Do you find it challenging to maintain your floors due to the activities of your beloved pets? If so, you might want to consider getting a new vinyl floor!
Vinyl flooring has emerged as an excellent choice for pet owners. There are two main types: sheet vinyl, also known as resilient flooring, and luxury vinyl, which consists of smaller individual pieces of vinyl material. Both types have similar care and maintenance requirements, but their installation methods differ.
For pet owners, luxury vinyl, also referred to as LVP and LVT, is highly recommended. It comes in wood looks with wide planks and tile and stone visuals. Some tiles can even be grouted if desired, and various sizes are available, including popular 16" x 16" and 12" x 24" sizes. The technology used ensures realistic patterns and textures.
Luxury vinyl is extremely moisture resistant. This flooring is highly durable, stain resistant, and often rated for commercial use. Most styles include attached backings, providing warmth, cushioning, and sound deadening properties. The majority of LVP/LVT is installed using the click (floating) method.
Luxury vinyl can be scratched or damaged, for instance, by dragging a large appliance over it, but most styles offer the flexibility to remove the damaged piece and replace it. We recommend keeping a partial box on hand, just in case.
PRO TIP Look for a 20 mil wearlayer for the very best scratch resistance.
Although luxury vinyl is not new and has been used in commercial flooring for nearly 50 years, it was initially not popular in residential applications due to its industrial styling. However, as manufacturers started creating patterns and colors that mimicked wood, tile, and stone, luxury vinyl gained popularity in residential settings.
Sheet vinyl floors are another option to LVP. It is topically waterproof, meaning the product itself is waterproof, especially without seams in the installation. However, in the case of standing water or flooding, the floor (including luxury vinyl) will not act as a waterproofing barrier for the subfloor and/or any surrounding structure.