Laminate floors and dogs

Our dogs are often more than just our pets, they are part of the family. So when you are trying to figure out the best way to make a laminate floor part of your home, it’s only natural to consider the flooring choice from your dog’s point of view.

Laminate is often listed as one of the most pet-friendly of all the flooring options, mostly because it’s easy to clean surface and scratch-resistance makes life easier for dog owners. It also looks a lot like hardwood, which is much more likely to succumb to a playful puppy’s scrambling claws and household accidents.

If you are choosing to go with a laminate floor and want to know how to make it more pet-friendly for your dog, there are a few ways that you can arrange your new flooring purchase to give the best of all possible worlds for your canines.

Why laminate flooring with dogs can be a great option

Laminate’s scratch-resistant wear layer is a definite bonus for pet owners whose dogs love running and playing inside the home. Many brands will often cater to dog owners, knowing that laminate is frequently the go-to option for their furry companions.

Laminate floors are divided into layers. The top layer, or wear layer, is designed to prevent damage and is followed by a plastic layer and the design layer, which has the picture that you see when you look at a board. The base is made out of a type of fiberboard.

The upper layers protect the lower layers from scratches, and many will hold up well against a dog’s claws. For best results though, you should lean towards the mid to high-end laminate floors, as less expensive brands and options tend to be more easily damaged.

You can learn more about picking out the best scratch resistance laminates in our free laminate buying guide.

Once they are installed, laminate floors have some benefits for your dog. During the hottest summer months, they are relatively well insulated against heat. This will give your dog a slightly cooler place to lie down in hotter climates.In contrast, if you live in a cooler carpet, you’ll probably want to lay down a dog bed–she’s not going to like the cold hard floor.

How to pick a laminate your dog will like

No floor is perfect for dogs, and laminate is no exception.

The good news is you can overcome some of its flaws.

Laminate floors with a smooth, high-gloss finish offer the least traction for a dog’s paws. When picking out your laminate floor you should make sure that it has an embossed or textured finish, since those offer the most grip for scampering paws. Dogs with sore limbs and hips may have the most trouble walking and moving on laminate floors.

Laminate also is hard and difficult to lie down on, especially for those older dogs. You should make sure you lay down plenty of rugs in the areas where your dog likes to spend time so there is something comfortable to sleep on.

Another thing to be aware of is that you will now be able to hear the click-clack of your dog’s paws every time your dog walks across the floor. The distinctive noise can be reduced with a noise-muffling underlayment, but without it, you will always know where your dog is walking just by following your ears.

Tips for installation

So when installing the laminate floors, you will want to make sure that you purchase an underlayment that reduces noise and also absorbs moisture in case of pet accidents. The underlayment always goes down first, followed by the laminate flooring.

Laminate is one of the fastest and easiest types of flooring to install. If you are concerned about your pet during the process, you will not have to keep him or her confined or separated for as long as you would for other floors such as tile or hardwood, which can be time-consuming to install.

Captain’s side point! Since laminate is easy to install, it’s also not difficult to replace an area if it is damaged. This is a big thumbs up for flooring for pets in my opinion. Because at some point, it’s likely your pet will do damage no matter the floor you choose.

Additional tips for dog owners

Laminate floors are susceptible to standing water, and that includes any messes your pets might leave behind. If your dog has an accident on a laminate floor, you will want to clean it up as soon as you can in order to prevent a lingering odor or stain. Laminate floors require special products for cleaning, so make sure your chosen pet-mess remover is safe to use on laminate.

To keep laminate floors clean against the general messiness of dog ownership – tracked mud, shedding, and spilled kibble – you should have a regular cleaning schedule. Floors can be swept or vacuumed every couple of days to prevent the build-up of fur and dirt. If your dog tracks in a muddy mess you should use a damp but not wet cloth to wipe it clean.

You can also place a mat beneath your dog’s food and water bowl to keep the immediate area clean. That way, any messes will not go directly onto your floor and you can clean the mat as needed.

Captain’s parting words!

If you are a dog owner, you’ve probably heard a lot about finding a pet-friendly option that looks great in your home and makes your canine companion happy too. Laminate floors are a good option for dog owners, as the floors are scratch resistant, easy to install, and mirror the look of hardwood, which is not nearly as friendly to dogs.

While there are a few drawbacks to laminate, especially since the floors can be slippery and hard for dogs to walk on, you can make sensible buying choices when picking out your laminate floors that make it better for your dog.

These options include finding rugs to give your dog a soft place to sleep, purchasing laminate that uses an embossed or textured finish, and laying down a mat by the food dish to keep messes off the floor.

If you’re interested in laminate, it’s worth your time check out my unbiased guide to laminate flooring.

Any questions on laminate (you could ask questions about your dog, too, but I probably can’t help there)? Let me know in the comments below.