Australians really love their animal amigos.

In fact, the country boasts one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world.

Over 63% of Aussie households include a furry friend. Because four (and two) legged friends tend to be harder on floors than us humans, the constant pitter-patter of paws can cause some nasty wear and tear.

Unless you’re prepared to parade your pooch around socks or lay down plenty of rugs, you’ll need to pick a pet-friendly floor to keep your home and animals happy.

If you own animals, a pet friendly floor is a must

Why Hardwood?

Hardwood (or solid timber) floors are popular flooring products, but there’s bad news – they’re very not pet-friendly, particularly in homes with animals that haven’t been potty trained.

Solid timber tends to soak up moisture; repeated ‘accidents’ can cause long-term damage to your floors, leaving odd odors and stains.

USE: Set on hardwood?  The tougher the wood, the more likely it will withstand the active life of a household pet. Oak, Cherry, Mahogany, and Jarrah are all ideal timber species for pet-friendly homes, but be sure to check the Janka Hardness Scale before selecting a floor.

AVOID: Softer woods like pine and chestnut, which tend to be more absorbent to stains and scratches.


If you already have hardwood floors, don’t fret; you can get a urethane coating to add an extra layer between pet paws and the surface of your timber planks.

The Laminate Lowdown

Affordable and easy to install, laminate floors are popular for short-notice DIY projects, rental homes, and apartment units. Unlike hardwood, laminate won’t soak up moisture from indoor pet accidents, but doesn’t offer the decades of durability that homeowners would see with solid timber floors. Despite being easy to maintain, note that laminate can tear easily and generally last 10-15 years.

Brilliant Bamboo

Tougher than the hardest of hardwoods, Bamboo is the perfect flooring choice for people and pets alike. It’s incredibly robust, which means it can handle loads of foot traffic from both two and four legged housemates. It’s also the “greener” choice compared the most flooring options thanks to its renewable, long-lasting nature. Bamboo flooring is superbly stain resistant, protecting you against accidental spills during potty training.

What About Cork?

Cork is almost a super-floor. This hardwearing flooring hero helps insulate your home and is made from environmentally friendly, entirely sustainable material. As a natural antimicrobial, cork improves indoor air quality by prohibiting airborne spores (like mold) to contaminate your home. Its sound-absorbing qualities enables cork flooring to reduce the sound of midnight pitter-patter of active pets, and is soft underfoot for paws and feet alike.

Which floor do you think is most pet-friendly? Let us know in the comments below!