Finding the ideal flooring for your home can be time-consuming since you'll want to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each type of flooring. If you have indoor cats, it's essential for you to choose flooring that is both comfortable on their paws and unlikely to be damaged.
Since your cat could damage some types of flooring with their claws or through accidents, hardwood flooring is a fantastic option. There are a lot of hardwood flooring options out there. Here's what you should consider before making your decision.
Avoid Softwood
When your goal is to install hardwood flooring in your home, you'll need to consider the likelihood that your cat can scratch the flooring while running around. Softwood tends to scratch more easily than harder types of wood, making it essential to shop with this in mind. As you shop for hardwood flooring, work with a salesperson to narrow your choices to wood resistant against scratches. Without the concern of scratching the wood, you can install hardwood flooring that's ideal in a home with cats.
Opt for a Distressed Style
Whether you choose softwood or hardwood for your flooring, there's always the risk of minor signs of wear appearing. Consider the appearance of different wood flooring and how easy it is to disguise small messes and scratches. Distressed wood flooring is an excellent choice since it can add a lived-in, cozy feel to your home and disguise any wear and tear. Since you don't want to be worried about the appearance of your wood flooring all the time, you should look over the different options for distressed flooring to find a style that suits your home.
Consider the Upkeep
The maintenance involved in hardwood flooring is much lower than with carpet since you won't need to worry about stains and pet dander. Hardwood flooring still requires regular cleaning even with the reduced maintenance. Pet hair and dander won't collect in the carpet fibers, so you'll likely see small puffs of hair, litter, and other debris on the hardwood flooring surface. Regularly sweeping and mopping the hardwood flooring will help keep it looking like new.
As you prepare to replace the flooring at home, you need to see what flooring is ideal for your cats. Since hardwood flooring can be an excellent choice in a home with indoor cats, consider the above tips to extend the life span of your flooring.
Contact a local hardwood flooring service to learn more.