63% of American households have a pet. This makes the selection of flooring all the more important. A good floor helps both the owner and the pet. Flooring suitable for a pet should be durable and able to withstand normal wear and tear from paws and claws. Floors should also be comfortable and safe for the pet to move on. At the same time, a suitable pet–friendly floor must be easy to maintain and keep clean, keeping in mind the occasional and inevitable mishap. One other factor – a good choice would take into consideration the kind of pet in the household. Obviously the requirement for a sedate cat would be far different and less demanding to the floor needed for a very large and active Great Dane.

With today’s emphasis on green building, an owner might like to keep an environmentally–friendly and pet–friendly floor in mind. The following is a brief run–through on some of the common options:

• Stone: A good choice of a green floor, easy to keep clean, generally scratch–proof and resists allergens, fungus, mildew, mites and pet dander. The downside is that the grout may discolor, and unless textured, the animal may slip on a smooth surface. Stone is a hard surface which may be damaging to the animal’s joints.
• Hardwood flooring: Susceptible to scratches from pet’s nails and staining from urine. Can be refinished when required.
• Bamboo flooring: An environmentally friendly floor. Some types, especially strand woven are hard enough to resist most scratches whereas the softer floors will sustain damage from even small pets nails or stains. A bamboo floor may amplify noise.
• Cork flooring: Another good environmentally friendly choice. A cork floor is hypoallergenic which means it resists mites, allergens and pet dander. Suberin, a natural chemical in cork resists insects. A cork floor is moisture proof and discourages the growth of fungus, mold and bacteria. Cork is sound absorbent with a resilient surface that makes it comfortable to walk on. The downside is that it can be prone to scratches.
• Laminate flooring: Green–friendly, hard, durable and scratch resistant with a surface that is easy to keep clean. Laminate and liquid do not mix so any pet accidents must be wiped up immediately as pooling liquid will damage laminate flooring beyond repair.
• Linoleum: An environmentally friendly floor that is hypoallergenic, antibacterial and anti static. It resists mites, pet dander, allergens, mold and fungus. Linoleum maintains a relatively warm finish and deadens sound. The surface is easy to keep clean and resists minor scratches. Linoleum is a good choice for both people and pets as it is resilient and won’t be hard on the joints.
• Carpet: Provides a comfortable, resilient, sound–proof and non–slip surface. Some types are stain–resistant. Pet’s nails can damage the surface, especially in loop pile carpet so be sure to keep nails trimmed. Carpet will also absorb spills and accidents and often and liquid will go through to the carpet padding. The moisture absorbed may encourage bacterial growth.

For more information on flooring and pets, visit our Pet Friendly Flooring Section.