Pet Friendly Floors
Pets are our beloved furry companions, but they can devastate your floor. Long nails can scratch flooring, water bowl spills can damage wood floors, and accidents can stain and damage carpets if not treated right away. Flooring manufacturers know that you love your pets and have worked hard to make durable, stylish products that stand up to our four-legged friends. At The Carpet Shoppe, we carry several pet-friendly flooring options for every taste and preference.
When shopping for a pet-friendly carpet, there are different performance qualities consider. The top three include cleanability, durability, and protection from stains and soiling. For example, maybe you have an accident-prone puppy in your home. A carpet with soil and stain protection may be more important to you than whether it’s a loop or cut pile. Or, maybe you have a big dog that runs up and down your hallway, and you are worried about your carpet fraying and wearing down from their activity. Looking for a carpet that is more durable than it is plush could be a priority for you. It’s important to be clear on how you want your carpet to perform before you start shopping. We will highlight a few of our favorite pet-friendly carpets below.
Mohawk and Karastan carry a proprietary carpet fiber called SmartStrand. SmartStrand is soft, durable, and easy to clean, making it a popular choice for homes with children and pets. This fiber is unique because of its built-in stain and soil resistance that help keep liquid from soaking into the fiber and damaging it. Other carpets have these protective treatments applied after production through sprays or coatings that only cover the fiber. Over time, these treatments wear off and lose effectiveness. SmartStrand’s stain and soil protection never wear off. Another great thing about this carpet is that it is backed by Mohawk’s All Pet Protection & Warranty, covering “all pets, all accidents, all the time.”
Shaw’s Bellera collection covers all your aesthetic wants and needs with added pet protection. With a combination of stain treatment and spill-proof backing, this high-performance PET Polyester carpet is ideal for those looking for stain resistance and easy cleanup. Shaw’s R2X Stain Treatment helps keep messes at the surface of the carpet, while the LifeGuard backing keeps spills, accidents, and odors from absorbing into your carpet pad and subfloor. The Bellera collection does not limit customers to basic designs either, as it contains beautiful colors in large- and small-scale patterns as well as tonal solids.
Luxury vinyl has a great pet-friendly story. With carpet, you may prioritize one performance factor over another, but luxury vinyl is a total solution. Waterproof, durable, and low maintenance, this is a fantastic flooring choice. The two crucial pet-proof aspects of luxury vinyl include the core and the wear layer. As you’re shopping, you may notice two types of cores: WPC and SPC. Both are 100% waterproof and will not swell when exposed to water or pet accidents like a hardwood floor. However, it is still essential to promptly clean up any spills or accidents, even with waterproof properties. If left standing for prolonged periods, the liquid may move through the spaces between planks and damage your subfloor. If left for too long, mold and mildew could grow underneath your floor and cause health issues for you and your furry friend. The thin protective film on the top of the plank is the wear layer. Look for a thicker layer for enhanced durability against scratching and the wear and tear from pet nails. We recommend a minimum wear layer of 12mil which can stand up to medium traffic. Still, a 20mil will provide more enhanced protection. One thing to note is that a wear layer may not necessarily protect against scratches. If this is the primary concern for you, look for brands that offer added scratch protection.
Luxury vinyl also comes in an array of designs! Choose from a wood look, stone look, or concrete look designs that come in hundreds of colors and styles. We carry several great pet-friendly luxury vinyl products from a variety of manufacturers. You can view these products here.
Extremely durable and scratch-resistant, tile is another pet-friendly flooring option. While it may not be as comfortable or warm as carpet or luxury vinyl, ceramic tiles are stylish and easy to clean. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are also waterproof and soil-resistant if sealed. Be wary of unsealed natural stone, ceramic, or porcelain. These products can discolor and, when exposed to spills and accidents over time and can also chip and wear down faster than sealed products. You’ll want to be sure your grout is sealed as well. If left unsealed, accidents could discolor your grout as well as hold odors. However, tile is easy to clean and low maintenance. An occasional sweep and mop will keep your floor looking beautiful!
If you have pets in your home and you are shopping for new flooring, know that you have plenty of great options to choose from! At The Carpet Shoppe, you don’t have to compromise on style, or price, to get your perfect pet-friendly floor. Whether you’re looking for stain and soil resistance, or longevity and durability, know that our showroom has many options to fit your needs. You can stop by our showroom or contact us to learn more about
