Pets have their own special place in our homes. But how do you manage a beautiful investment and upgrade to your flooring and their tiny little paws and claws? Not to mention other, less pleasant aspects of having animals indoors.
The floors we choose in our home must withstand the family’s regular amount of wear and tear – and if you have a four-legged family member that includes them too!
If you’re planning to install new flooring, there are a few considerations before making your final choice. There are three main types of damage that can be caused by pets – scratches (indentations) on timbers floors, pet urine stains and damage caused by some flea treatments.
Scratches
Important factors which affect scratching on timber floors:
- Gloss level – higher gloss levels highlight imperfections compared to a satin or matte gloss level
- Colour of timber – scratches are more visible on darker floors
- The durability of the coating
- Grade of the timber – timber with a higher Janka rating do withstand more wear and tear
Hardwood flooring can be re-sanded multiple times over its lifetime if there is damage to the floors.
Scratches
Prefinished engineered hardwood flooring is highly durable and long-lasting, with many engineered floors coming with multiple layers of protective coating. Our team of flooring experts can advise you on the coating used on our range of engineered timber floors.
Floors must be able to withstand a families normal wear and tear for a substantial amount of time, if there are any four-legged family members, they have to be accounted for too!
The coatings on engineered timber floors can be useful in strengthening the boards against claws and paws whilst also making them easier to clean when they’re not trained to wipe their feet!
Scratches
Laminate and hybrid vinyl flooring work well for homes with pets due to the scratch-resistant coatings used in these products. Not to mention their cost-effective price tags, laminate and hybrid floors are a great solution for high-traffic family home areas.
Pet Stains & Flea Treatments
It’s the less than pleasant aspect of sharing a space with your four-legged family members – their toilet habits aren’t always as civilised as ours. Left unattended, or unnoticed, pet accidents can cause serious damage to site-sanded and coated floors.
Solvent-based polyurethane-coated floors are less prone to urine staining than water-based coating due to it being more permeable to moisture. However, the best solution for pet messes is to ensure they’re found quickly and cleaned.
Flea treatments that are left on a timber floor surface can have a severe effect on coatings and may cause blistering if left untreated.
So, what to choose?
There is a range of suitable choices for each flooring product within each flooring category. Many of the accidents that can occur from pets on your floors can be prevented or if they do occur can be treated. It is an important consideration when choosing the flooring which best suits your family and lifestyle.
Speak to the DIY Floorboards team about the requirements you have for your floor and they will be able to recommend a suitable product for your family and budget.
