What's Underfoot? Flooring for Pets & People
by: Penny J. Leisch

Spend less time maintaining your floors, and more time enjoying your pets, by installing pet-friendly flooring. New materials provide a stylish array of choices for every home, whether you demand bare-bones economy or environmentally correct products.

If you raise puppies, or foster animals that need housebreaking, vinyl is a perfect choice. Luxury vinyl offers the look and feel of natural stone, slate, marble, or ceramic, but maintains the advantages of vinyl. It is low allergen, moisture resistant, quiet and easy maintenance. This product is also great for homes with animals that shed heavily, because the finish doesn't collect hair and dirt.

Real wood floors still lend a warm, traditional look to your home. But, wood bends and bows with age. Toenails leave scratches on the surface, and it spots when it gets wet. Laminates, such as Pergo, simulate wood; click together; and, float above the foundation surface. The high-grade products also resist stains from pet accidents and tolerate the skittering of running paws; however, laminate may spot from water that isn't cleaned up. So, if your best friend drools and dribbles, investigate your selection thoroughly before purchasing.

For easy maintenance and durability, ceramic tile and stone are always popular. Tile and stone offer the added advantage of holding cool temperatures, which reduces the temperature inside your home. But, hard surfaces have two major disadvantages. First, even non-slip tile remains somewhat slippery. Animals prone to falling-such as those with epilepsy, or unstable hips and knees-may incur injuries on an unyielding surface. This concern also applies to painted concrete floors, which are returning to popularity in some areas. Second, walking and lying on hard, cold surfaces causes intense discomfort for pets with joint problems.

If you are environmentally conscious, Marmoleum is for you. Made from linseed oil, wood flour, rosins, and limestone, it contains antibacterial properties and uses solvent-free adhesives for installation. Plus, it offers easy maintenance and antistatic properties. These features are a real bonus for multiple cat households.

Last, but not least, carpet lovers can celebrate the growing selection of products produced by new processes that use fewer chemicals. Nylon and olefin are presently the most durable, pet-friendly carpet materials available. Both offer stylish textures that hide snags, and multi-toned colors that render pet hair and dirt all but invisible. Optional antistatic and stain guard treatments further increase comfort and carpet longevity. But, best of all, the latest waterproof carpet pads eliminate permanent stain and odor damage.

Carpeting also remains one of the most economical choices. The softness and warmth appeals to most homeowners. But, allergies force some people to avoid it. Pets and people may react to the glues used for installation, and the chemicals required for cleaning carpets. If you own birds, this may be a major factor, since birds are highly sensitive to chemicals.

Consult a professional flooring specialist before you purchase, and you and your pets will peacefully co-exist with your new flooring for many years.

About The Author

Penny is a full time freelance writer. She and Michael share their home with 2 dogs and 1 cat. She also teaches writing and photography for the City of Tempe. http://www.pennyleisch.com

Resources:

An Air Quality Fact Sheet on Carpet
http://www.healthyvermonters.info/hp/airquality/carpet.shtml

Baker Bros. Maintenance Guide (maintenance for all types of flooring)
http://www.bakerbros.com/care2.html

Do It Youself.com (carpeting information)
http://doityourself.com/carpet/carpetlongevity.htm

iFloor.com (large selection of flooring to view or purchase)
http://www.ifloor.com

Toliver's Carpet One offers Forbo Marmoleum? naturally?
http://www.tolivers.com