if it dents when you walk on it barefoot, then it's time for an intervention - "Just put down the twinkie...."

and the Big Mac™!

Thanks everyone! I think I've decided to go with hardwood (and possibly a diet!)

Now...next question. I'm in the south. Should I glue it down or let it float?!?

nails

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one that did this! I have a boxer that won't walk on laminate because he slides. Hubby hates the rugs all over, but the poor dog is old and half blind. Hubster will have to get over it.

I really don't like the laminate. I'd love to be able to replace it all with wood. Maybe someday when I win the lotto!

I installed parquet wood floors in the kitchen at my previous house and our cocker spaniel had a hard time standing and sitting on them. He would sit and his butt would slide until he was laying down. We put carpet runners in for him so he didn't fall, he had already had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his leg from a non-floor related injury.

I prefer real butter

Only a banker would use these words!

We have tile and laminate and pergo and wood.
Wood looks dull and scratchy from animals.
Their nails click on the Pergo but after three years, no scratches or mess from the dogs. You cannot wash it with a damp mop tho.
Laminate in kitchen.
Tile in hallways with carpeting in living room and on stairs.
None of the surfaces slows any of the dogs or cats down when they being the nightly chase up one set of stairs, around and down the other...over and over.

I think you only glue if the subfloor is a concrete slab.

Yes, we have concrete...so will either need to glue or float. Just wondered if anyone had any recommendation for one over the other.

Is it wrong that this made me giggle?

Seeing as how you are a feline and you are laughing at the misfortune of a dog, no, it is not wrong. Unless of course you are reading this in the bathroom. Even then, you may get a pass since it's your birthday. As long as you do not flush before you hang up.

Wait. I ... just... have to open... this jar... of pickles...

There.

Wait. What?

depending where in the south you are located, floating may happen whether you want it to or not,. since we approaching hurricane season...

Had a friend who used wood plugs into the subfloor...took hom a lot longer to install, but it sjure looked good, and is better than nails or glue

mess from the dogs

I would think that this is a matter of the dogs and not the floor.

always go with hardwood

I installed a floating bamboo floor in the master bedroom. I haven't installed hardwood but was told they are similar. Been several years now. I like it. Once a quarter maybe I use a cleaner/polish on it.

Compared to the thinner wood laminate my in-laws had installed ours was a witch with a capital b on the installation. I wore out several hammer blocks getting the planks set, but it was worth it.

Bamboo is a grass and is more quickly replenished than a hardwood. I like that about it. And it shows no sign of wear yet, like a hardwood I'd expect.

Yeah, I just think it looks tacky. But I understand the neeed for affordability as well. To each their own!

bamboo flooring sounds like something that would be in a hut on the beach

and wouldn't there be a risk of being overrun by Pandas?

You need to explore the possibilities. It is a durable, light colored product that acts like hardwood but is better for the environment.

I have to say that my nail salon just installed vinyl flooring and had I not known it was vinyl I would have thought it was engineered hardwood. It looks fantastic! I think I just bumped laminate off the list for the vinyl.

I installed the vinyl (a product called Kinecto) in my kitchen and living room. I love it! It feels like real wood, it's warm in the winter, so, so easy to clean, and waterproof. This product has a 25 year warranty as well.

I would definitely choose the vinyl over laminate, if for nothing else than the cleaning.

If not vinyl, then hardwood all the way!

Ok, this vinyl stuff - do they actually make planks out of it like real wood or is it that roll-out stuff?

We have stuff that is like planks in our bathroom.