Guest authored by Ornella Bianco from fixr.com
According to the 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey, 70% of US households, or about 90.5 million families, own a pet. While pets can really improve your life, they can also be tough on your floors. Scratches from nails, accidents, spills, tracked dirt, and shed fur can all show up on your floor, changing the way that it looks and, in some instances, causing long term damage.
To help ensure that a floor remains looking great, many pet owners find themselves constantly sweeping, mopping and treating stains and scratches. And even with all of this work, some flooring materials still don’t look their best after just a few short months with some pets. That’s why it’s a good idea to consider materials like luxury vinyl flooring that can withstand the normal wear and tear of most pets without the staining, scratching and warping that other materials may be prone to. Consider these five reasons why Karndean Designflooring luxury vinyl can be a great fit for you and your pets.
1. Durability to withstand wear and tear
While hardwood or laminate floors may scratch when your pet runs through or skids around a corner on their sharp nails, luxury vinyl flooring (LVF) resists scratches. Karndean LVF - both planks and tiles - is made up of durable layers of material, including K-Guard+® surface protection. Our recommendation would be to look for some of Karndean's more textured products to ensure extra traction for paws and day-to-day durability.
2. Assured waterproof performance
Potty accidents, drool, spills and more are all par for the course with pets. Unfortunately, many floors can be significantly damaged or impacted by these accidents. Laminate can warp while some types of wood can stain. Karndean floors on the other hand, have a waterproof top layer and are nonporous, which means that they aren’t going to be fazed by all the tracked-in snow, mud and rain that your pet may bring inside with them.
3. Easy maintenance
No matter what type of pet you have, you’re going to have some degree of maintenance involved. Some pets can be high maintenance, needing frequent walks, grooming, or other care. With materials like LVF, you don’t need to worry about maintaining your floor as heavily as other flooring materials.
Luxury vinyl floors are designed for a very long, low-maintenance life. There’s not porous grout like there is in tile flooring, so there’s nothing to stain. And unlike materials like stone that require sealing or wood that may need refinishing, Karndean floors don’t require sealing or refinishing. Just sweep or mop as needed and spend the extra time you would have spent cleaning for your floor by playing with your pet instead.
4. Style and appearance
You don't need to compromise on style when it comes to choosing a pet-friendly floor.
Flooring makes up some of the largest parts of your home’s interior design, so no matter what your home style is, you want to make sure that your flooring will complement the space. With Karndean floors, you no longer need to sacrifice a beautiful flooring design to have a pet-friendly floor. You can choose from a range of different colors, finishes and styles without worrying about kids, pets and messes. And because it’s easier to maintain than either wood or stone, you can rest assured that it will keep looking great year after year without a lot of care or maintenance on your part.
5. Resilient flooring surface
Whether you’re standing for hours doing dishes, running around after your pet, or you’re worrying about your pet’s joints as they age, it’s important to have a resilient flooring that’s not too hard underfoot. While stone, tile, and some types of wood can be painful on feet, knees, and joints of both people and pets, Karndean flooring is softer underfoot. And even as your pet ages, they can still romp, jump, and run around with less stress on their joints - and less damage to the floor.
All Karndean Designflooring products are beautiful, durable, versatile and low maintenance. They are practical for pets and with occasional maintenance, will stay looking great year after year. Best of all, LVF is generally lower in cost than many other attractive types of floors, including those it most resembles like porcelain tile, natural stone, and hardwood. With the money you save, you’ll be able to pamper your pet even more. If your current floors have taken a beating and need an update, consider Karndean floors to give your home the style and durability it needs.