6 Best Laminate Floors for Dogs & Their Devastating Zoomies!

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(Le Mr. Stevens enjoying a sound sleep in his hardwood house with his over-enthusiastic Boxer, Bruno)

Bruno: (Barks excitedly at 3 am) Time for zoomies! Scratches across the floor

Mr. Stevens: (Groans) Not again! These floors are just loud enough to wake the dead!

Worried about your dog’s late-night zoomies turning your beautiful floors into a noisy nightmare? This blog unlocks the secrets to finding the six best laminate floors for dogs! We’ll explore soundproof options, durable surfaces, and a home you can both enjoy (without any sleep deprivation!).

Dive in and discover 6 laminate flooring choices that are perfect for your energetic pup, with pros, cons, and budget-friendly options!

PSSTTTT!!!! This post may contain affiliate links. Basically, a win-win for you (awesome product) & us (a lil’ coffee fund). ☕️

Top Insights

How to Choose the Best Laminate Floors for Dogs That Pee, Bite & Scratch? 

Now, I know that most interior experts don’t recommend using laminates directly for a dog’s play or eating areas. But here are seven compelling laminate floor properties & considerations that still make them the topmost choice: 

• AC (Abrasion Class) Rating: Got a playful pup who loves zooming or scratching around? Opt for durable laminate floors for dogs, AC 4 or higher like Cherry, Teak or Brazilian Walnut laminates for example.
• Surface Coats: No doubt, bored dogs can be tough on floors. So, save yours with laminate protection films, polyurethane coatings, rugs or PU sealers for more durability.

• Pee & Poo Resistance: While pup pee & poo accidents are unintentional, they do warp your laminates with time. My advice? Go with MDF or HDF laminate cores, along with click-lock or glue down seams for better water resistance.
• Textured Finishes: Despite the grainy texture of many best laminate floors for dogs, they actually have poor friction! So, to help older or disabled dogs get a better grip, it’s advisable to choose hand scraped, stone, or geometric textures.
• Colors & Patterns: Personally, I think it’s best to with light-colored & patterned laminates – Chevron, Herringbone, Mosaic or Plank for example, to hide deep scratches & bites easily.

• Acoustic Treatment: No one wants squeaky laminate floors which literally creak every time dogs run on it, right? That’s why I suggest you opt for natural wood laminates with inbuilt cork, rubber or foam underlayers for better sound control.
• Ease of Maintenance: When selecting the best laminate floors for dogs that pee, it’s crucial to consider the ease of cleaning and repairs. Remember that wider planks and composite laminates are easy to clean, whereas textured wood or stone options may need extra elbow grease!

Which Are the Best Laminate Floors for Dogs & Extra Enthusiastic Pups? 

Personally, I feel that the thick and multi-layered hardwood or PVC planks are the best laminate floors for dogs that pee & scratch on them. But are there any more options you can try? Well, let’s check them out below:

1. Bamboo aka Dendrocalamus Strictus Laminate Floors

Estimated Cost	$3 – 11 per sq. foot, depending on the quality
Recommended Finishes	Pre-applied Resin, Penetrating Oil & Polyurethane

Despite being softer and more premium than other composite wood laminates, bamboo laminates are particularly beneficial for older dogs prone to accidents. And yes, they are easy to maintain too, just regular sweeping & mopping!

Moreover, bamboo laminated sheets (literally the best laminate floors for dogs) are quite durable! They resist your pup’s jumping, biting, literally everything like a pro! And since they already have a pre-treated HDF subfloor, you won’t have to worry about their repairing & installation.

Furthermore, I also concluded that polished bamboo laminates feel a bit warmer and softer underfoot. So, they provide the utmost comfort to short-haired, older or certain dogs with mobility issues. 

But are there any potential bamboo laminate problems that you must know? Let’s see:

Quick Tip: You can use specialized bamboo touch up kits – filler sticks, buffing pads & staining pens to hide minor scratches & dog bites from your bamboo laminates. 

2. Classic Wood Laminates (Literally the Best Laminate Floors for Dogs)

Average Price	$4 – 15 per square foot, including the labor
Available Finishes	Smooth, Hand scraped, Embossed, Matte & Satin

I’m a big fan of wood laminate floors, especially the light pine ones I have in my dog’s play and eating areas. Trust me, they’re so easy to clean and wipe without worrying about stains. And, they are quite durable too, resisting jumps & bites like a pro! 

I’ve noticed that wood laminates are quite resistant to water and fungus compared to others. It’s pretty impressive how they didn’t cause any damage to my concrete subfloors and slabs, even after using them roughly for 6–7 years.

Another important thing is that wood laminates are antibacterial. They have so many polyphenol & silver ion compounds that resists all the harmful fungi & bacteria from your dog’s eyes, hair, drool, etc. So, they are a win-win for you & your pet! 

However, before you install wood laminate, it’s important to be aware of some disadvantages. Here are a few you should know about:

Quick Tip: Polish your wood laminate floors with warm water, natural laminate floor polishes and diluted vinegar once a year for better floor shine & finishes. 

3. Cork Laminate Floors for Dogs

Rough Cost	Around $6 – 12 per square foot
Recommended Textures	Medium Grain, Coarse Grain & Hand scraped

As you all know, cork is literally the softest & warmest wood laminate for dogs, no questions asked! And it’s naturally elastic; So, no dents, scrapes or chips with this one.

You know, we installed cork laminate floors in a part of our office basement reserved for street dogs this summer. And surprisingly, all our subfloor, dog poop smell & warping issues reduced by a whopping 30%.

Also, cork laminates contain so many oils and antibacterial compounds that repel harmful bacteria, say Staph or E.coli for example. So, they are literally the healthiest & best laminate floors for dogs that pee too!

But is there anything that can still go wrong with cork laminates? Let’s check the list below:

Caution: Avoid installating your cork laminates directly near open windows or skylights, as direct sun exposure makes them dull & more porous in the long run. 

4. Plastic Laminates – One of the Best Laminate Floors for Dogs That Pee!

Rough Cost	$4 – 16 per square foot, including the labor
Available Textures	Matte, Gloss, Wood grain, Smooth & Embossed

Do you know that most high-quality and sandwiched plastic laminates have an AC rating of 5.5, which is almost similar to that of Wood? So yes, they are obviously one of the best laminate floors for dogs that pee! No stains, no leaks, nothing! 

Most of my clients in the US are really into plastic laminates because they provide a warm and even temperature, even when it’s snowing. 

And the best part is, they’re so affordable that you can change them out every year with different colors and patterns to match the latest interior design trends!

But here are some potential plastic laminate problems that you need to take care of:

Caution: Refrain from using abrasive cleaners or scouring pads on plastic floor laminates, as they may end up damaging or discoloring the material.

5. Stone aka Luxury Vinyl Laminates

Estimated Price	$5 – 18 per square foot, depending on the quality
Recommended Textures	Granite, Limestone, Marble, Slate or Mixed Stone

Stone or luxury laminates are the best laminate floors for dogs (no questions asked!) They are simply unbeatable in terms of toughness, even outperforming hardwood floors in sometimes. From scratches to dents, these floors can handle any pressure with ease!

Moreover, stone laminates have a textured, dual-color, bumpy appearance of the top. So, they mask all those dog bite scratches and marks like a pro! In fact, you don’t even have to hire professionals for its cleaning & polishing, just daily mopping is enough!

Additionally, our team found that this flooring has a 60% decrease in water seepage, pee stains, and warping compared to traditional stone flooring. It also doesn’t have an unpleasant odor like some other flooring choices for dogs.

However, here’s a list of some expert-curated stone laminate problems that you might face in the long run: 

Quick Tip: Try to look for LVP (luxury vinyl plank) laminate flooring with a low VOC or formaldehyde-free certificate to avoid any inflammation to your dog’s lungs.

6. Tile Laminates – One of the Best Laminate Floors for Dogs

Estimated Price	$9 – 13 per square foot, depending on the texture
Top Textures to Pick	Wood grain, Textured Leather, Hand scraped & Embossed

Cork and stone laminates are tough, but they can’t handle the rough play of big dogs like Labs and Retrievers. So, I recommend going for tile laminate floors instead! They are more than 40% stronger and resistant to claw scratches compared to other options.

Also, laminated tiles are super easy to take care of! All you need is a quick clean, mop, and maybe a little pee-cleaning, and you’re good to go! Plus, no tile grout means less hassle with cleaning and scrubbing those grout lines.

And though tile laminates are not as soft and pee-resistant as their stone counterparts, these are the warmest of all! So they are a literal boon in tundra climates, especially for old & injured dogs.

However, here are some potential tile laminate drawbacks that you need to take care of:

Summing Up

FAQs

Conclusion

Mr. Stevens: “Hey buddy, how are you liking these best laminate floors for dogs?” 

Bruno: “Woof!” (Translation: “They’re pawsome Hooman! No more slippery slides or carpet claw marks!”)

Congratulations, hooman! You’ve aced the doggone laminate dilemma. Now your pup can play freely without turning your floors into a disaster zone. Want to explore other best flooring options for dogs? Check out our blog on the best hardwood floors for furry friends NOW!

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External Link:

• Learn the basics of Wood laminated flooring from Mr. Salim Hiziroglu.
• Clear all your doubts regarding the formaldehyde & VOC concerns of laminated flooring from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.