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Laminate Flooring


Luke GSP
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Hi All,

As per the description, we are considering laminate flooring as our carpets need replacing, but I'm a little concerned how they go with dogs on them? I know that they are a bit slippery and sometimes dogs cant get traction, but my main concern is if their claws wear them out? we have two pointers and a cocker spaniel. They are in the laundry and garden during the day, then come in at night, they are pretty calm when inside in the evenings and not running about.

Does anyone have experience with laminates and dogs that can advise?

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Yes it can be a bit slippery but not for normal walking. The dogs haven't marked it at all. I have though dragging furniture! Highly recommend it and I hated it before I got a house with it (snob thing as I like real wood).

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We have commercial laminate flooring - it was from Bunnings and was the type that had a rubber backing, so doesn't need an underlay. It just clicks together. It is also waterproof, so can also be used in wet areas. It hasn't marked at all, it is as tough as tough. Haven't noticed an issue with dogs/traction.

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I know the ordinary laminate flooring in Bunnings doesn't do well with lots of mopping like my ceramic tiles do. Had a chat with an assistant there as I was worried about puppy piddles when having litters & they were not recommended.

They never mentioned the waterproof commercial though so I may take another look in there.

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I am also interested in laminate flooring. Some of the newer ones look real but without the drawbacks of wood flooring which needs maintenance? I am concerned about the ones that lock together because like Christina I am concerned about piddles getting into the cracks. I would want a floor that was totally sealed. ash1 is your flooring totally waterproof? If it just locks together how can it be fully sealed?

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thanks for the replies guys, The traction issue should be ok as my dogs aren't supposed to be zooming round the house, we try and promote calm behaviour (I did say try :laugh: )

Just as an added question, is it worth spending the extra to get the ones with longer "warranties"?

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I have laminate floating flooring in my house. My previous Rottweilers and current Cavaliers have all been inside dogs. There are no marks at all on the floors.

It is slippery so I put attractive carpet rugs in the rooms where the dogs spend most of their time a runner carpet in the hallway to prevent the dogs from slipping.

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Yeah mine aren't allowed to run around. The traction issue comes in when they are going out for dinner time.

Have a look at the vinyl boards too. I really liked the look of them and thought one was real timber.

For people that don't want gaps (I don't have any in mine btw but I think mine could be glued down) there is a lino that looks like timber floor. Is pretty good but not cheap.

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We have vinyl in our lounge instead of carpet. Looks like timber floors. The three dogs are inside, and the floor stands up to some hard wear & tear. We love it that much, we're replacing all the carpets with the same vinyl.

We were told to not get the floor soaked, so if it gets peed on providing its cleaned relatively quickly it would be ok. Besides if it gets scratched or what not, we can pull up that piece and replace it with a spare.

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We have real timber in our Kitchen & Meals area, and ceramic tiles in the Entry & Passage. Our clumsy goofs often scrabble for traction on both surfaces.

No dramas really.

The issue with laminate "timber" flooring simply comes down to quality. Some of the very cheap stuff will scratch through because the grained surface is very thin and its only particle-board underneath, but it's more likely to get damaged by chairs, furniture, and Stilettos, than doggy paws.

Edited by Big D
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We replaced the carpet in our front hallway with the laminate flooring from Bunnings as our oldest dog liked to sleep in that hallway and he had some issues with incontinence. It's been down for about three years and still looks almost new (a bit faded, maybe?) without any scratch marks from greyhound toe nails but.. we found it to be very slippery.

Because old dog had bladder problems and the floors underneath were Tas oak, we bought the plastic underlay to prevent any urine getting to the floorboards under it. As sturdy and pretty as it is, I'm not sure if I'd want any more of it in the house because in the end, we had to carpet the laminate with a layer of rubber-backed vetbed to keep the old dog from slipping over on it and that sort of defeats the purpose of having laminate.

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vinyl here throughout the house, been down for over 10 years and still looks new, dogs are mainly out, but one in 24/7.

its glued down, so no gaps, woke up to a sea of pee this morning and it just sits on the top.

no scratch's , or marks, but its not cheap.

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We put down floating laminate floorboards through the main parts of the house a few years ago, while it is tough and easy to clean I hated it so much we ended up pulling most of it up and replacing it with textured tiles. We still have it in the loungeroom but are about to pull the last of it up and go back to vinyl.

My main issues have been the slipperiness, the dogs have ended up with a few injuries just running in and out of the back door, I have also slipped over a couple of times after the kids walked through the house with wet feet.

The other major issue is the timber edge they put around it to hold it in place and finish the edges, dirt and liquid go into the cracks and is nearly impossible to clean.

I personally would go for either vinyl or cork.

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Guest crazydoglady99

We've had ours in for 3 years.. its had at least 30 foster dogs, a senior puddle maker, and my 2 young kiddies on it. Its still like new. The only part we need to replace is from the fridge flooding.

I think its fab for the price. And it doesn't get cold under your toes in winter.

My only suggestion is buy a little more than you need 'just in case' you need to replace any.. even though it might be years down the track. The colour range seems to rotate every couple of years in stores.

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We have both cork and commercial grade vinyl planks.

The cork has been down for nearly 20 years, and is fantastic for the dogs as its slight 'give' means they don't slip. The planks are the highest grade of 'non slip' but are far more slippery for the dogs and they often lose traction on it. My daughters think the cork is very old fashioned, but I wouldn't have anything else for my back and for the dogs.

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