FLOORS - boxer proof

[charliejava]

we're redoing our kitchen and want a boxer scratch proof anti slippery floor. any dos or dont you'd like to share would be wonderful. we're thinking ceramic tile, but i'd really like wood
thanks limabean and "charlie"

 

[djheitz]

We had ceramic tile in the old house, but have wood in the new one. Personally, I'm not thrilled with wood in the kitchen - too easily scratched and dented. Ours is already showing wear at the island from the single counter chair we have.

 

[nickstanton]

pergo

I would go with some kind of laminate like "PERGO". We have it in our kitchen and it shows no scratches with the two dogs. It is super easy to install and is available in a plethora of styles and colors.

 

[TossBranAbi]

I am sort of in the same boat. With buying this house, there is a few areas that have carpet that shouldn't like the bathrooms and the breakfast nook.

The breakfast nook area is starting and turning place during those wonderful boxer burns. I originally wanted to put hardwood down in there which we could do very cheaply as Stephen's second job is in a hardwood flooring plant and he is friends with the sales guy.
Then I thought that with it being real wood, it may not be as resistant to scratch marks as laminent flooring maybe since laminent has a veneer type surface on it. We can get the real wood a lot cheaper than the laminent but if it will show scratch marks easier it wouldn't be worth it.

I mentioned ceramic tiles to Stephen but he said they break too easily. Is he just talking out his butt?

 

[x19er]

Wooden/laminate are probably the best to keep clean but it depends on what kind you get. My in-laws have a wooden floor which is dented from the dogs claws, the laminate we have in our bathroom has scratched from Dino diving after a toy on it plus he hates walking on it as he slides on it. They look pretty nasty once scratched and dented so we're sticking with carpet - we always dry the dogs paws before they come into the house and I vacum every day so that keeps the carpets looking clean.

 

[WAT]

We have had our ceramic tile for about fourteen years now and it has held up beautifully to 3 dogs and 2 kids. There are a couple that have cracked corners, but for the most part they look great. We have a light corally beige color (see gallery for pics). The one downfall is one drop of drool/water and one dirty foot (human or canine) adds up to a lot of foot prints through the house, even though I wipe off the dog's paws.
My mom has hard wood laminate and Minx hates walking on it, she looks as though she is walking on ice.
Good luck with whatever you pick!

 

[djheitz]

Tile will hold up well as long as you have a stable surface under it.
One other thought - how about slate? I haven't had it in my house, but have seen it in others and it can be georgeous.

 

[2BOXERSMOM]

Boxerproof?

Is there really such a thing? We have ceramic tile in the kitchen and it is at least 20 years old, it has held up well with our three boxers, better then with the kids pulling chairs across the floor. Even the prior owners had boxers and the tile was in great condition when we moved in. If you go with tile, go with a darker color grout to stand up to the stains. We have tile in the entryway with light grout and it shows stains easily. Only problem is when they drip water from their dish and the floor gets slippery. Slate is a great option, as it is usually not slippery. You can check and see what tile is rated for shower installation. I handle insurance claims and when it comes to kitchens, you are better off with tile then wood or laminates in the event of any water damage.If a tile gets damaged, easier to replace than the whole floor. If you are able to do concrete, there are great options and pretty much can't be damaged. Best wishes for your search.

 

[HurricaneBox]

I have to throw in a vote for ceramic tile, too. We just moved into a place with everything but the bedrooms tiled, and we LOVE it! Hurricane took a few days to get used to walking on it, and the downside is that it is COLD to human feet with air conditioning on (I can't imagine what the winter will be like!) but its so easy to keep clean, I wonder now why we ever had carpet. As long as you seal the grout (with a good sealer!) you shouldn't have to worry about stains, either. I also know someone with a Pergo floor and boxers and it has held up fairly well, although it does have a few scratches here and there. Still much better than a traditional hardwood floor.

 

[WAT]

the downside is that it is COLD to human feet with air conditioning on (I can't imagine what the winter will be like!)

Make sure you have good pair of slippers! When we have our chilly nights, (I know....chilly nights in Florida...ha!) I always have my slippers on or my thick slipper socks, my feet will get like ice cubes from the tile. And when my feet are cold the rest of me just can't get warm either!