Best Pet Friendly Flooring Guide 2024

Having a pet is a lot of fun but not one that comes without work. A dog or cat can do a lot of damage to certain types of flooring. Good news is you can take some precautions to limit this by simply added rugs to certain types of flooring.

Certain types of flooring just aren’t really suitable for pets but to help you ensure you get the most pet friendly flooring possible I have compiled my own flooring guide below. We’ll look at the pros and cons of each type in-depth to see which is most suitable for pet owners.

Solid Wood Flooring

Solid wood flooring is arguably the most popular type of flooring available. It is available in a variety of designs/ finishes and will be sure to add value to your home. But when it comes to pets solid wood flooring doesn’t rank quite as highly. The good news is solid wood flooring is easy to clean so sweeping or hoovering up mess and fur is going to be quick.  A good trick to stop your dog from scratching the flooring is to use little dog booties.

The downsides to solid wood flooring for pet owners is that it’s expensive, can be damaged easily by scratches and can stain. Pet urine, in particular, can cause a hard to remove odour if not cleaned quickly. However, if you get a solid wood floor with an oiled finish then it will help combat some of these issues and make the flooring more pet-friendly.  This finish can be repaired far easier than a lacquered floor.  But please be prepared for scratches on the flooring.

Engineered Wood Flooring

A common alternative to solid wood is Engineered wood flooring it comes in many different styles and while it isn’t quite as strong as solid wood it’s still a very durable flooring option. However, while it is strong it is susceptible to scratches just like solid wood flooring.  Try looking for a brushed and oiled finish as this would mask scratches better.

Pet urine can also cause a similar hard to remove odour if not cleaned quickly. The good news is engineered wood flooring like solid wood is easy and quick to clean. You can sweep, mop and hoover up pet fur and mess quite easily.

Cork Flooring With Pets

Cork is a very eco-friendly flooring choice and more suitable for pets than you might think. There are some good benefits for pet owners because cork is water resistant, naturally antimicrobial meaning it will help protect both you and your pets against common allergens. Cork is also very quiet and comfortable to walk on and requires very little maintenance.

There are some downsides to cork though, it isn’t the strongest flooring choice available which means it can get scratched quite easily. Heavy furniture can also indent cork flooring as well and harsh sunlight can discolour it easily as well.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is a very versatile flooring choice that is typically used in bathrooms and kitchens. However, thanks to its wide array of designs it can be used in many different rooms. Laminate can give the appearance of many different flooring options and it is easy to clean, extremely tough surface layer and highly water-resistant on the surface.  Another big advantage is it is cheap to buy and install.

It’s stronger than many people think and scratches are usually less noticeable which can make it a great choice for pet owners. There are some potential downsides to consider though laminate can be very slippery for pets particularly if it is a smooth finish, so you would need to break it up with some mats or rugs. It also isn’t as long-lasting as some of the other flooring options you have.

Summary

So, that is a look at the pros and cons of various types of home flooring when it comes to pets. Each type of flooring is perfectly viable although some will require more time and effort to protect than others.  Clear winner is laminate flooring due to how tough and easy to clean they are.  But don’t let that put you off buying a solid or engineered floor as you can limit the damage from daily maintenance and cleaning any mishaps along the way.