Introduction | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring 

Today, we discuss what you should consider when choosing an interior surfacing material for a pet-friendly household.

Maximising your peace of mind and your furry friend’s comfort.

The 4 Criteria | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring 

While every pet has its quirks. There are some good general rules that you can consider when choosing a floor.

Keeping in mind the comfortability of your pet while ensuring it to last a long time.

Scratch Resistance | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring 

Skittering claws and rough-housing will scuff up your floors really quickly without a high level of scratch resistance.

Stain/Chemical Resistance | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring 

Toilet-trained cats and dogs are great. They rarely have accidents when going number one or two.

However, on the occasion that they do, you’d want a stain-resistant floor that cleans up well. Not forgetting a chemical-resistant floor that will tolerate cleansers. Spilled food or drool are also potential hazards.

Slip Resistance | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring 

Recall having nightmares where you’re trying to run but you just don’t move?

Don’t subject your fur babies to the same horror! A floor that provides good traction allows your pet to move with more comfort and safely land from higher surfaces.

Porosity | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring 

With pets around the house, it is even more important to clean your floors regularly. Materials with fewer pores trap less dirt and organic debris, making it easier to keep your floors clean.

Comparing the Common Types of Flooring | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring 

With the above considerations in mind.

Below are some of the most common flooring types and how they hold up in a fur-friendly household.

Vinyl/Linoleum: 3.5/5 | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring

Scratch Resistance: 2/5
Stain/Chemical Resistance: 3/5
Slip Resistance: 4/5
Porosity: 4/5

Summary of Vinyl & Linoleum

Tends to scratch easily, even with a wear-resistant layer. However, vinyl and linoleum provide a softer flooring that reduces the noise of pets running around.

Vinyl will permanently stain when exposed to natural rubber products, such as non-slip food dishes or water bowls.

Ceramic/Porcelain: 2.5/5 | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring

Scratch Resistance: 2/5
Stain/Chemical Resistance: 3/5
Slip Resistance: 2/5
Porosity: 1-3/5

Summary of Ceramic & Porcelain

Ceramic and porcelain tend to scratch easily and generally do not provide good traction.

While matte tiles give more grip, most pets still slip on ceramic tiles. The porosity of ceramic and grout also contribute to dirtier floors.

Some types of ceramic and porcelain tiles can be permanently stained by pet urine as well.

Marble: 1.5-2/5 | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring

Scratch Resistance: 1/5
Stain/Chemical Resistance: 1/5
Slip Resistance: 2/5
Porosity: 2/5

Summary of Marble

Marble is definitely not pet-friendly. It scratches and stains easily, provides poor traction, and is highly porous.

Even if sealed to mitigate porosity, the sealed layer is easily scratched off by active pets. Urine, spilled food, and pet drool are big hazards when considering staining.

A small pro is that many pets enjoy lying on its cool surface.

Hardwood: 2.3/5 | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring

Scratch Resistance: 2/5
Stain/Chemical Resistance: 3/5
Slip Resistance: 1/5
Porosity: 3/5

Summary of Hardwood

Even when sealed by a protective layer, hardwood is prone to scratches from active pets. Any breaches in the protective layer exposes the wood.

Metallic Epoxy: 4.5/5 | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring

Scratch Resistance: 4/5
Stain/Chemical Resistance: 5/5
Slip Resistance: 5/5
Porosity: 5/5

Summary of Metallic Epoxy

In all regards, Metallic Epoxy is the perfect material for a pet-friendly household.

Besides providing a Stain and Water Proof surface. It also provides a chemical proof finish to withstand accidental pees and heavy floor cleaners.

Not forgetting the material’s good traction and wear resistance. It also has slight ductility which absorbs impact well and reduces noises produced by playful pets.

To add on, steam cleaners allow you to keep your floors clean with ease

Conclusion | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring

Reviewing our choices, your best bet for a pet-friendly flooring is indisputably Metallic Epoxy.

However, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, vinyl and linoleum are cheap to install. But before heading further, do note that they are less durable than Metallic Epoxy. 

This in turn may cause inconvenience and eventually being much more costly due to the constant replacement.

What It Means For You | Best Pet-Friendly Flooring 

Metallic Epoxy also offers a drastically larger range of designs and colour options.

Considering that you’re able to customise the colour, pattern, and pigment used during the installation. You can get the best suited design and coloration to suit your theme & preference! In contrast, vinyl and linoleum are limited by commercially printed designs.

While the remaining flooring types are still viable. You will be subjected to the costs and hassle of regular maintenance. Not forgetting, at the expense of your furry friend’s comfort too!

Here are some interesting posts we think you may like as well!

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Best Natural Stone for Interiors – Click Here

Bathroom Floor Maintenance Tips – Click Here

More information which you may find useful

1) View our Past Works – Click Here

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3) Metallic Epoxy Floorings – Click Here

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5) Metallic Epoxy Countertops – Click Here

6) Metallic Epoxy Bathroom – Click Here

Guide to Selecting the Perfect Natural Stone for your Interiors | Best Natural Stones for Homes

Is there such a thing as the best natural rock for your home? If you’re leaning towards natural rock for your house, today’s post is right up your alley!

In the first of this two-part series. We explore the types of natural rock media commonly used for interior surfacing and how they stand up against one another.

Introduction | Best Natural Stones for Homes

Thanks to how they form. Melting, churning, and solidifying just beneath the Earth’s crust. Rocks have a characteristic and unique look to them.

However, based on the conditions of formation and what they’re made of, rocks tend to have varying properties. Some are harder and more scratch-resistant, while others have more outstanding grain and colours.

Criteria | Best Natural Stones for Homes

Our criteria for judging today’s selection of natural rock media is usual. Common hazards in a house include physical trauma, spilt beverages or food, bacteria or mould growth, and harsh cleaning chemicals.

Without further ado, let’s dive right into these three common rock surfaces!

Quartz | Best Natural Stones for Homes

Quartz is a catch-all term for rocks and crystals composed of silicon and oxygen. It is the second most common mineral in Earth’s crust and comes in many forms such as translucent crystals and opaque rocks.

The varieties of quartz used in floor tiles are generally the harder and purer variants of the material. While some tiles are cut out of quartz, others are made of a resin binder and quartz flakes or powder.

Physical Resistance: 6/10

Quartz has a hardness of up to 6 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. It is scratch resistant but is still vulnerable to chips and cracks from falling objects.

Stain Resistance: 5/10

Quartz though made with resin binders, they are still mildly porous. This means its stain resistance is moderate.

It generally defies most culprits such as tea, coffee, or wine, BUT only if cleaned up quickly. However, if coffee on a cup-bottom is left to sit on a quartz countertop, it will surely leave a stain.

Not forgetting, grouts are used to seal gaps between your tiles, you can expect to see hideous marks in between through general usage.

Biological Resistance: 4/10

The same concern we had for stain resistance regarding the mildly porous surface is present here as well. It traps a certain degree of bacteria-feeding organic debris on floors and countertops. Not forgetting the grouts.

Porous surface & grouts will shelter bacteria and mould. To make matters worse, if poorly applied, grout leaves a recess between tiles that will trap dirt and prevent efficient cleaning.

Chemical Resistance: 4-6/10

The lower rating applies to synthesised quartz tiles. While the higher rating applies to natural quartz tiles.

Synthesised quartz is a combination of quartz powder and flakes with a resin binder. Commonly made of petroleum by-products. Such resin binders are known to react with chemicals such as alkaline cleaners and some inks, resulting in very stubborn stains.

Natural quartz is more chemically stable. Much like its common cousin, silicon dioxide, commonly known as sand.

Granite | Best Natural Stones for Homes

This classic rock is one of the toughest ones used for interior surfacing. You may think of it as a ‘rock-alloy’ of quartz and feldspar. Composition of the two most common minerals in the Earth’s crust.

Not surprisingly. It’s the most common magma-formed rock on Earth’s surface and has been used in buildings for centuries thanks to its abundance. It is commonly installed in whole slabs or tiles.

Physical Resistance: 8/10

Granite is 2 steps up from quartz. It rates 8 on the Mohs scale, granite is denser and more resistant to chips and cracks from impacts. Great for floors.

Stain Resistance: 5/10

Granite enjoys a stain resistance on par with quartz. However, without a synthetic option, granite’s highly porous surface is vulnerable to stains from oils and viscous liquids like inks.

While water may leave a dark stain for a while, evaporation will eventually clear it. Not oils and inks, however.

Biological Resistance: 3/10

The many pores on the surface of granite mean it will trap organic debris that feeds bacteria, as well as sheltering bacteria and mould.

Without regular and thorough cleaning, granite surfaces, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. It can quickly allow for a disgusting layer of scum or discolour from bacteria growth.

Chemical Resistance: 3/10

Granite has a high content of reactive minerals, making it a nightmare to clean without specialised cleansers. Your only options, besides the former, are pH-neutral gentle soaps and a soft brush or sponge.

Ceramic/Porcelain | Best Natural Stones for Homes

Ceramic and porcelain are two types of man-made tiles using natural rock media. A wet mix of clay, feldspar, silica sand and other raw materials are shaped into tiles and fired in a kiln. Producing strong and hard tiles.

Porcelain is an upgrade on ceramic. The material is fired at a higher temperature for a longer duration, producing a denser and less porous tile. As expected, porcelain is usually a fair bit more expensive.

Physical Resistance: 4-6/10

Ceramic tiles rank a low 4 with their middling scratch and impact resistance making them prone to scratches and chips.

Denser porcelain performs better at a 6, but can still be chipped or cracked by dropping heavy objects. Ceramic typically ranks up to 5 on the Mohs scale, while porcelain can go as high as 7.

Stain Resistance: 2-4/10

Ceramic and porcelain have a few strengths, but stain resistance is not one of them. To seal off pores on tiles, a ceramic glaze is often used on tiles.

However, the glaze applied varies widely in composition across different manufacturers. While some see more success than others in resisting stains, others are discoloured by simple substances like lemon juice or animal urine.

If you decline the option of a glaze, the raw tile itself still stains easily thanks to its porous nature. Raw porcelain (3/10) typically fares much better than raw ceramic (1/10).

Biological Resistance: 5.5/10

Porcelain and glazed ceramic (5.5/10) are non-porous and do not trap debris or bacteria, but suffer the same drawback as all tiles – grout.

In other news, raw ceramic (3) is terrible, again. Its many tiny pores trap debris, grow bacteria and mould, and make cleaning difficult.

Chemical Resistance: 3-6/10

Glazes (3/10) may stain easily and badly thanks to their poor chemical resistance. While raw ceramic and porcelain (6/10) may fare better.

This is a gamble you may wish to reconsider, since it depends heavily on the tile’s specific composition. A higher percentage of reactive material like chalk will certainly reduce the tile’s chemical resistance.

Conclusion | Best Natural Stones for Homes

The main selling point for natural rock media is first and foremost the variety of unique appearances and character available.

Each may fare well in their own sets of category. However do note, they are all made of natural stones and age through time. Therefore constant upkeep or maintenance will still be required from time to time.

Alternative Solution | Best Natural Stones for Homes

If your decision isn’t written in stone yet. You may wish to consider Metallic Epoxy, the Dwayne Johnson of interior surfacing materials.

Besides rating incredibly highly in EVERY category, the material offers a vast expanse of design options. Limited only by your imagination.

Head over to the rest of our blog for more on what Metallic Epoxy is, how it is installed, and how it ranks against other materials.

If you have not already seen our previous posts on marble, hardwood, laminate or vinyl. Check them out for a more informed decision on home refurbishment or interior surface material choices!

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Best Natural Stones for Home (Part 2) – Click Here

More information which you may find useful

1) Metallic Epoxy Stress Test – Click Here

2) Metallic Epoxy Floorings – Click Here

3) Metallic Epoxy Art Panels – Click Here

4) Metallic Epoxy Countertops – Click Here

5) Metallic Epoxy Bathroom – Click Here