Hardwood floors are a timeless choice of flooring when it comes to aesthetics, elegance, and convenience. It has always been an easy choice for homeowners to opt for hardwood floors, but for pet-friendly homes, it can be a difficult choice. Here are some pros and cons of hardwood floors that may help you know if they are pet-friendly and the right choice for homes with furry friends.
When building a new home or renovating one, perfect flooring is the main concern of every homeowner. With a variety of floorings and their distinctive features, deciding which one to choose for the flooring can be tough. It can become more challenging if you have pets at home, as their comfort and safety comes first.
Hardwood floors have always been a popular choice of flooring due to the numerous benefits, value, and charm they provide to the house. But when it comes to considering pet-friendly flooring, it can be tough to decide if hardwood floors are pet-friendly. To help you decide whether hardwood floors are an ideal choice for you and your furry friends, here are some pros and cons that you can consider before choosing the best flooring for your pets.
Pros of hardwood floors for pets
Pet homes require a lot of maintenance and cleaning due to accidental spillage of water or urine, so flooring that may be easy to clean and maintain must be considered for such houses. Hardwood floors are easy to clean, unlike carpeted floors. They can be easily cleaned by sweeping, vacuuming, or wiping using a damp cloth. Hardwood floors do not retain odor or trap pet hair, which is a major benefit for a house with pets, making it a pet-friendly flooring.
It’s common to find scratches and dents in homes with pets, which may require maintenance and repair. The durability of hardwood floors is well known as it lasts for decades with proper care, which can be beneficial in pet-friendly homes. The hardwood floors can be refinished and sanded numerous times and become new and aesthetically pleasing. So, it is easier to get rid of the scratches and dents caused by pets on the hardwood floors, making it a pet-friendly flooring option.
The main concern of pet owners is to equip their house with hypoallergenic things, especially flooring that doesn’t trap hair and bacteria, to ensure good quality air inside the house. Hardwood floors are the best hypoallergenic choice for flooring as they are resistant to bacteria and mildew. They do not trap any odor, dust, hair, or pet allergens, making them a great choice for pet owners with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory conditions.
Hardwood floors are a one-time investment as they last for decades, providing a safe and comfortable environment for your pets. You won’t need to change your flooring every year or two due to scratches or wear and tear, as hardwood floors can be sanded or refinished as many times as you want and become completely new. It can add value to your place and play a role in overall aesthetics while fulfilling your pet’s needs.
Cons of hardwood floors for pets
Who wouldn’t like their pets to play and run around the house but also wants them to be safe? Of course every pet owner! As much as the numerous benefits of hardwood floors make them pet-friendly, they can be problematic for older pets due to their slippery surface. Due to the slippery nature of hardwood floors, pets can be prone to the risk of falling, which can lead to potential injuries.
Water and wood are never a friendly combination as water can cause damage to hardwood floors, causing swelling and weakening of the wood. Water damage to hardwood floors can occur commonly with pets as they may have accidents of urine or water spillage. So, it is recommended to wipe the floor immediately after water spillage or keep the water bowls elevated or above a spill-resistant stand to avoid water spillage and moisture damage.
Cost can be a major factor to consider when choosing the right flooring for a pet-friendly home. When compared with other flooring types, hardwood floors may seem an expensive option. Though hardwood floors provide the best return on investment, the initial cost may seem a lot. depending on the material, the cost may vary between $3 and $7 per square foot, running up to $15 per square foot. With the addition of the installation cost with the material cost, the hardwood floors become expensive.
If you have pets at home, you’d know how much pets like to scratch furniture, wooden chairs, and tables and dig the floor surface. Similarly, pets can cause scratches on the hardwood floors, which can damage the floors and leave marks that are quite noticeable on the wooden surfaces. It can be prevented by training your pets and maintaining the hardwood floors by refinishing and sanding them to make them brand new.
A brand-new hardwood floor might not produce sound, but with time and wear and tear of the flooring, it may become squeaky and creaky. So when your furry friends run around or scratch the floor, it may produce and amplify the noise, which may sound irritating. The noise amplifies with the time and age of the wood and becomes annoying. It may cause a problem if you live in the apartment and have neighbors on the down floors of the apartment, as they may be disturbed by the noise.
Conclusion
Deciding the right flooring for your house with pets can be challenging. When it comes to flooring, hardwood floors have always been a popular choice, but for furry friends, there may be some pros and cons to consider before making the decision. Even though Hardwood floors have pros and cons, they can become a pet-friendly option by overcoming their drawbacks with proper maintenance, care, and precautionary measures. The benefits of hardwood floors outweigh the cons and make them a suitable choice for pets and their owners.
