From the Floors Up

Different Flooring Types for Pets | Pros and Cons

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Pets are members of our family, and we treat them as such. We need to pick our flooring accordingly so that any damage to a new floor is not the pet’s fault. One of the best questions to ask yourself is if you had it to do over again, what would you do differently regarding pets and your current flooring? We have listed the following pros and cons of pet flooring choices that you should find very helpful when in the market for new flooring.

Carpet

Pro

Carpet is a favorite option for homeowners since it creates a soft and warm floor for pets to stretch out.

Con

Carpet requires high maintenance, especially if your pet has accidents, like training a new puppy. You must have it professionally cleaned or invest in a carpet shampooer.

Hardwood

Pro

Hardwood floors are durable, but not immune to pet accidents and scratches due to large, active dogs running through the house. However, if you find the accident quickly, it can be cleaned, and no damage will occur. Also, hardwood floors last for years and years and can be refinished over time, resulting in the look of a brand new floor.

Con

The cons are accidents and scratches from the dog’s nails while running through the house.

Laminate Flooring

Pro

Laminate flooring is often a choice by homeowners due to its cost compared to hardwood floors. There is a protective covering on the top layer of laminate flooring that will help protect against scratches.

Con

Laminate floors will show scratches, especially if you have a smooth glossy finish. If your pet has an accident and you are not home to clean it up quickly, the moisture will damage the flooring, especially if left for several hours.

Tile Flooring

Pro

Tile flooring is often a favorite of homeowners with pets. It is resilient to accidents, and no matter how active your dogs might be, their nails will not damage the flooring. You can put down an area rug so that pets have a softer surface to sleep.

Con

The main con for tile floors and pets is that tile is cold and hard. Often times, in the winter months, tile floors are extremely cold unless you have an area rug or heated floors.

Natural Stone

Pro

Stone flooring’s pros and cons are very similar to tile flooring. Stone flooring is known for its undeniable beauty and durability. It is resilient to bathroom accidents, and no matter how active your dogs might be, their nails will not damage the flooring. You can put down an area rug so that pets have a softer surface to sleep.

Con

The main con for stone flooring is it is not warm and soft for pets. Again, during cold winter months, stone floors are very cold unless you have heated floors or an area rug.

Luxury Vinyl

Pro

In many cases, luxury vinyl is the best option for homeowners with pets. Pay careful attention to LVF because many brands are 100% moisture-proof and are competitively priced compared to hardwoods, laminate, tile, and stone flooring.

Also, many brands have a thick cork backing that is great for standing on for long periods of time. Also, if you buy a hand-scraped plank or tile/stone flooring with a less smooth finish, you will not see any dents or scratches from your pet’s nails.

Con

As far as the cons go for LVT, the least likable fact is that due to its elastic contents, the manufacturing process is not as environmentally friendly as other options.

We hope that you found this list helpful, and be sure to check back weekly for more flooring advice.

Honeycomb by Guest Blogger: Tracy Daves

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We are beekeepers.  There are a few hives on our little homestead with 18,000  🐝’s pollinating our flowers, garden and giving us fresh local honey. It is a labor of love, great for allergies, and just plain delicious. 

Here are a few of our pretties:

So I have gotta ask if you have heard the buzz?

Hexagon geometrics are not only timeless but on-trend. Honeycomb-inspired cell structures are popping up in fashion, home decor, and of course on your Shaw Floors and tiles! It is nature-inspired and brings in the outdoors.

I am smitten over these BEE-utiful honeycomb styles we offer:

  • Molten Glass Mosaic
  • Molten Glass Mosaic
Forest Glass Mosaic 
Pro 12 Panhandle (sheet vinyl….Wait. What?!?)
Estate Collection Hexagon mosaic  
Golden Gate Over-sized Hexagon

  • Del Ray Hexagon
  • Photo by Becky Crosby Designs for Sabal Homes

Sweet as honey, right? 

Are you using this farm to fork trend to turn your home into “Comb Sweet Comb?” If so, please tag us at #shawfloors. 

Remember to do your own sting, becuzzzzzzzzz you are the bee’s knees!

Hive Five, Tracy

Understanding Your Flooring: Carpet Tiles

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Carpet tile is an excellent choice for commercial application. Where most carpet fails to keep up with heavy traffic, carpet tile succeeds. Being able to swap out individual tiles in case of stains or wear marks can also save you thousands on replacing the entire floor. While carpet tile is great, it is not for every application. Functionality, affordability, and durability can all be determining factors in your flooring. Here, we break down the pros and cons of carpet tiles to help you decide if they are right for you.

Carpet tiles are incredibly durable. With their low-profile pile, they will rarely show wear or traffic patterns.
Unlike hard surface flooring options, rest at ease with carpet tiles. You will not have to worry about scratching carpet tiles ever; this is why many businesses have been placing them in high-traffic areas such as malls, airports, and offices.
Though carpet tile is extremely durable, it would not be suitable to install it in areas prone to water. Your carpet tiles will absorb wetness and can lead to molding or breaking down the glue on the subfloor.
Carpet tiles will serve some level of comfort. They are a soft commercial floor option, but like most commercial floors, durability, and longevity come before comfort.
Most carpet tiles are treated and stain resistant. However, the longer a spill or accident is left untreated, the deeper it can infiltrate into your carpet fibers. Luckily, if a carpet tile is damaged, you can simply remove it and replace it with another. You should consider investing in an extra box or two depending on the size of the space that you are looking to install this floor.
While soft and durable, pet accidents can damage your carpet tile. You will be able to replace damaged tiles but may not want to have this option with infants or untrained animals.
For a commercial grade floor, this should not be overlooked; however, competitively on the market with residential floors, this can be a tad pricey. If you are looking for an extremely durable carpet solution which you can replace easily if damaged, this is your ticket.

Most commercial flooring options are very durable; however, they do not offer comfort. Carpet tiles can add comfort, aesthetics, and durability to your floors. For more insight and analysis on different flooring types, make sure to subscribe and check out more of our series!

Understanding Your Flooring: Tile

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Homeowners and business have been using tile in their design for centuries. This timeless flooring option has evolved way beyond just ceramic and porcelain tiles. Today, granite, marble, glass, limestone, terracotta, and more, flood the industry with many gorgeous designs. These incredibly entrancing floors can turn any bathroom or kitchen into a beautiful masterpiece. From floor tiles to backsplashes, tiles are adorned for their high aesthetic appeal and sophisticated designs. While functionality, affordability, and durability can all be determining factors in your flooring, we will give a better understanding of tile and see if it is best suited for your needs:

Tile is an extremely durable floor. While tiles can crack, they are suitable for extreme heat like around fireplaces, can be put in wet environments like showers, and some can even withstand the treacherous conditions of the outdoors and be installed on patios.
Scratch resistance will simply come down to the tile you choose. While most tiles can withstand some scratching, painted tiles and glass tiles are not recommended in these areas. Make sure you know if your tile will scratch easily because this can determine if it needs to be sanded or feature unsanded grout.
Tile is porous, which means water can travel through it. However, tile is usually treated and will have a waterproof underlayment to allow it to be installed in shower systems or as a backsplash. Tile is one of your best routes to go when installing floors in a wet area.
Unfortunately, if you fall on tile, you will notice. This is not the most comfortable or forgiving flooring option. If you worry about slipping, make sure to invest in a slip-resistant tile in wet areas.
While spills and accidents will be easy to clean, the floor is not forgiving for falls. Be cautious of installing tile in areas where kids may fall or slip.
Because tile is porous, it is susceptible to staining. Your grout can stain as well. Most grout and tile are treated to prevent staining. Make sure you keep up on the maintenance of your tile to avoid unwanted staining.
While not the most expensive flooring option, tile is generally a little more expensive. Installation for shower systems and backsplash can be on the higher end as well.

Tile can really enhance your home’s look. Consider adding tile to your kitchen or foyer to create your dream oasis. Tile has been around for centuries and rightfully so. This timeless option can truly make a room stunning. For more insight and analysis on different flooring types, make sure to subscribe and check out more of our series.

Introducing Our Guest Blogger: Tracy Daves

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It is a bloggy-blog world, and Shaw Floors is here for it. Tracy Daves is the Director of Design for the East Coast with Shaw Floors. She is a time-juggling wife, mom, designer, and chicken lady who travels extensively chatting up single and multifamily designers. You may have seen her representing Shaw Floors in HGTV’s Green and Smart Homes, several episodes of Lifetime’s Designing Spaces, Ship Shape TV, and Shaw Floors YouTube channel. Tracy is the resident blogger at Shaw Floors and is published in many online publications.

Backyard Chickens 🐓 We get some popular lingo from chicken life. 

  • Fly the coop
  • Ruffled feathers
  • Shake a tail feather
  • Henpecked
  • Pecking order

Cooped up…are all happening in backyard chicken pens taking over rural and urban dwellings. 

Back to Basics is a lifestyle trend that people are craving in our overly stimulated technology age. The yearn to unplug and connect with nature is catching on. Community neighborhood gardens are attracting home buyers, and farm-to-table is only growing!

I must admit. I too am a crazy chicken lady.  I have 13 sassy chickens that give my family and friends beautiful organic rainbow eggs. We also have over 18,000 bees 🐝 for our garden and for local honey. 

Today, I am sharing with you four back to basics hard and soft surface flooring looks that complement this homestead style for some modern farmhouse inspiration.

Golden Gate Color Pacific Heights:

Farmhouse style lends itself toward old world brick and brick pavers. Not only are they beautiful, but they are practical. This textured 4×8 porcelain ensures it is suitable for indoor/outdoor use. The coloring is very forgiving if you have been working hard on your garden or with your critters. Be as creative as you want with the pattern installation and coordinating grout choices.

Floorte Lazio Plus Color Pino:

Wide Planks, hand-scraped texture, multiple hues and colorations, waterproof and pet proof–this is a winner for any homesteader to clean up after a hard day’s work. Plus, it is muck boot approved!

Park Avenue Color Astor:

Farmers used powdered lime (limestone) to white-wash their homes and fences. They did this because it was safe for animals, effective, and inexpensive. The whitewashed look is on-trend today. You can achieve that clean minimal look with our white oak on your floors, walls, ceilings, and island fronts for a new twist on shiplap, and in herringbone? (Shut up!)

Presidio Tonal All Colors:

Durability and cleanability are key with carpet today. Our patented R2X combined with our Endurance Carpet Fiber Technology makes our carpet ideal for high traffic areas, and bonus, it is super soft to boot! Tonals cover a lot of sins in between vacuuming–one less chore to fool with today.

Do you have a farmhouse inspired project? Swing by Tractor Supply for fun country inspired accents. Order your fashionista chicken/farm decor from Fluffy Layers (egg aprons, duvet covers, linens, and shower curtains.)

And get your Shaw Floors country chic on. Tag us folks at #shawfloors so we can take a gander. Now, you are officially as country as cornbread!

Y’all come back now ya’hear,

Tracy

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

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