When you are remodeling your home for you and your family, you want to consider every single member of your household, including your pets. When it comes to flooring, you may be questioning which type of flooring is most suitable for your four-legged friends. To determine if you should choose hardwood flooring for your home if you have pets, keep reading.

Hardwood flooring is traditional, classic, and beautiful. This type of flooring can additionally boost the value of your home, but that's not all. Hardwood flooring is also notably durable. You may think pets will damage hardwood floors, but that isn't necessarily the case. Hardwood flooring can withstand wear and tear caused by pets when you take the proper precautions.

First, you need to be sure your pet's nails are trimmed. Not only is this good for your pet, but it's good for your hardwood floors too. If your pet's nails are too long, they can scratch up your hardwood floor. However, if your pet's nails are well-trimmed, your floors won't get any damage at all.

Pet owners may also have concerns about accidents. If you are potty training your pet or they have incontinence problems, you may worry about them having an accident on your hardwood floors. If hardwood gets wet, it can warp and become discolored. You can avoid this though if you clean up an accident as soon as it happens. Quickly mopping and drying your hardwood floors can help them maintain their quality and appearance for decades to come.

The top alternative to hardwood flooring is carpet. If you are trying to choose between hardwood floors and carpet for your home, it is important to know that carpet can actually be a negative choice for your pets. For one, carpet locks in dander, dirt, and debris. Even after cleaning your carpets, you may still have dirt and allergens locked into the fibers.

Additionally, carpet can be torn by your pets. If you have a cat that likes to scratch at soft surfaces or a dog that likes to play aggressively, you may find yourself having to replace your carpet after a short period of time.

It is possible that your pets can damage your hardwood flooring, but only if you fail to tend to your pet's needs. If you are responsible with your pet and your floors, your hardwood flooring can maintain its high quality and beauty for generations to come.

To discover the best hardwood flooring options for your home, shop with TongueAndGroove.com. You can browse our inventory online and reach us by phone at 800-689-9006 with any questions. We look forward to being your hardwood flooring provider!