Floors that Pet Owners Will Love!
This is especially for all of you that love and care for your pets. Whether it’s a dog or a cat, pets can be counted on to love unconditionally, however after a period of time you will see your new carpeting taking on a brownish tinge. Even your hardwood, cats and dogs have claws that can easily scratch that shiny finish. Sure you can refinish a hardwood floor, but how often are you willing to do that? As we all know, our pets are a constant source of surprise, or they’ll grow bigger than you expect, they’ll end up weighing 15 pounds instead of 9, with claws that can dig to the other side of the world in fifteen minutes. Your hardwood is ruined along with your carpet! Pets have accidents all the time, that top of the line carpeting with its 10 year warranty now looks like it was abused! And the warranty? It only covers ‘normal’ wear. When you have pets, there’s no such thing as normal wear. Pet owners must choose pet-friendly flooring, and these days there are many floorings from which to choose:
Hardwood
For many people hardwood floors are the only option. If that is true for you, you can still insure that your floors are pet friendly. Here are a few tips to keep your floor in shape and you and your pet happy.
-3 coats of an oil-based urethane finish, preferably satin sheen (assures protection)
-Sweep vacuum or dust mop weekly
-Wipe up accidents immediately with dampened towel
-Do not use hard chemicals like ammonia or bleach
-Clip pet’s nails regularly
-Use mat or rug under pets water bowl and food dish (Replace if wet or stained)
-If necessary spot refinishing is possible
Laminate
Laminate is tough, "looks-like-real" flooring. It is comprised of 3 layers:
• The Surface Wear Layer (the part you see) is made of a tough aluminum-oxide. It can look like hardwood, tile, stone, or brick. This layer is actually a photograph of a real floor, which repeats to look exactly like any floor pattern you desire.
• The Core is made up of a variety of materials, mostly high density fiberboard (HDF) which is a durable engineered wood product, made to resist moisture.
• The Backing ranges from a paper layer to a full plastic laminate layer. Laminate with plastic backing is obviously more so moisture resistant.
In addition to health considerations, laminate flooring cannot be refinished. It's also less pricey, so if it is scratched or stained, you will have no choice, except to replace it. Consider buying an extended warranty policy, which covers replacement, should your floor hold a stain. Buying cheaper, to save money, should not be an option. It's worth the expense to know you can depend on your laminate flooring.
Carpeting is the preferred choice for many homeowners. It cushions the step, and best of all there are now stain resistant carpets that will allow you to completely clean up after your pet, if you act fast enough. Look for the following features:
Carpet with a performance rating of at least 3.5 (Advanced Stain Protection)
Carpet without loop fiber (Loops capture pets claws, pulls yarn and causes irreparable damage)
Choose Polypropylene and Polyester fibers (naturally stain resistant)
Be sure to read the warranty so that you always know the exact limitations.
