An easy and budget friendly fix is to have concrete floors. Here are some reasons indoor concrete floors are a great pet-friendly flooring option. First of all, concrete is resistant to pet stains and odors. Concrete is sealed, therefore making it impossible for pet urine for example to stain or leave behind any odors.
Cons of Concrete Floors
Hardness: There's no denying that concrete is hard underfoot, a quality that some find uncomfortable. It's also unforgiving — a dropped glass definitely won't survive — and it may be a concern if there are small children or elderly folks in the household. Area rugs can help alleviate concerns.
Polished concrete floors are not bad for dogs. Concrete is a durable material that's resistant to scratches and moisture, making it easy to clean and maintain. It also doesn't retain odors, stains, or pet dander, and is uninhabitable for fleas and mites.
Spread The Love! Concrete floors that are stained and sealed don't just look beautiful but are also very durable. But this does not mean they are invincible. If you don't take good care of them, they can develop scratch marks, become dull, and wear out over time.
Smooth floor surfaces such as polished concrete are simply the best flooring option for pet owners.
Concrete is porous. When urine lands on a concrete area, it bonds tightly to the concrete as it dries, penetrating deep within its pores. This can make odor removal particularly difficult. That terrible stench lingers long after the liquid has been absorbed, and can last months unless treated properly.
Vinyl flooring is a popular flooring option for families with pets. Luxury vinyl tile and vinyl sheet are highly durable, long-lasting, and resistant to moisture, scratches and dents. They are also easy to maintain. Vinyl tile is easy to clean, easy to install and affordable.
Yes, they usually are low-maintenance floors, but low maintenance does not mean no maintenance. Let's clear up this and other myths about concrete floors. The more cleaning contractors know about these floors, the better they can clean and maintain them.
For large scale projects like buildings, concrete should last up to 100 years if it's properly cared for. Concrete projects that experience more wear-and-tear like sidewalks and driveways have an expected lifespan of about half that—50 years.
Are Concrete Floors Less Expensive Than Wood? Because material costs for polished concrete floors are six to eight times lower than that of high-quality hardwood floors, polished concrete is significantly less expensive than wood in new residential construction.
Daily walks on concrete are not recommended for young puppies because you may create a problem with their skeletal development. Walking or playing on a concrete surface is tough on soft, young joints and can lead to early arthritis.
After cleaning your concrete floor thoroughly, apply a sealer to keep cat, bird, and dog poop stains from penetrating the surface. Cleanups will be more straightforward, and you'll avoid any severe damage.
Concrete is actually porous like a sponge. If liquid is allowed to sit for a period of time, it will absorb most anything. This is why it's hard to get stains out of concrete. When urine is introduced to concrete and allowed to dry, the uric acid crystals present in urine bond tightly to the concrete.
Visual inspection of concrete will allow for the detection of distressed or deteriorated areas. Problems with concrete include construction errors, disintegration, scaling, cracking, efflorescence, erosion, spalling, and popouts.
ARE CONCRETE FLOORS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN TILE? Because material and labor costs for tile are high, polished concrete is often significantly less expensive than tile in new residential construction and renovation.
Covering your concrete basement floor with a different material can be detrimental to its longevity and condition. This is because the concrete needs exposure to air in order for it to breathe properly.
If you are pouring concrete floors in any type of warehouse or heavy commercial setting, leaving them bare is asking for trouble. Vehicle traffic, chemicals, temperature changes, and other common industrial impacts can quickly damage bare concrete floors. If appearances are a concern, bare concrete is the wrong choice.
Once set, concrete continues to harden (cure) and become stronger for a long period of time, often up to several years. The strength of the concrete is related to the water to cement mass ratio and the curing conditions.
For indoor concrete floors that are polished or stamped, you'll need to take a gentler approach to how to clean it. You'll just use a mop and a bucket of water mixed with a mild cleaner.
Sealing your concrete isn't really a labor-intensive, nor costly, job. By sealing your concrete every 2-5 years, as recommended by experts, you should keep your floor in good shape, preventing cracks, pitting, and additional damage.
Another drawback of concrete is that it has little insulating value, and it will feel quite cold on winter mornings—unless it has been installed in conjunction with a radiant floor heating system. The inherent coldness of concrete can be offset to some extent through the use of carpets and throw rugs.
Many DIY kennels have concrete floors, but the material is hard on dog joints and can lead to skeletal problems. Far better flooring options include rubber, epoxy, plastic, vinyl, and engineered wood. Each of these has its pros and cons. For example, epoxy floors are shock, fire, and water-resistant.
Most dog owners forgo hardwood flooring because it can be easily damaged by dogs' nails. If you're set on hardwood, consider a hard wood variety or engineered hardwood planks, which tend to hold up better. Laminate, vinyl, tile, and carpet have excellent scratch resistance to hold up to the click-clack of claws.