FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

Question: Can I get a laminate wood in the kitchen or will urine from my senior pet absorb into the seams? Also, if put at entrances, will the laminate scratch?

Answer: Although laminate flooring has a tough finish coating, it is still primarily made up of wood so it may absorb pet urine which can ruin the floor. If you do choose laminate, your best bet is to clean up any spills or urine immediately, preventing penetration into the floor. You need to be very careful, though about the places where you might miss accidents.

For the scratching problem, laminate is scratch “resistant”, but is not scratch “proof”. Most laminate products are abrasion resistant, impact resistant, stain resistant and even resistant to cigarette burns. If you choose laminate, you may want to choose a product like Quick-Step’s or Pergo’s distressed products to hide any scratches. Also, most laminate companies have touch up kits for scratches. If the scratch or damage is really bad, a professional installer may be able to replace individual boards. (be sure to save leftover material)

You can see some examples of Quick Step or Pergo here. If you have questions, feel free to ask us and help others with answers to your same questions!

Every day, I look forward to receiving the email from Colour Lovers, Color + Design Community for Creative Inspiration announcing a new post. Today, they decided to write about our world, hardwood. In this post, they display, describe and indentify the most colorful domestic and exotic hardwoods. For the full post, click here. Be prepared to be surprised at the amazing range of colors.