Hardwood Flooring for Pets: Caring for Both

Hardwood flooring adds natural warmth and style to any room, but many worry it isn’t compatible with their pets. Pets can be messy, and they will romp and play in your home, but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy both your flooring and your pets.

 

Whether you're looking to get a new pet or to redo your flooring with a pet-friendly design, at LL Flooring, we have the details you need to know about solid and engineered hardwood flooring for pets.

 

Do Pets Damage Hardwood Floors?

It’s true; pets can be messy. People often ask whether dogs damage hardwood floors, but all pets come with risks. Those lovable furballs are full of life and energy, after all. We can’t deny that pets will be pets, but we can learn simple solutions to address those concerns.

 

Fur

Having pets on hardwood flooring does not differ from having pets on carpet, tile, or vinyl. They all require regular sweeping or vacuuming to get rid of hair and dander. The benefit of hardwood is that it doesn't trap fur or dander like carpet does, which makes it easier to clean.

 

Little Accidents

All pet owners worry about hardwood flooring and pet urine, but many learn that they don’t need to. Whether it’s a dog, cat, bunny, or reptile, they’ll likely make a mess at some point. When left to sit, moisture is the biggest concern as it might seep into the flooring, but the ammonia in it can also damage the finish. A fast cleanup is the most effective solution.

 

Prevention is the best cure. Make sure your pets have regular opportunities or facilities they can use to relieve themselves. And invest time and energy into training younger pets. Pee pads are handy for house-training puppies.

 

Claws

Yes, claws can scratch a floor’s finish, but when you keep them trimmed, they’re unlikely to cause long-term damage. A good rule of thumb is that if you hear your pet’s nails clicking on the floor, they’re too long. An affordable pair of pet nail trimmers or a quick trip to the groomer are easy options for preventive maintenance.

 

You can also use mats, rugs, and runners to protect your floor. These will give your pets a good grip to help prevent slipping and scratching, especially in often-used areas like halls and doorways.

 

Dirt

Pets can track in added dirt, leaves, salt, and more, but again, hardwood takes no more care than other types of flooring. Regular cleaning with the right tools and cleaners will help keep your floor looking new.

 

Moisture

Toilet-training accidents aren't the only way pets add moisture. Food and water bowls, as well as litter boxes, can cause spills or splashes. It’s best to keep these in a room with water-resistant flooring like our AquaSeal Collection or to use absorbent mats underneath the containers.

 

Cleaning Hardwood Flooring

While most often used for how to clean dog pee off hardwood floors, this method applies to all animals and their messes:

• Address pet messes as soon as possible by removing solid and liquid waste. The more time that elapses before removal, the more difficult a stain will be to remove.
• Use absorbent paper tissue to collect as much of the deposited material as possible and properly dispose of it.
• Clean the area gently with a suitable cleaning solution. LL Flooring recommends Bellawood Floor Cleaning products.
• Dry with a microfiber cloth.
• Keep pets’ nails trimmed.
• Continue your regular cleaning schedule as usual and follow best practices for cleaning and maintaining hardwood.

What’s important to remember is that both the type of flooring and the type of pet play a role in your floor maintenance. Your floor's Warranty, Installation, and Care guide will have the best tips for caring for your specific floors.

 

LL Flooring offers a variety of pet-friendly flooring designed with both you and your pets in mind.

 

How to Choose Pet-Friendly Hardwood Floors

If the biggest risk with pets is scratches and moisture, then you’ll want to look for flooring with strength and water resistance. Both engineered, and solid hardwood offers resilience and longevity and will hold up well to any type of pet.

 

Strength

Hardwood flooring is known for its strength, and both solid and engineered hardwood are made to be strong. Solid hardwood gets its strength naturally, but this can vary based on the type of wood. Specialists use the Janka hardness test to rate the hardness of various species of solid hardwood. Engineered hardwood not only has the strength of its hardwood veneer but also has added toughness from its constructed core.

 

For solid hardwood, going with a wood that rates higher on the Janka hardness scale will give you a tougher wood. This will make it less susceptible to heavy traffic of all kinds.

 

Water Resistance

Water of all kinds can cause damage to hardwood floors. Surface-level issues like discoloration and staining and structural issues are possible. Good care for hardwood floors means protecting them from moisture.

 

For hardwood flooring, engineered is an excellent choice for water resistance because of the constructed cores that support the hardwood veneer.

 

Remember, there’s a difference between water-resistant and waterproof flooring. Engineered hardwood flooring has water resistance and is not completely waterproof.

 

What Is the Best Hardwood Flooring for Pets?

Finding the best hardwood flooring for dogs and other pets is easy when you know what to look for. Here are features to consider when choosing your pet-friendly flooring:

• Harder species of wood are more resistant to heavy traffic.
• Light-toned, distressed, or wood with strong graining are less likely to show scratches.
• The finish makes a difference in how a floor prevents scratches and daily wear.

 

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The AquaSeal Collection

Whether you’re looking for the best-engineered hardwood flooring for pets or the best hardwood flooring for dogs, LL Flooring has a selection of hardwood flooring to meet your needs. Finding hardwood flooring for pets is easy at LL Flooring. We recommend our AquaSeal Collection of water-resistant engineered hardwood. This flooring uses AquaSeal technology as an added defense against moisture and a high-performance core for heightened structural integrity. Not only is the AquaSeal Collection versatile, but it also offers a beautiful collection of hardwoods to choose from.