Determining an acceptable flooring price can be tricky since you should choose the right flooring depending on your budget. Luckily, both vinyl and laminate are relatively affordable, and some other qualities will be decisive, not only money.
Dog breed
It would help to consider the dog breed you want to keep in your home before purchasing the desired flooring.
The rule of thumb is that larger dogs are heavier, have longer and stronger nails, and shed and drool more than smaller breeds. These things need to affect the floor type you plan to buy.
Dog behavior
There are a few rules for each breed’s behavior, but you need to consider individual characteristics typical for your furry friend.
If it stays alone at home for hours, you can expect it eats and pees everywhere and tears the floor covering. In other words, you should make the right decision depending on your dog’s behavior and affinities.
Vinyl vs. Laminate for Dogs
Nowadays, you can find a few excellent solutions for your floors when a new dog comes to your home, but experts recommend vinyl or laminate as the best options. Let’s consider which one is better for your home in new circumstances.
Vinyl for Dogs
You can purchase two vinyl flooring types on the market, vinyl sheet flooring and one of the luxury categories:
- Luxury vinyl tiles
- Luxury vinyl planks
Luxury vinyl tile flooring
It is an excellent flooring type for pet lovers! It is beautiful, and you can quickly recognize it by its unique look. Since they come in two types, you can choose between those that mimic ceramic tiles or stone flooring. That makes this option perfect for every taste.
It is incredibly durable, comfortable, and requires minimal maintenance. The crucial thing that recommends it as the floor of choice for homes with pets is its high resistance to stains and scratches.
This entirely waterproof product features protective coatings with a unique texture that makes it slip-resistant. Finally, it is affordable, and you should pay only $2 to $7 per 1 sq ft (0.09 m2) for most options.
Luxury vinyl plank flooring
This vinyl flooring type resembles hardwood flooring. It is a durable, waterproof, and affordable option resistant to fade, stains, and scratches. Plus, you won’t have any problem with maintenance.
Since this floor is soft, comfortable underfoot, and quiet, it is ideal for homes with dogs because it won’t put any pressure on their joints. Besides numerous advantages, you should know that this option won’t increase your home value. The primary reason is the quick dulling.
Vinyl sheet flooring
Unlike luxury options, this vinyl flooring type is water-resistant, and you can use it to cover the floor in your kitchen and bathroom.
Printed vinyl sheets feature a transparent wear layer acting as a surface barrier. Thanks to it, this flooring option is resistant to stains and spills and easy to clean, making it an excellent choice for your dog.
Vinyl sheet is durable, warm, and soft underfoot, plus you can enjoy numerous design options, including:
- Improved color
- Various patterns
- Textures
- Clarity
This flooring type is affordable and comes at a lower price than luxury vinyl tile and plank floorings. The reason is its packaging. It comes in huge rolls, and manufacturers don’t need to deal with precision cuts and waste.
The best of all is quick and effortless installation. It is one of the flooring types perfect for a DIY job. However, you need to install it over a perfectly flat and smooth surface. Otherwise, soft vinyl will quickly wear and rip.
Unfortunately, vinyl flooring has a few disadvantages, despite the type you choose. A low-quality vinyl flooring quickly dulls and decolorates, becoming yellowish and unattractive over time. You should also keep it away from rubber to prevent stains.
Besides, some pet lovers prefer eco-friendly materials in their houses, so an artificial synthetic and environmentally harmful flooring type is not their favorite option.
Laminate for Dogs
Laminate is an excellent substitute if you enjoy hardwood floors but have a limited budget and know that wooden floor is unsuitable for dog owners.
This material’s top layer is water-resistant, but you should avoid leaving it wet for a long to prevent absorption and swelling. That can be a problem when having a pup without forming hygienic habits.
Laminate is a versatile and exceptionally durable flooring option. You can choose it when having a dog because of a few advantages:
- Laminate is a durable, scratch-resistant, and tough material
- The transparent protective layer makes this flooring type resistant to wear, making it an ideal option for pet-friendly homes
- Thanks to the resins in a fiberwood core and protective coating, laminate is water-resistant
- You can effortlessly remove stains from the laminate surface
- The laminate is soft underfoot and comfortable, making it recommended for any dog breed
- It is a cost-effective solution, and you can choose many models for $1 to $5 per 1 sq ft (0.09 m2) or $3 to $11 with included labor
A significant downside of this flooring type is the slippery surface. Luckily, you can solve that problem by choosing a laminate with a textured surface.
Vinyl vs. Laminate Flooring for Dogs
As you can see in the table, laminate is a better option for homes with dogs since it has numerous positive features suitable for this purpose. Their construction is excellent, installation fast, and you can quickly wash this material when an accident occurs.
Vinyl vs. Laminate for dogs |
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| Feature | Laminate | Vinyl |
| Construction | Sturdy | Sturdy |
| Design | Numerous styles and colors | Enough styles and colors |
| Durability | Hard and durable | Wear over time under heavy loads |
| Affordability | Less expensive than vinyl | Affordable |
| Water resistance | Water-resistant | 100% waterproof |
| Comfort | Flexible and soft | Flexible and soft |
| Installation and reparability | Effortless installation by clicking lock system | Effortless installation by loose lay or glue down |
| Maintenance | Quite easy maintenance | Easy-to-clean |
Since laminate flooring is durable, comfortable, and costs less than vinyl options, most dog owners prefer it for their homes. On the other hand, you should consider buying vinyl flooring when you need waterproof material with low maintenance requirements.
Finally, both options come in various designs, so you can’t make a mistake if the floor beauty is the deciding factor. In this case, you can purchase the most appealing flooring type with vital features that enable the chosen option’s longevity and effectiveness.
Summary
Once you take a dog as a new family member, it is time to consider the most suitable flooring type in new circumstances. Both vinyl and laminate options are excellent in this case but not perfect, so you won’t make a mistake by choosing any of them. In most cases, laminate is a slightly better solution for you and your dog.