I put a high quality, floating floor in my apt kitchen in NYC to help with pet wear and tear. NOT the best option. If one piece needs to be replaced (and with pet accidents it bubbles very easily), you have to undo a whole section because they are interlocked. Also, they just don't look that great, no matter what we paid. So when it came time to make the rest of the apt floor look decent, we switched to vinyl planks from Lowes. Sounds gross, but they're actually amazing looking. Our apt was built in the 1880's, (the original floor was long destroyed and removed before we got it),and I found a dark gunstock in a wider cut that almost matched our neighbor's original floor exactly. You ready for this? 98 cents a sq foot! If one gets damaged you peel it off (with some effort) and put a replacement. Echoflooring is sooo right about batch colors. Get it all at once and mix up the boxes as you lay it. We have a bunch of mixed ones for replacement and haven't used one, not one, but I know we have them. Lowes will recommend their sealer,but we didn't use it. They self stick just fine. One or two spots came up after we were first done and someone on line told us to use a hairdryer to reheat it and lay a book on top overnight. Worked like a dream. Our apt in NY is 800 sq ft and our current tenant is a photographer with two rescue cats and she loves the floor. Even with her keen eye, we had to tell her they were vinyl and how to replace it if she had a pet accident. She was blown away! I will try to post a picture of our NY apt floor for you. To be fair to our tenant the photographer, I took the horrible quality pics w my cell, not her! LOL! Choose wisely for your space and go with your fave, not what everyone says you should do, incl me. And pls do remember the color batch issue echoflooring brought up. Good luck :) Here is a link that might be useful: NYC vinyl plank floor

I have fallen in love with the British-style graphic vinyl floors. I'd prefer to use a vinyl sheet flooring in my mudroom b/c we keep the litter box there & sometimes the kitties miss :-) I'm having a really hard time finding a U.S. manufacturer making this style sheet flooring or a U.S. storefront selling the British options. Most of the U.K. Flooring stores I've found online won't shut to the U.S. Anybody have vinyl sheet floors like this or know where I can find them? Here's a few examples to give you an idea:

The slab install will limit you (obviously) to a glue down or floating install. The solid will require glue down (expensive install that can go wrong when the wrong adhesive is used). An engineered hardwood might give you the option of glue down vs. floating. A floating install allows a full vapour barrier (and under pad) to be used under the wood. This can be considered a "safer" form of install. It is also slightly cheaper than a full spread glue down. The "subfloor prep" is identical. Smooth, flat, even. Grind down the concrete, add some SLC (self leveling compound), light grind and we are ready to go. This is IDENTICAL for either floor. Solid HAS to be glued to slab; engineered gives you the option to work with the less dangerous floating option. If you float, I ALWAYS recommend working with a high-end underpad to reduce the hollowness of a floating install (3mm or 6mm cork underlay = cheap = EXCELLENT under pad to reduce hollow sound). Slab install can be tricky with a full spread glue down application. The glue can be mightily expensive (depending on the moisture readings of the concrete). The floating floor approach with engineered can steer you around some of the concerns with glue down. A full service, Ma-and-Pa, hardwood flooring store in your area (make sure they've been around for a while) can help with this decision...they will have seen what works and will keep it in stock. They will have seen what has failed and why....and they can help you determine if your home would fall into that category (with solid).

Hello canishel; I’m not the person to whom you addressed the question, but have Audra max LVT throughout my home. I had 2800 square feet of Audra Max Dockside Sand installed about six months ago. I have three dogs, one of whom is a 90-pound Great Pyrenees, and three cats. My mother in law lives with me and often uses a walker to get around. The walker does not scratch the floor, and a wheelchair shouldn’t either. The Audra Max LVT I had installed is just about bulletproof: It has thus far been impervious to water, dog urine, dog poop, and dog and cat vomit (I have an elderly, accident prone Chi Pin and two long-haired cats who yak up hair balls). Just clean up the mess, treat the area with enzymes, and the floor is good as new. It has also been scratch resistant to dog claws and furniture, but I do put felt pads under everything. It has a matte finish and hides paw prints; dirt, and fur. My husband makes fruit smoothies with blueberries, cherries, and pomegranates; he drips the bright fruit juice on the floor and it wipes up without staining. Tomato sauce does not stain either. The cork backing makes it very comfortable underfoot. The large dog slips and slides a bit, but I keep her claws trimmed so she has more traction. I love it so much that I am having the same exact flooring installed in my business in a few weeks! The edges are not beveled, which I love. My advice is to have it professionally installed by the best flooring company in your area. You may pay a bit more in labor costs, but the result will be worth it in the beauty and durability of your floor. Hope this helps,