Durable Flooring Options to Withstand Pets, Children, and the Demands of a Busy Family
Our staff talks flooring every day. With customers, the conversation OF COURSE starts with what the floor will LOOK LIKE, whether it's hardwood, laminate, luxury vinyl, carpet or something else. It's a ton of fun to match a customer's vision for their home (or office, or these days, home office), narrow down colors and textures, and talk through installation options for each space. One area, though, where we really get to play the expert is durability: choosing the right product for how you live. What we love to show people is that these days, you likely don't have to sacrifice the look you want for a floor that performs. There's a wide range of flooring choices for our furry friends, our children and the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Pets, especially larger dogs, can be the real test for flooring. If a floor can stand up to the bigger pups, it can usually handle most of what your kids and family dish out. So when it comes to pet-friendly flooring, you can have almost any type of floor you have in mind, though some adjustments may be needed for long-lasting results. Here are the options we walk people through:
Hardwood Flooring
Who doesn't love the elegance of hardwood flooring? People come to our staff with dreams of a home upgrade, and of the added value new hardwood brings. We don't have to steer them away just because they have pets or the floor will see heavy traffic from kids and family. Although solid hardwood isn't the best option for spills, stains or scratches, we can point you toward engineered hardwood. Engineered hardwood is generally better at resisting scratches and has a sturdier, more stable construction. So if you want real hardwood, you don't have to give up on it, but you'll want to talk with our experts about hardness and finish. A textured finish can also help keep kids, pets and everyone else from slipping.
Laminate Flooring
If you truly want something that can stand up to pets, you might be happier with laminate flooring. You get the look of hardwood (or stone and other styles), even with textured finishes, but with much greater scratch and stain resistance. Laminate is very easy to clean, though you'll still want to watch for pet accidents, moisture or spills getting between the planks, as you would with hardwood. If you think of laminate as a "lesser option" (and it does tend to cost less), come see some samples. Laminate can be quite elegant, with hundreds of styles, colors and textures, and it works in many more rooms than hardwood.
Luxury Vinyl Flooring
If pets are the top concern, we often steer customers toward vinyl flooring. Luxury vinyl tile, vinyl plank and sheet vinyl are usually the best all-around fit for pets and families. Most people don't realize all the benefits of this flooring, so we take the time to explain and show them. It checks all the boxes for resisting stains, scratches, dirt and spills. Vinyl is VERY EASY to clean and usually quite slip-resistant. You can install luxury vinyl anywhere and everywhere in the home and mimic all kinds of wood, stone and ceramic tile looks. Your furry friends and your children can live their rough-and-tumble lives, and you get all the style you want in every room, whether you mix patterns or keep one continuous look throughout your home.
Carpeting
Premiere Floors & Design Center also carries, sells and installs plenty of carpet. If you're coming to us for carpet instead of (or along with) a hard floor, we'll make sure you get carpet designed to be durable and protective against pet wear and tear. Options include spill-proof carpet backing and carpet that's less likely to snag pets' nails. We can also advise you on the stain resistance of different carpets and treatments, so you get the best protection for your needs.
We hope this helps current and future customers (and readers outside our service area) see that there are an incredible number of options to fit your needs. Once you know that, make sure you go to a flooring store and installer (we do BOTH!) that can help you understand your choices and feel confident in your decision. The experts at Premiere Floors & Design Center are ready and excited to help you choose a floor you'll be happy with and enjoy for many years to come. Pets or no pets, kids or no kids, small family or big family, we know we can help. Call us today or stop by the design center, we'd love to see you! Thanks for reading.
