Hardwood vs. Carpeting - need advice/opinions

[jazzcat]

We are trying to decide between having hardwood installed in our family room and main hallway or just re-carpetiing it all. My husband votes for hardwood because it will be easier to clean all of Ripley's throw up spells (I think it will still stain eventually). I'm afraid the slick hardwood floor will be too hard on the pets, especially geriatric Ripley and my old dog Disney. All I can think is hip displacement. Also I'm afraid the cats' claws will scratch the hardwood. I do try to keep their claws trimmed but their back claws are hard to do.

What are your experiences with hardwood and pets? What's your recommendation or at least opinion.

Thanks.

[Logan]

I vote for hardwood!!!! Anyone from Pet Talk who knows me, also knows that I hate carpet and if I could pull up every stitch of it in this house, I'd do it in a heartbeat!!!!!!! The newer hardwood floors are so easy to maintain. If I had to wax them, then I might think differently, but my oak floors in my old house, which I had refinished after pulling up all the carpet were so easy to maintain!

In this house, I have Pergo in the kitchen and in the hallway (it was there when we bought it). It is much more slippery than my oak floors were, but my 4 big ones have mastered it and they do not slide around on it.

Remember, I have 4 shedding dogs and 2 cats, along with 3 "skin" kids. I think hardwood is much more easily maintained and I miss my old house that was completely hardwood floors, with tile in the bathrooms. Rugs are much easier to replace than carpeting!!!! And by the way, we never had any scratches on our floor that were there because of our animals.


Are you sorry you asked??? LOL!!

[Cataholic]

Hardwood, without question~ Tex throws up to his heart's content, and I don't stress at all. Well, I stress over his health, but, not the floors.

Plus, as far as the nails, the stains, etc., on hardwood....think CHARACTER! Nothing is more beautiful than worn floors, really.

[Corinna]

I vote hardwood of corse i'm jaded hubby installs it. I have hard wood in all my house. The older dog will learn to walk not run . Our allergies went a way,and if cleaned up no staining.. I just vaccum and it stakes no time at all.

[K & L]

HARDWOOD!!! We ripped ALL our carpet out and put down Pergo, and we love it!! I would never go back to carpeting. I buy large area rugs and it works out beautifully. When they're dirty/worn out ....get a new one (as long as you don't invest in the real expensive ones). I don't think you'll regret flooring.

[sirrahbed]

I would go for hardwood if we could afford it. You can always use throw rugs - washable if you want for the geriatrics. There are so many pretty rugs now!! Hardwood is $$$ though! We just recarpeted the whole place. There is some nice wood that you can do yourself and it is not too much more than good quality carpet - pieces that snap together and it looks terrific! I would also think that portions COULD be replaced if necessary?? We went with carpet but I would LOVE to have had hardwood!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Hardwood, hands down!

And if almost 18 year old Tubby can handle hardwood, 12 year old Ripley will have noooo problem.

[jazzcat]

Wow - that is a pretty overwhelming response for hardwood. I'm sure my husband thanks you for the support.

Cataholic - I know Tex and Ripley seem to have the same vomit issues so it's good to know the hardwood can take the abuse.

Sounds like my worries are unfounded. We had considered laminate wood flooring like Pergo at first but I really don't like the hollow sound it has when you walk on it.

I know my allergies will improve with hardwood too.

Thanks everyone.

[prechrswife]

Definitely hardwood! Our last parsonage had carpet, but this one has hardwood. It is so much easier to keep clean and to keep the cat hair vacuumed off of it.

[catnapper]

We don't have hardwood anywhere except the steps and a small area of Pergo in our bedroom. Gosh it is a million times easier to get rid of cat & dog hair. Today's finishes are much more resistant to staining than old ones.

My neighbor refinished their pine floors (we have pine under our wall to wall carpet but its in really bad shape) and have three dogs that are always having oopsies on the floors and they look great.

[RICHARD]

i vote for carpet......

I love the thrill of stepping on a hairball land mine, at two in the morning, that blends into the color of the rug.....

just kidding!

hardwood floors are cool, especially when the cats run around.....it's like a cartoon!

[jazzcat]

Originally posted by RICHARD
i vote for carpet......

I love the thrill of stepping on a hairball land mine, at two in the morning, that blends into the color of the rug.....

just kidding!

Oh yes, we are living that dream right now.

Even though we brush him daily Ripley will shed a hair wad so large that I think there is a kitten in the floor. I'm frequently thanking Ripley for giving me another hair baby.

I don't even like to think about his actual coughed up hairballs.

[catcrazylady]

HARDWOOD! Are you sick of hearing that now?? Two years ago we pulled up the carpet and refinished the floors and I wouldn't go back for anything!
With all the long haired cats the hair for us is horrible! Now I just have a small shop vac that I use to pick it all up and mop.

btw-the cool thing about hardwood is the neat hairweeds that tumble around. You turn on the ceiling fan and I promise you will see things blow across the floor that you swear should have a life of their own!

Seriously though if you were really wanting carpet you would probably be happy with Berber. We have that in one room and it is pretty easy to maintain with the furballs.

[rosethecopycat]

laminate.

Anybody ever heard of titanium infused hardwood?
It's supposed to stand up to clawing.

[nibblets]

I would rip out my carpeting and have hardwood throughout my house if it were possible.