Pets and Your Laminate Flooring
by Crystal Hosking – Hosking Hardwood Flooring Inc. © 2014, Copyright protected. All Rights Reserved
For those with busy households, the idea of installing real wood flooring can be a bit daunting. This is especially true of homes with larger and/or more active pets. Even though there are many ways to make sure real hardwood flooring is protected in homes with pets (read more at: Pets and Your Hardwood Flooring), sometimes the peace of mind that comes with using something a bit more indestructible is worth more than the advantages of a read hardwood floor. Luckily, laminate flooring is the purrfect option if you're looking for a floor that can take a beating and still look good with minimal maintenance.
Laminate flooring is not only decidedly more durable than your standard real hardwood flooring (read more at: All About Laminate Flooring, Laminate Floor AC Ratings, Direct Pressure vs. High Pressure Laminate), but laminate flooring styles are also becoming more and more realistic looking. So much so, that sometimes it's difficult to even tell the difference between laminate flooring and real hardwood flooring. From amazing digital images to realistic feeling textures, laminate floors have only gotten better over the years.
Even as one of the toughest floor covering options out there, you still need to make sure you're giving your laminate flooring all the attention it needs when it comes to routine maintenance and pet damage prevention.
Make sure to vacuum up any shed fur and clean up any dirt/sand/water/mud brought in on paws from excursions outside. Keeping mats at doors leading to the outside really work well to cut down on the amount of outside debris that is brought into the home. Find tips for routine maintenance of laminate flooring here: How to Clean My Laminate Flooring
One of the major benefits with hard surface floor coverings is that cleaning up after your pet is actually much easier than with fiber-rich products like carpet; and the durability of laminate flooring makes it much more damage resistant than real hardwood flooring when accidents do happen. That being said, it's still important to get accidents cleaned up right away as you don't want to allow urine or vomit to have an opportunity to seep in through the seams of the laminate planks.
Additionally, make sure to keep mats under food and water bowls. Mats with a tackier surface, like rubber, are the most beneficial --- restricting movement of bowls and therefore reducing potential spillage. Laminate flooring is pretty resistant to moisture on the surface, but once it seeps into the seams of the laminate planks, it starts to damage the underside of the laminate and cause damage from the bottom up.
Overall, laminate flooring is durable enough for your busy family and your furry friends --- and, with proper maintenance, it will last a long and beautiful lifetime.
Best Laminate Brands for Homes with Pets
Tips for Selecting a Laminate Product for your Busy Home
For homes with very active pets, you may want to consider a laminate floor with a higher AC Rating. An AC Rating of 3 or higher is a great choice, as it means the laminate offers a higher performance level.
Keep in mind the differences between Direct Pressure Laminates vs. High Pressure Laminates. HPLs are the more durable of the two, but sometimes can offer a less realistic appearance.
Lighter laminate options work well to camouflage any wear and tear.
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Pets and Your Laminate Flooring
by
Jeff Hosking
Overall Rating:
4.8 stars -
5 reviews
By: John
Date:
August 10, 2018
Page Rating:

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4.5/
5)
Comments:
How can I tell if the laminate flooring you sell is waterproof? I do not see that in the specs.
Reply by HoskingHardwood : Laminate flooring is not waterproof. If water is allowed to seep in between the joints it could cause the center core to swell damaging the boards.
By: Ann
Date:
June 17, 2017
Page Rating:

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5.0/
5)
Comments:
Super informative. Thanks a lot! We have a dog so laminate will be perfect for us!
By: Lisa
Date:
July 15, 2016
Page Rating:

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5.0/
5)
Comments:
Great info...overall great website! Thank you! :o)
By: Ray
Date:
March 22, 2016
Page Rating:

(
4.5/
5)
Comments:
Very helpful
By: Tevia
Date:
September 28, 2014
Page Rating:

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5.0/
5)
Comments:
Great & straightforward info,thanks!
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