Pet pigs and dogs and flooring

[TLJonesTX]

Hello Flooring Forum...this is my first time to post and I apologize in advance for the length of my post. I'm looking for some help with problem-solving regarding flooring. I currently have 4 small, elderly dogs (2 of which are at end-of-life with medical issues) and 2 "curvy" pot-bellied pigs (both around 200 pounds each). I currently have click and lock LVP (probably low quality/less expensive) in the living room. I think this flooring is probably 3-4 years old. Over time, the planks have shifted and the edges are lifting up and peeling off. It started in one area, but now it is happening in numerous places all over the flooring. I have had a few different flooring installers come out to give me quotes. Each time, I have mentioned that I might need "commercial-grade" or a higher mil-wear layer product due to the wear and tear from the pigs. Each time, I have been told that the products for "residential" should be just fine. However, pig hooves are very hard and pig snouts are very strong. I need to get the flooring in the living room replaced and I don't know what product I should have installed. I am also wondering if a glue-down LVP might work better than the click and lock (due to the weight and activity of the pets). I also currently have glue down LVP in the pigs' bedroom. So far the glue-down has worked well, but I think the LVP quality is probably residential or low-quality. There are several spots on the LVP where the color and fake-wood print has faded (from the pigs hooves and snouts). So, here are my questions/thoughts...
1. Should I find a commercial-grade product or a higher mil-wear layer product?
2. Should I find a glue-down product instead of click and lock?
3. Since I will likely always have pets (pigs can live 15-20 years), should I invest in a higher-quality flooring product or choose something cheaper and just accept replacing the flooring every couple of years?
4. Should I just pay more and get tile?
5. Are there any specific product suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can give!

 

[havasu]

 

[C.J.]

For a moment I thought you could have been one of my past customers. They also had a bunch of dogs and a pig that they let in the house. I thought it was interesting. Definitely not something you see often.

I installed Pergo Outlast for them. No idea how well it held up but I’m guessing they, and myself, just assumed they would be buying new flooring every few years. Not many floating floors are actually waterproof and certainly not piss proof. I think I would install a floating floor that I just assumed would be replaced in 5? years. Most likely LVP. I would install a 6 mil vapor barrier underneath it as well as perimeter seal it. That way you’re giving it about as much effort as you can without breaking the bank to try and prevent any piddle from getting down to and soaking into your subfloor/ slab. Probably not a bad idea to install PVC baseboards as well as caulking the top and bottom of them.

Other than that, enjoy your animals and do it again in 5 years or so.

 

[Commercial Floor Rep]

If it were me, I would treat this like a commercial animal clinic. My first suggestion would be to use rubber flooring. While it's not the most attractive product compared to LVT or vinyl, it can handle the type of pet traffic that you have. I've used it in many animal shelters and clinics over the years with great success. It handles accidents and is more comfortable under foot for your pets. Dogs, in particular, have a hard time on today's vinyl flooring products because they can't "grip" the floor with their pads (a.k.a. "Toe Beans" ) very well.

Interestingly, I worked with our city animal care and control to replace vinyl flooring with rubber, because they discovered that dogs, when tested for aggression behaviors on vinyl flooring, couldn't grip well and as a result were much more likely to test positive for aggression due to feeling insecure in their footing. When tested on rubber floors, the number of dogs testing positive for aggressive behavior dropped dramatically. As a result, many dogs that would have been euthanized were saved and adopted. It will be much quieter under foot than LVT as well. No more clacking from their nails.

If you want something with a bit more of a residential look, take a look at this product...

https://www.manningtoncommercial.com/products/hard-surface/rubber-tile/open-range/

This product has a built in "wax bloom" that will help make it easier to maintain over the life of the floor. The more it's trafficked, the easier it becomes to clean as the wax bloom is pulled to the surface by use.

Fair warning, 1.) rubber is not a cheap date, but you should get many years, if not decades of service out of it. and 2.) The first 60-90 days you own it, you'll hate it, because until the wax bloom appears, it's a bit of a struggle to make it look good. Once the wax bloom begins to even out it becomes much easier to maintain.

If it's something that you're interested in, I can give you specifics on how to best deal with the "break-in" period.

All the best with your project!