Calling all members with Laminate Wood Floors!! Opinions needed here!

[TrickyShepherd]

What has been your experience with it? Especially with dogs?

We are ripping our carpet up probably within a week or two from ALL the rooms (only keeping the tile). Between our allergies and the fact that I'm tired of vacuuming the floors 4 times each cleaning to get it somewhat clean.... we've decided to go with all hard floors. I hate to get rid of my beloved carpet... but, I can't keep it nice with the 3 dogs. So this weekend, we went to some flooring stores and priced out a million different options. Out of the 3 options we chose... the laminate was the only one in a logical price range for a house we are looking to sell in 1-4yrs anyways (and it's the floor my SO was stuck on, I lost that battle ). I wanted real wood flooring, but I know it will just be all scratched up by selling time, and that's another thing we will either have to fix or take off the price. No thanks. Next house that may be an option.

This is all going really fast. Supplies will probably be in next week or so.... and the install about 1-2 days later. It will only take 1-1.5 days for them to do. Yikes...

So... now that this is already in motion.... What am I to expect? Pros? Cons? Or something to make me feel better about this? lol! I'm already upset about getting rid of the carpet... I hate all hard floors... but he promised me area rugs. I'm really hoping I feel better about this new flooring soon. So much money for something I'm not thrilled about....ouch...

Here's what we are going with.... though, we MAY go a shade darker. We are putting in the final pick today or tomorrow.

[Carriesue]

I can't help except to say that I have unsealed real wood flooring from the 50's... Believe me, you DON'T want it... It is a mother trucker to clean and ruins easily. I am very envious of you lol, I would much rather have that type of flooring with dogs!

[gsdraven]

I had laminate wood floors put in (well my Ex and I did it) when I bought this house 7 years ago (before dogs) and I love them. Much easier on my vacuum that I still go through every year or so.

I have a couple of nicks but none of them from the dogs and no scratches. And there have been a LOT of dogs in and out of here. The only place I have a problem with them is under the water bowl. I have one of the chair mats on a carpet under the bowl now and it's protecting the floors really well.

I have much lighter floors than you pictured and wish I had gone darker because even when they are just cleaned, there are still streaks on them.

[JohnD]

Looks nice..The one nice thing about Real Wood is you can
repair the scratches. Laminates can't alway be sanded down and
refinished..

Also in many area's of the US hardwood floors have a higher resale
then Laminates.

So in the long run i think Hardwoods offer a better value...Add area rugs and
you will be set..

The laminate floors can be cut, scratched by your dogs and even sun damange and in most cases you can't just sand down and repair...You will need to replace. $$$

Good luck...And enjoy your new floors...

[jang]

We have laminent floors and LOVE them...much easier than carpet--doesn't get that doggie smell carpet will get over time..I bought a small rechargeable vac just for daily use and love that ,too...We went with a darker wood, almost looks like knot holes in it...more of a rustic look..love that too..also got some area rugs because Sib was slipping a lot and we worried for her..That is a must..Good luck on your project..

[jang]

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum...4-dscf1783.jpg

You can see the floor a little in this pic..if I did it right

I think it is called plank style--but yours is pretty , too

[ksotto333]

We just put laminate down, 4 months ago in the room the dogs use to go in and outside. It has been easy to maintain, and I don't see scratches on it. I put a runner down due to paw prints though...

[wolfstraum]

I had Pergo put in my kitchen when it first came out, about 18 years ago??? Easy to care for and no problems except that there is a bit of damage from water getting spilled that I did not know about and that sat .....the cat would dump the dogs water. I fixed that by putting the water in the tub...cat had it's own bowl, but wanted to use the dogs! With my old male, I have to have the water bucket accessible, so it is back in the kitchen, on a thick folded up towel to catch drips....of course the NEW Bengal kitten has decided it is more fun than her water bowl - and will dump it over too, so back to the drawing board.

Lee

[TrickyShepherd]

Originally Posted by jang

We have laminent floors and LOVE them...much easier than carpet--doesn't get that doggie smell carpet will get over time..I bought a small rechargeable vac just for daily use and love that ,too...We went with a darker wood, almost looks like knot holes in it...more of a rustic look..love that too..also got some area rugs because Sib was slipping a lot and we worried for her..That is a must..Good luck on your project..

I like the look of yours! Ours are plank too, the picture is from a sample that was cut for us to bring home. And we definitely plan on area rugs... not just for me, the dogs as well. None of my dogs are fond of hard floors, so this will kind of throw them off. Don't have a choice though, the carpet was just getting too difficult.

Originally Posted by JohnD

Looks nice..The one nice thing about Real Wood is you can
repair the scratches. Laminates can't alway be sanded down and
refinished..

Also in many area's of the US hardwood floors have a higher resale
then Laminates.

So in the long run i think Hardwoods offer a better value...Add area rugs and
you will be set..

The laminate floors can be cut, scratched by your dogs and even sun damange and in most cases you can't just sand down and repair...You will need to replace. $$$

Good luck...And enjoy your new floors...

Yes, that's why that stays an open option for the next house. That or the tile that looks like wood. Wasn't an option here, value in this area didn't pull it up enough for us to justify the work, materials, and the patch up work I'd have to do before it's on the market.

The one we are getting is supposed to be great for pets. I've done my own tests on the samples.... haven't seen a scratch or anything on them yet. But, we will see.

[TrickyShepherd]

Originally Posted by wolfstraum

I had Pergo put in my kitchen when it first came out, about 18 years ago??? Easy to care for and no problems except that there is a bit of damage from water getting spilled that I did not know about and that sat .....the cat would dump the dogs water. I fixed that by putting the water in the tub...cat had it's own bowl, but wanted to use the dogs! With my old male, I have to have the water bucket accessible, so it is back in the kitchen, on a thick folded up towel to catch drips....of course the NEW Bengal kitten has decided it is more fun than her water bowl - and will dump it over too, so back to the drawing board.

Lee

lol, Thankfully the dogs bowls are outside and during hot months, in the kitchen on tile! Mine are extremely messy with their water!

Pergo is what we are getting too, I believe. They did mention about the water damage. I figured I'd put the rubber mats under the dogs crates to protect it from any accidents. And of course, we'll have the rugs through the house... so hopefully we wont have a problem there. We are also getting a few extra cases of the boards. If anything happens, we have a carpenter friend that will come and fix that for us.

Good to know yours lasted over the years! We just need ours to stay nice for a few years... sounds like that's possible!