PET OWNERS REJOICE! WHY LVP FLOORING IS THE TOP CHOICE FOR FUR FAMILIES
You’re renovating your home and it’s time to choose the flooring you want. You love the look of a particular type of flooring–maybe it’s tile, or warm hardwood. But you’ve got a problem: your favorite flooring design isn’t great for your four-footed friend. Your pet is an important part of your life, and you want to consider his or her needs as well as your own. What can you do? We’ve got you covered. Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring is the solution you’ve been looking for. Read on to discover why LVP flooring is the best choice you can make for your home and your pet.
Pet owners need very specific things out of their flooring.
- It needs to be water-resistant. If your pet is a house-training puppy or an older dog, chances are it’ll have an accident at some point. You want clean-up to be quick and easy and for your floor to be undamaged.
- It’s important that your flooring is hardy enough to stand up to claws. Hardwood flooring can be scratched, just by your dog walking around on it. Carpet can be shredded by animal claws.
- You want your pet to be comfortable and safe as he or she walks–or runs–around your home. Anti-slip flooring, and flooring that is on the soft side, is important.
And for your sanity, you probably want to deaden the click-click noise that animal claws make on the flooring, at least a little bit. With a wish list like that, it’s clear that LVP flooring is going to rise to the top. You’ll be thrilled with its functionality for your pet, and you’ll also be very satisfied with the look of it in your home.
What is LVP Flooring?
Luxury vinyl plank flooring, or LVP, is a type of vinyl flooring made of compressed vinyl that is formed into planks. It mimics the look of wood flooring and comes in a variety of colors, styles, and designs. A related product, LVT or luxury vinyl tile, gives the look of real tile with the benefits of vinyl.
LVP is a top-rated product for flooring. It’s less expensive and easier to maintain than hardwood floors, and it is fairly easy to repair. And it looks great. You can find LVP to fit into any style or aesthetic.
Why is LVP Flooring Good for Pets?
Luxury vinyl plank flooring is a great choice for the pet-loving homeowner for many reasons:
- It’s water-resistant. This means it withstands spills really well–but take note that it’s not completely waterproof. For pets who may have accidents, LVP is a great product.
- It’s scratch-resistant. Those toenails won’t damage it no matter how much your furry friend runs around.
- You can get LVP with some texture to it. This makes it slip-resistant and gives your pets good traction. And if you choose one with a weathered, worn wood design, it’ll hide any claw scratches even better.
- It’s durable, which is great when you have pets who may be hard on your flooring. And if a plank does get damaged, it’s easy to replace.
- It’s strong enough to stand up to even larger pets. Great Dane in your living room? No problem.
- LVP is comfortable and quiet underfoot, for both you and your pets.
- It’s cool and comfortable for your pets to lie on–very important in a Tallahassee summer!
- It also works with radiant heat systems, which makes it incredibly cozy in the winter.
- LVP is a low-allergen flooring, great for both people and animals.
- It reduces noise. You won’t hear the click-click of toenails on LVP nearly as much as you would on hardwood or tile flooring.
But Does it Look Good?
Yes! Luxury vinyl plank flooring looks great. Because you can get it in basically any wood style or color, you can find something you love. It looks realistic and gorgeous, and because it’s not real wood, it’s so much easier to maintain. It’s the best of both worlds.
What is Loose-Lay LVP Flooring?
Two specific kinds of LVP flooring are particularly good for pet-loving homes. The first is loose-lay LVP. This product combines the benefits of luxury vinyl planks and sheet vinyl into a great product. Loose-lay LVP is a floating floor, which means it sits on top of the subfloor without nails or glue holding it down. It doesn’t use tongue-in-groove, or click-lock technology to stay in place. It relies on friction. This means it’s incredibly easy to install and repair–one or more boards can easily be pried up with a razor blade and replaced.
What is Magnetic LVP Flooring?
The second type of LVP flooring that is great for homes with pets is magnetic luxury vinyl planks. This is a fairly new product with some really amazing applications. A magnetic underlayment is placed over the subfloor. Then the flooring you choose is laid down–but it’s specially made to contain trace amounts of iron. This causes it to magnetically hold to the underlayment. You can get LVP magnetic flooring, which is what we recommend for pets, but you can also get LVT, carpet, and even hardwood. Any type of flooring can be made to include the trace amounts of iron that makes it magnetic, which means you could, theoretically, replace your flooring whenever you wanted, and reuse the original flooring when you wanted to. Carpet in the winter, LVP in the summer? It’s up to you.
Magnetic flooring is great for pets for a few reasons. First, it’s easy to repair. If a plank gets damaged, you can lift it with a suction cup and replace it with a new one. Second, because it doesn’t need glue, it’s low VOC. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are present in some flooring adhesives, and they can be dangerous to people and pets. With magnetic flooring, you don’t need to worry about them. Studies have been done on the magnets, as well, to ensure they are safe. They don’t harm pets or electronics, or interfere with pacemakers. Magnetic LVP flooring is a great option for pets.
It’s a Win-Win
When it’s time to decide on flooring for you and your four-legged friends to enjoy, make sure that LVP is at the top of your list. Its beauty and durability make it the perfect choice for your home. If you have questions or want to discuss renovation options for your St. Augustine home, give us a call. We care about you, your pets, and your home, and we’d love to help you make your home a haven for everyone who lives there.
