I am considering installing a laminate floor in our kitchen. However, we have two dogs (about 110 and 60 lbs.). I have been told conflicting information regarding how well laminate floors will withstand the dog traffic. My mother-in-law and a salesman at Lowe's have told me that dogs will quickly destroy the floor. On the other hand, I have seen a number of internet sites that say a laminate floors is hard enough to withstand the dogs. Which should I believe?

If you cut and file your dogs claws, you probably won't have too bad of a problem, but there are other solutions. I've heard good things about soft-claws.

Soft Claws Nail Caps for Dogs

I concur with the above answer about there probably being no problem if the dogs claws are kept trimmed. I also would err on the side of that the dogs might damage the floor. I am wondering if the dogs have to be in the kitchen at all, though? I house-sit for some people who have three dogs. Two of them are similar in weight to the ones that you describe. In order to keep the dogs off the flooring in whatever rooms, they use the electric fences. Even though the claws of the dogs are extremely well maintained, the dogs are always bringing in gritty and dirty stuff in their paws and also in their fur.

The Soft Claws Nail Caps for Dogs sounds like a possible thing that might be worth checking out and trying also.

Dogs belong in the same room as the people. Likely you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so the dogs should be allowed in it. My friends put down a factory finished hardwood floor, and their dogs made a mess of it before long. I have had good luck with the finish on our hardwood floor We put on almost 10 years ago.

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There aren't any scratches or chips, although there are places where the toenails have dented the wood. Quite often we will have a number of young dogs playing on it. It has also withstood the abuse of housebreaking puppies. It is an industrial grade moisture cure urethane form Sherwin Willisms. Do not confuse it with any tung oil containing product.

It is possible the mixed reports on laminate floors is due to variations in quality. I know there are factory applied finishes that are as good or better than the urethane I have on my floor. Lowe's has good stuff at reasonable prices, but none of the big box stores are where to shop for higher quality. Unfortunately the higher prices at a flooring store don't guarantee higher quality. Nor is the word of somebody working on commission worth much. I would go back to the intenet sites and ask for details from those reporting success. Find out both the brand and grade of laminate, and the dogs it withstood. I try to stay on top of my dogs' toe nails, but not all our visitors are in as good of shape. I think the biggest dog we have had was the one German Shepherd our daughter raised had that was 88 pounds at a year old. If your dogs are older, they may not abuse the floor like ours is when we have 2-3 young dogs enjoying having another one to play with.

You may want to look at maple rather than oak. Bowling alleys have maple at both ends and the cheaper oak in the middle. Maple is harder and more resistant to mechanical damage. With the right finish, it should stand almost anything.

I have two labs, and I have laminate flooring throughout my lower level (living, dining, kitchen, hall, master bedroom). It's been in place for 3 years, and to date there is not a single scratch due to the dogs. The kids are another story.

We keep the claws trimmed, but there are times when they go for awhile, but again it's never been a problem. The biggest issue we found was the dogs getting used to moving around on a slick floor. It's amusing to watch them try to run and see their feet moving like crazy before they actually "stick."

Also, the dogs go everywhere, though they don't sleep in the bedroom... it's nice having one space fur free. :-) Oh, and the dogs are 4 and 6, and the bigger one weighs just under 100 lbs.

The problem with the dogs isn't the claws. Used to but theve come out with much better finishes for this reason, the problem is dog pee. It will get in the joints and swell it up, especially the cheaper floors, they say its makes a water proof joint but it doesn't, maybe a little resistant but not proof.

I've got some floors down that are laminate but my dogs peed it to death,
Didn't scratch it though.

As I mentioned in my last post, it might be helpful if people could tell us what brands their experience was with.

The only problem my floor shows from all the dog pee is a stain from when it was still carpeted. Remember, we have had 19 of our own dogs, and who knows how many visitors.

Anybody needing help with housebreaking needs to see https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251809

I have 17 few dogs than Labman but they can't seem to damage my laminate. It was the inexpensive stuff sold by Costco. It is not so good around water. A spill is Ok but any thing left unnoticed for a few hours causes swelling and delamination. Buy the good stuff if you can afford it.

We have Armstong flooring in our house, and our dog (about 70 lb lab) has done no damage to it at all. It's been in place for most of her life (after house training). My sister-in-law had Pergo (I think) in her house, and one of her cats peed on it, and it seeped into the cracks and caused the flooring to show water damage signs (wrinkling and discoloration). She had two dogs in that house (90lb lab and 110lb lab) and the floor had no scratches in it from them. Her new house, on the other hand, has hardwood, which apparently was not finished well - after being in the home for a year (brand new) they had to re-finish the floors because the finish had worn off as a result of foot traffic and dogs. There are a few nail marks in her wood, but she's not so great about nail trimmings... I have an investment property which has el-cheap-o flooring in it (don't know the brand) and for a time, my tenant had five dogs of various sizes. The floor suffered no damage, the carpet on the other hand...

So in my opinion, I say go for it, but make sure you use a good brand.

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Originally Posted by labman

As I mentioned in my last post, it might be helpful if people could tell us what brands their experience was with.

The only problem my floor shows from all the dog pee is a stain from when it was still carpeted. Remember, we have had 19 of our own dogs, and who knows how many visitors.

Anybody needing help with housebreaking needs to see https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251809

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I've got Toklo 12mm, and some cheap 7mm stuff, no clue on the brand as my wife had it installed prior to me. But looking at it now, other than a bunch of dog fur, and muddy foot prints, you can't tell that the dogs walk on it. Both dogs are house broken, and minus a few bouts of illness, it's never been "used" by them.

Interesting that the Pergo didn't hold up well. Isn't it an expensive, highly advertised brand?

It is, labman. I think the reason it didn't hold up well was because when the cat peed on it, no one was home, so it sat for hours. It seemed to have seeped into the cracks, and that was where the problem started. Now, they did install the floor themselves, so maybe that made a difference, I don't know. I suppose it could also have something to do with the fact that it was urine, not water.

Cat pee is the worst liquid God created. It seeps in and stays stinking to high Heaven unless you get an enzyme cleaner. Their install probably did not create any bigger gaps than a pro.

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Cat pee is the worst liquid God created. It seeps in and stays stinking to high Heaven unless you get an enzyme cleaner. Their install probably did not create any bigger gaps than a pro.

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I'm so glad my kitty goes outside! :D

I think the real problem is that it sat for hours and hours. If I remember correctly, the spot was dry when they found it, just damaged. The smell, obviously, is what allowed them to conclude it was the cat. So to the OP - as long as your dogs don't pee on the floor and it soaks in, you should be OK!

We had Uniclic 7mm installed by a nationally advertised flooring company about 1 year ago. We have an 80 lb lab and a 75 lb shepherd. The laminate is totally ruined. The salesman told us it could not be scratched, even if you tried to with a screwdriver. I will probably end up in some type of arbitration or law suit with them. We regularly trim the dogs' nails.

I have Pergo laminate flooring in my kitchen/dining room bought at Lowe's and 2 75lb weimaraners. There is no damage to the floors. One of my dogs is afraid of it, though. It's a little slippery when her nails get long so she doesn't like walking on it. She walks around that room through the one with the carpet.

As far as damage, there is none. Don't remember the exact specs on the floor. It was pretty thick, with the underlayment already applied to the boards. It has a 25 year warranty, if that helps determine the quality. The color is called Mexican Mesquite.

Just my experience.

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Originally Posted by peter030205

I have two labs, and I have laminate flooring throughout my lower level (living, dining, kitchen, hall, master bedroom). It's been in place for 3 years, and to date there is not a single scratch due to the dogs. The kids are another story.

We keep the claws trimmed, but there are times when they go for awhile, but again it's never been a problem. The biggest issue we found was the dogs getting used to moving around on a slick floor. It's amusing to watch them try to run and see their feet moving like crazy before they actually "stick."

Also, the dogs go everywhere, though they don't sleep in the bedroom...it's nice having one space fur free. :-) Oh, and the dogs are 4 and 6, and the bigger one weighs just under 100 lbs.

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Can you share what brand / quality etc laminate did you use? Please share maximum details you can about the laminate you have.