Best floor for dogs?

cormie

Hey folks,
My friend is moving into a new place soon and wants to take up the dirty carpet and replace it with wood.

Budget is very tight, but I'm suggesting to invest in a good quality floor so it'll last a lifetime (or is that even possible? )

My friend has a few dogs who spend a lot of time indoors and doesn't want something that will scratch easy with their paws and nails and it also must be easy to clean (they shed a LOT of hair). They were thinking to get laminate, but I was thinking maybe something more rough and natural looking would look way better, be better quality, and any scratches would just mould into the style.

Something like this: http://www.traditionaltimber.co.uk/demo/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/copenhagen-pine-web.jpg

They are thinking then to get a carpet runner, just to go in the centre of the stairs incase they have difficulty getting up and down so they don't fall and hurt themselves. Would this be a good solution?

Any suggestions would be great

Ms Doubtfire1

Don't. A dogs nails WILL damage wood regardless of what kind you have. Go for Lino in a thick, sturdy quality.Easy to clean, not too expensive and won't scratch.There is very nice wood like Lino available.I have it through my whole house and I'm delighted with it.

Knine

I have have Vinyl on some of my floors as my youngest daughter has mobility issues. It is non slip even when wet. I find it great for the dogs too. No damage from the dogs although it would probably not be great with pointy high heels.

tk123

We have cheap as chips laminate (Des Kellys) and Ikea runners/mats in the high traffic areas where the dogs are likely to slip say of they're running to the door etc Now bear in mind Bailey has had the surgery on his legs so while it's added safety/protection it may not be needed for EVERY dog. Both clean up well with with a quick going over with the vacuum and steam mop - the mop has a carpet glider so great for freshening up the mats and killing any germs!

Ms Doubtfire1

tk123 wrote: »

We have cheap as chips laminate (Des Kellys) and Ikea runners/mats in the high traffic areas where the dogs are likely to slip say of they're running to the door etc Now bear in mind Bailey has had the surgery on his legs so while it's added safety/protection it may not be needed for EVERY dog. Both clean up well with with a quick going over with the vacuum and steam mop - the mop has a carpet glider so great for freshening up the mats and killing any germs!

Lol.I USED to have a mat. After Mister Lurcher took it in his stride and did a Bambi on it i did away with the runner..after almost p*** myself laughing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=442tPdyLlwE

tk123

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

Lol.I USED to have a mat. After Mister Lurcher took it in his stride and did a Bambi on it i did away with the runner..after almost p*** myself laughing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=442tPdyLlwE

Funny we used to say our two were like Bambi skidding on the floor lol!

Dubl07

We've a wooden hall floor with a big mat. Even with an antislip underlay for the mat, when yer woman hits the mat right it skids up to the front door and doubles over. We're calling it her magic carpet.

Pretzill

We have tiles nearly in every room - but recently got new tiles that look like wood - very easy to keep clean - (if a bit pricey) I had a dog once who hated wooden floors and she would only walk around the edges of a room -

borderlinemeath

We recently got heavy duty lino/vinyl in our dog room. Far less slippy than tiles and far more durable than wood. Dead easy to clean too.

cormie

Thanks a lot for the replies folks. Just to note, the dogs in question here aren't active indoors at all and they generally just go and sit down whenever they are indoor as they are walked twice a day for about 1.5 hours each walk so chill at home and would just walk around the house and wouldn't be running and sliding and the only things that have been scrated are the window sills and chairs from them balancing on their nails as they look at what's on the table or outside.

The floors they live with now are laminate (I think) wood and there's no signs of scratching at all on them, but I was just thinking hardwood would be better and if it was a style and finish that scratches would almost add to the effect, it might be better, like the floor I link to in the first post??

They have no problem walking on the floors either in the kitchen (tiles) or throughout the rest of the house (wood) that they are in now, so I don't think slipping and sliding will be an issue with these dogs either.

I'm not a fan of lino. I've often seen it tear and rise and much prefer the look of natural wood myself and personally don't think a scratched wood floor looks bad if it's done right and it should last much much longer than lino?

JustAThought

There is a new product out now (expensive) that is tiles that look like wood pannels - I saw them up in the tile/bathroom shop across from the NCT centre in Dundalk - amazing look ' very washable! And lookslike wood while being scrubable & soft & warm underfoot. Very tempted. They also have some besutiful stone floors there but not the cheapest option!
Laminates have come on a long way - I'd go that route - wood will mark with nails & look tatty far sooner and if ghe dog has a cut foot & bleeds or slops its food or water will soak into it & stain. Also lams are designed to be mopable with hot water & disinfectant - a must do with dogs ! Lam job!!

mymo

I have two types of laminate and oak flooring.
Oak floor is in bits, scratched, scuffed and water damaged thanks to a minor leak.
One laminate was 5.50 a yard, smooth finish, good condition but I can see it beginning to wear a litter after 4years, the other laminate was even cheaper end of line stuff I picked up, only difference is it's contoured kind of, like bumpy wood grain? Very slight grooves at joints, looks really good and still like new after 4 years.
Another tip is don't go dark, one room has dark laminate and it shows up everything, I think the best is a medium shade possible light maple or something, can't remember now. Too light also shows up dirt.

Edit: it took one dog 3 weeks to learn to walk on the wood floors, despite having in last house.
I also have teenager in house, which means often 6-8 teens at weekends sometimes more, they walk in sand, gravel, mud, soggy boots and swimming gear in summer as we live by a river, and other than the rough stone tiles in hall, I still stand by the rough laminate as best.

Pretzill

JustAThought wrote: »

There is a new product out now (expensive) that is tiles that look like wood pannels - I saw them up in the tile/bathroom shop across from the NCT centre in Dundalk - amazing look ' very washable! And lookslike wood while being scrubable & soft & warm underfoot!

Yeah they're the sort of tiles I had done recently - they aren't slippy and have fooled many because they look like wood - the dogs love them - for the first time in years dogbeds/chairs/sofa are being abandoned for a stretch out paws akimbo on the tiles - they are warmer underfoot too - but they were pricey and have to be laid specifically so they look like slats of wood flooring.

kylith

I've wood effect vinyl and it's great. It's not exactly non-slip, but it's easy to clean and hard to damage. And it's so good that some people have thought it's real wood.

CJhaughey

Good quality Laminate >AC4 grade will last for ever even with dogs claws.
You can buy an amazing variety of Laminate now with all kinds of grain patterns and even worn paint finishes, some even has a V so it looks like wooden planking.
No Hardwood will match Laminate for durability in a flooring sense.
It is slippery but gripper underlay from Ikea and carpet will stop skidding if the dogs are charging around inside.

Millem

CJhaughey wrote: »

Good quality Laminate >AC4 grade will last for ever even with dogs claws.
You can buy an amazing variety of Laminate now with all kinds of grain patterns and even worn paint finishes, some even has a V so it looks like wooden planking.
No Hardwood will match Laminate for durability in a flooring sense.
It is slippery but gripper underlay from Ikea and carpet will stop skidding if the dogs are charging around inside.

We have a 12mm v groove laminate downstairs and it does not scratch.

We have the cheapest ikea laminate upstairs (shocking stuff). It chips very easily

loyatemu

we have sanded deal floorboards in most of the house and a decent laminate (QuikStep I think) in the kitchen. The wooden floors have been scratched to bits by the dog, whereas the laminate hasn't a mark on it.

cormie

Thanks a lot for the replies folks. Looks like laminate is a clear favourite with dog owners here! I always thought laminate had a terrible reputation as being cheap and poor quality though?!

loyatemu

cormie wrote: »

Thanks a lot for the replies folks. Looks like laminate is a clear favourite with dog owners here! I always thought laminate had a terrible reputation as being cheap and poor quality though?!

you get what you pay for - the cheap stuff will peal and curl up at the edges. more expensive stuff is thicker and more durable - I think the one we have has a 20 year guarantee (not sure what it covers exactly).

cormie

Thanks for that, now just to find out how I know I'm getting a good quality one at X price and not that it's just an expensive shop. Assuming prices in Woodies and the likes are far far higher than somewhere dealing to the trade?

Millem

cormie wrote: »

Thanks for that, now just to find out how I know I'm getting a good quality one at X price and not that it's just an expensive shop. Assuming prices in Woodies and the likes are far far higher than somewhere dealing to the trade?

Are you anywhere near a des Kelly? We have a 12mm everywhere down stairs with a v groove. Looks great. Tbh 8mm also looks good too we may get 8mm upstairs for bedrooms.

loyatemu

we used Matt Britton:

http://www.mattbritton.ie/find-store

tk123

Millem wrote: »

Are you anywhere near a des Kelly? We have a 12mm everywhere down stairs with a v groove. Looks great. Tbh 8mm also looks good too we may get 8mm upstairs for bedrooms.

All of ours is Des Kelly stuff - because there's one up the road lol!! My dad did all of ours but they often have offers with free fitting or at least free underlay. We got the cheapest one thinking we'd replace it in a few years but some of it is down 10+ years and still fine.

cormie

Thanks folks, Matt Britton and Des Kelly's seem to be more consumer based rather than trade? Could possibly get some better deals with a trade supplier?

Millem

cormie wrote: »

Thanks folks, Matt Britton and Des Kelly's seem to be more consumer based rather than trade? Could possibly get some better deals with a trade supplier?

I found des Kelly cheaper than trade for what we wanted. We got 12mm v grove for €11 per sq yard. They call it "dublin oak" They charged €9ish per sq yard to fit. They also had quick step 8mm €15 sq yd with free fitting.


He also has take away prices too for €6ish or €7 sq yd.

We have the cheapo ikea stuff in bedrooms which we did ourselves it was about €4 sq m. There is no comparison in the quality.

The deals depends on what des has in stock

CJhaughey

Look for an AC grade on the pack. It runs through from AC1 to AC5 which is super heavy duty.

cormie

Thanks again, will keep an eye for the AC grade, does all laminate have an AC grade? Is 5 rare? I saw some 3's, is this decent enough and shouldn't warm and curl as easy as 1 or 2 for example?

volchitsa

cormie wrote: »

Thanks again, will keep an eye for the AC grade, does all laminate have an AC grade? Is 5 rare? I saw some 3's, is this decent enough and shouldn't warm and curl as easy as 1 or 2 for example?

CJHaughey (above) said AC4 or above, so 3 might not be quite enough to stand up to the wear and tear caused by dogs.

Millem

http://www.woodfloorwarehouse.ie/kronoswiss-dublin-oak-12mm.html

This is the one we have downstairs 12mm ac4. It is very thick that your doors may need to be filed down.

cormie

Thanks again everyone! I see the recommendation for AC4 or above now too, will suggest it