Carpet or Hardwood

We have hardwood floors and although they are beautiful I hate cleaning them. As soon as I sweep and clean them they are dusty again. We had carpeting in Alaska that was scotch guarded. I spilled a glass of tea on it and all it did was puddle. It was easy to clean and dry. I would suggest carpeting and scotch guard.

A.-
I am just getting ready to graduate from interior design school. With hardwood floors you can have pluses and minuses. If you like hardwood floors, there are some out there that are good with pets and children. They can also be much warmer feeling to the feet than tile. Hardwood floors can also be helpful with allergies. But if you prefer carpet it can be best to get one that is not a thick shag so it won't grab the pet hair. But with each one it really is a personal preference. I like to have hardwood floors in the areas that have a lot of food or drinks in them and carpet in the rooms that I want to keep the sound down. I hope that this hepls you out.
S.

I tend to agree, hardwood is great for children and messes. Goodluck and hope you have fun remodeling with an inhome daycare.

A., we had parkay wood floor in the kitchen and front entry hall in a house we lived in for 20 years. We raised our family, had pets (cat & black lab) and it was still in good shape when we sold it. We had oriental rugs in front of the sink and other places, but the floor generally remained nice looking. I would recommend wood flooring for many reasons. J. L

My family has hardwood floows and carpet. They are both nice. I have a two year old son. When he was learning to walk it made it hard because he slipped easier until I found those socks with the rubber grippers on them. As long as you keep your dogs toenails trimmed the hardwood floors should be ok but if the toenails are long (depending on the type of hardwood floor) they may scratch the floor. Hardwood floors can also be colder in the winter unless the floors are well insulated. They are easier to take care of inmy opinion because you just sweep them up and run a special mop thing over them once in a while. You don't have to worry about stains or vaccuuming all the time and that is nice. Hope the info helps.

Hi A.,
we have recently remodeled also and put in wood in most of the house (including the kitchen). We have a 3 1/2 year old, a 2 year old and a 2 mo along with two lab sized dogs. The flooring is great! It is soooo easy to clean (especially all of the dog hair)! In our family room we have carpeting but my girlfriend has tile. What they did was to purchase a large area rug and they also bought very thick carpet padding to put under the rug to make it softer.
K. F

Since you live in Colorado I definately suggest going with wood. If you want to save money and maybe get something more durable I would highly recommend getting wood laminate that is more durable than hardwood. Ofcourse laminate doesn't last as long as hardwood and cannot be refinished if it gets scratched but we have installed it in a past home and our current one and from a distance you cannot tell it's not 100% hardwood but it's child and pet friendly.

Hi A.! We started with carpet through our entire house... and are now working on hardwood throughout. I HATE carpet. I don't know if you've researched at all but even if you vacuum/have them cleaned, they still hold SO MUCH dirt and allergens... my son and stepson both have asthma and allergies, and the first room we did was my stepsons room, and he almost never has breathing problems overnight now. Granted, I do foster care for dogs and some aren't potty trained so that makes hardwood a GREAT DEAL for me as well, but even without it... Before we started this I kept threatening my boyfriend that if he didn't start it I was gonna rip out all the carpet and leave whatever was under there ha ha ha!! I told him I'd get rugs, and then at least you can just pick em up and wash em!! Its really worked out nicely for us!! Also- I don't know if the scratching etc. matters to you, but we didn't do real hardwood... we used a very high quality laminate that looks EXACTLY the same- and it dos not scratch or dent... it has a 30 year guarantee to look exactly the same as the day you bought it- and can be cleaned with just regular wood floor cleaner!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would go with carpet because it will be easier and more comfortable for the 10 month old to crawl around on.

We have a combination of wood and carpet on our main level, and if I could do it again I would put wood everywhere except the family room. The family room is for lounging, playing boardgames and watching movies. It's hard to do those things when you HAVE to sit on furniture because the area rug isn't big enough sit on. With kids I wish we'd put carpet in that room. We also have a lab, and he has stained every carpet in the house by either throwing up on it or doing some other crazy dog thing. Pets and carpet don't mix, but they also scratch up hardwood. The difference: hardwood can be refinished, but carpet is a big expense. Also, carpet is not as sanitary and it holds allergens and bacteria. Hope this helps. (Another note: If your living room has high ceilings I would carpet it. Wood is noisy and makes keeping the house quiet for naps very difficult.)

Hi A.,

We just remodeled our home and we replaced all the carpet in our house with the laminate hardwood floors, they have a plastic coating on the wood for protection. We have 4 large breed dogs (they are indoor dogs) and we do not have any scratches from their nails and all the hard playing they do. If anything spills you grab a paper towel and clean up the mess, with carpet you need to use the chemicals to get it clean and hope the spot does come clean.
I use the Swifter Sweeper for cleaning and the Swifter wet mop, maintenance is very easy with these floors. So my vote is the Laminate Hardwood floors. Good Luck

I have to respond because I just mopped my hardwood floor and I continue to be amazed at how clean it stays. And, even though the kids may scratch it with their toys, it still looks nicer than any other floor, laminate, carpet, or linoleum, we have have had in the past. The laminate was nice, but it had more grooves than our hardwood does. This hickory floor is pretty smooth, so doesn't trap dust. Plus, the variations in color hide dust and imperfections. We have also changed the rules about wearing shoes in the house, which has helped keep everything much cleaner. To clean the hardwood, I use a Libman mop and vinegar and water. I squeeze most of the water out and only damp mop. I am amazed at how clean it gets with just vinegar. We don't have pets in the house due to allergies, but I would choose solid surface over carpet for the simple reason that carpet can be vacuumed and steam cleaned, but it is never really truly CLEAN like a solid floor. Come to think of it, we had a linoleum floor in our last house that had a texture to it. I could never get that floor to look clean either! Our new hickory floor is by far the best floor we have ever had! Hope this helps.

I think carpets can be bad if there are a lot of allergies, however, hard wood with two young boys can really get torn up, then there is the daily needing to dust mop it, then it can be hard on little boys that fall down or play rough. I love carpet personally, then later on I will go hardwood when my kids are done falling down, hee hee.
I would say too if you do home daycare take that into consideration, hardwood is a lot easier to clean if there are lot's of spills.

Hardwood floors are definitely more sanitary. Carpet traps dirt, mites, and goodness knows what else. We are currently trying to decide on hardwood or carpet, but if our kids were younger (and on the floor all the time), it would be carpet, hands down. Sincerly Marci B. (mother of 12 year old twin girls)

We also have a 3 yr old, and 11 month old, 2 labs and hard wood floors. The hard wood floors are (were) beautiful 7 months ago when we move in, but have since been scratched all to heck by the dogs. The floors show hair (dog's) easily and they look really bad during the heavy shedding months. They need to be swept and moped almost every day. The are slippery on little one's learning to walk, are hard when they fall and hard on their knees when playing. I realize hard floors are necessary in kitchen areas, but I do not recommend replacing carpeted areas with hard wood. Vaccumming is much easier! Also, you may want to consider something less expensive than hard wood until the kids are older and the dogs are gone. We had laminate in our last house for 4 years and while they have some of the same drawbacks as hard wood, they do not scratch from the dogs' nails and I think are a little easier to care for. Best wishes, Liz

I suggest carpet and tile floors. We have a Border Collie and she has scratched the hardwood horribly. I have a two year old and have had only a few falls on the hardwood, she wears socks with rubber bottoms, which does the trick. Tile is so sturdy and easy to clean (except for the grout) and you don't have to worry about scratches!

Hello, just read your post. I have three kids, ages 4,3 2 1/2 and we've done both hardwood in our first house and carpet now. without a doubt, i would do hardwood for many reasons. We are ripping out our carpet as we speak because of the various issues with carpet. Hardwood is cleaner, we have a golden retriever, and spills don't impact wood like carpet. carpet is so so so much dirtier and much more to keep up. also, carpet has lots of toxins involved with the glue and fibers. this is especially bad for little ones since their immune system is developing. all of the parents i know of kids with autism have hardwood or tile because of this very issue. i think hardwood is a lot more visually appealing too! kids fall, as mine did on the hardwood when they were learning to walk, but it was never the issue that i thought. they never banged their heads like i had invisioned. good luck with your choice and hope you found some help with this response. D. Day

I have hardwoods throughout my entire house. True,they can get scratched and dented, but I'm willing to live with that since they're so easy to clean and they're beautiful. We didn't get carpeting because of my son's allergies. And I don't care what those carpet salespeople say...even with the best protection, if you spill red wine or nail polish on carpet, it's going to take some effort getting it out (if you can even get it out at all). In the areas we want a bit of softness uderfoot, we have area rugs. They're a whole lot easier to replace if there's a major spill than pulling up wall-to-wall carpeting. And don't even get me started on the whole dust mites and other microscopic bugs that live in carpet...yuck! There are some engineered wood products out there which look exactly like wood and are scratch resistant...you should look into those. Tile is another option, but if a glass falls on tile it will shatter into a zillion pieces and that can be a bit dangerous with all those kids you have around. There are pros and cons to all types of flooring, but in your particular situation, I really would go with either hardwood or engineered wood flooring.

I do not have any experience with hardwood floors, but we put laminate wood flooring in our playroom and I love it! I have my daycare in this room and so far it has held up and it has been over a year! We have not had any scratches or problems with it. The kids spill everything on it and it is so much easier to clean up than carpet! I will never have a house again with carpet! I say, go for it! It is so much healthier too!

Hi A.,
We have hardwood floors. They are real wood so the scratches to no bother me. So far, nothing has scratched below the polished finish of the wood. I have a 2 YO a Rottie and a Boston Terrier. We do not keep the dogs nails clipped on a regular basis and it hasn't hurt a thing. Most scratches have come from me moving things. They are a lot easier to clean. I use a lent mop. I got it from Smart & Final. It is pretty large and covers a lot of area. There is also a hardwood floor cleaner which works great. I can get you the name if you are interested.
It does however, take the warmth out of the room even though we have throws down.

I would highly recommend hard wood.We have wood in most of our house, including the kitchen. It is much easier to keep clean from dog hair and stuff. Not to mention it is nice looking. They do have hard wood out there that resists scratching from dogs. They also sell little caps for your dogs nails that protect the floor. We use them on my dog and they really work. They are called "soft paws" and you can get them online. Carpet just traps dirt and dust and hair and smells and to me is high maintenance.

A.

I work in the new home construction and I would recommend Hardwood. However with a dog I would suggest going with a prefinished flooring or a high traffic top coat that will minimize scratching. Definetly not carpet, grease and spills get trapped and no matter how many times you have it cleaned it will never look clean.

I absolutely love my hardwood floors - we have pergo thru our kitchen, family room and hallway. I have 2 dogs and 2 young boys - they clean pretty easy. Sometimes the dog hair gets messy, but I vacuum it up. The rest I sweep and mop with spray floor cleaner. Good luck!

Hi A.,

Definitely don't put carpet in the kitchen. It'll get stained so quickly! Carpet would be fine in the living room (where there is not a chance of spilling food). It gives the room warmth and is soft for the kids. But you could also use area rugs if you do hardwood there. I think that looks nice.

A benefit of carpet is that it hides stains well - BUT that just means that it is dirtier. Hardwood will show everything - crumbs from the kids and dog hair. I have a lab and have to sweep my hardwoods often (invest in a good dog brush to get rid of the loose hair and that will help alot!).

My dog has scratched our floors, but it is not too much of a problem (it's only from when she has been startled and took off running - it is not from walking on it daily). We had laminate floors before and those did not get scratched at all. Laminates are very durable, inexpensive and some really look like real wood.

Also, I have 3 and 1 year old boys (and a couple day care kids) who play with cars and other moving toys alot. Hardwood floors are much better for those toys. Carpet tends to not let the toys roll easily.

My hallway and kitchen are hardwood, while the play room is carpet. Our living room is carpet but I want to put wood in it. Hope this helps.

A.

Hardwood!!!! If your uncomfortable about the hard surface and children falling on it, put some throw rugs around...non skid kind. If something gets spilled on it, or the dog's hair starts to build up, they can be thrown in a washer and dryer and be ready for the next day.

The only word that comes to mind when I hear carpet is allergies. We have hardwood and tile and I have never been happier that I actually know when my floors are clean. You can see the dust and other stuff when you have hardwood or tile whereas carpet is a hiding place for dirt among other things. I know they make great vacuums these days but it sure feels good knowing that I know for sure when my floor is clean. You can get hardwood that won't "show" the dirt or drips but you'll know when you need to clean them.

A.-
We are in the process of doing some upgrades and remodels. I HATE the carpet we have in our house now! It's too light and between the kids (I have three under 5) having accidents, and the dog too, we decided to do laminate hardwood. Sure, we could have gone with a little darker carpet, but you still have to treat the accidents quickly, though you just might not see the stains as well (and trust me, I have every stain product imaginable, and some that work VERY well... and a carpet cleaner service that knows me by name!). So, back to the laminate. I've done a lot of research on real hardwood vs. laminate hardwood, and laminate just seemed the way to go. You can make your own conclusion on that. I figure if we have an accident (pee, throw-up, spills, on and on and on), then we just wipe it up. No stress about stains, smells from accidents soaking into the carpet, etc. To eliminate the "cold" feeling of hard floors, we are going to be using area rugs in some areas. Happy remodeling and I hope this helps!
V.

You have already gotten a lot of responses but I am going to put my two words in. I have had the laminate floating floors in a lighter color. It worked great at first no scratches ever from the two large dogs that I have but it would have been better if there hair was not black. I was constantly cleaning becuase they shed so much it showed everything on the floor. Also the noise from their nails is something to get use too. In our new house we have real handscraped hardwoords downstairs that are glued to the floor and carpet upstairs. I hate carpet but it is better I believe in the bedrooms. As to the woodfloors we put it they were the most expensive ones availabe and well worth every penny. We have cherry cabinets in the kitchen and a medium oak color wood floor. I will tell you it looks great. I was very unsure of it at first in the kitchen with spills and water however it is fine. I do keep the dog bowls outside now as a precautiion. I had a mat under the highchair and a small rug by the fridge and sink. I made sure I got the ones that the water can not go through with the rubber matting on the back. I was scared at first when my daughter started to crawl but found out that two yoga mats are great for cushioning under them while playing and they do not slide around like blankets. As to the dogs and scratches, there are a few however that is why we chose the hand scraped becuase it is not level so no one can ever see them but me. The other to consider with real wood they can just pop a plank out anywhere and replace it where with laminate they have to take from the outside up to that section to replace a plank. As to cleaning I will take a swiffer over vaccuming anyday. I hope this helps, go around look at your choices and take samples. The best advise that I can give it try them out. Our floor dealer recommend taking all the samples putting them in a transition area that everyone walked everyday. We had our in the walkway between our kitchen and living room. We had seven samples from three different stores and had them laying on the ground for two weeks to see what the wear and tear on them was before purchasing. Everyday I made notes as to when they got sun how it felt, when it was cold in the house, how much dirt it showed or aquired, the noise levels from the baby and the dogs. We made our final decision from there.

A.-

Hardwood floors are beautiful, but do not work well for kids and dogs. They scratch easily and take a lot to maintain. Carpet hides the dirt and is better for kids.(I have my professional cleaned every 6 months-it is white. Yikes!!) I know it is not the high class solution, but in my kid's bedrooms and my office I have laminate floors that looks like wood. I love these floors. The do not scratch and are a breeze to clean. I have two boys and two dogs. These are the cleanest rooms in my house. I probably would not do the whole house in laminate, but the kitchen would well with this surface. Hope this helps.
M.

A. --

I have two small children (5 & 3) as well as a 70 pound lab. We have always installed hardwood floors throughout our home and I love them. They are no easier to keep clean, but you can be sure that there's nothing hiding beneath any surfaces once you do clean them. Children and pets (even adults if you're active as my husband and I are) will take their toll on any surface, but hardwood wears well. A few scratches on hardwood, in my opinion, looks far better than juice or vomit stains on carpet. And you don't have to worry about hardwood trapping any smells. Good luck with your remodel; quite a challenge with two small children.

While potty-training the younger one, I can't count the number of times I've said 'thank god we have hardwood floors.' besides, there's an awesome little robotic vacuum you can buy for less than $150 so you know your floors are dust-free and you don't have to do it yourself.

If you're not happy with the decision in the end, an area rug solves that problem.

Hardwood with area rugs where needed. Cleaner! I have two cockers and four children--two raised--two at home. Just sweep and clean with vinegar and water when needed. You'll be surprised how much dirt your wall to wall carpet was keeping hidden from you--unless of course you vacuum daily--not me! A.

try bamboo floors, I read somewhere it holds up better than hardwood.

Hi A.,
I vote with the hardwood crowd! I have had both and wood is alot easier to keep clean and is better for any possible allergy issues. Carpet TRAPS everything... including the animal dander.
Area rugs are easy to shake out and wash.
Good Luck, L.

I would avoid carpet and go with wood or laminate. I have wood now and I do worry more about it getting scratched/abused than I did with my laminate. But it IS beautiful. Laminate was so easy to install and very affordable. With potty training, pets and general kid activity, wood or laminate is best!

We just moved into a house with hardwood throughout. I love hardwood floors, but also consider (especially with a ten month old) that when they fall on those floors, they can get hurt, especially if they are ever climbing and falling from the sofa, tables, whatever. However, there is nothing more hilarious than watching your dog try to run after a ball and slide all over the place. Hope this helps!
M. T

I'd get hardwood. Easier to clean and won't get worn like carpet.

I have twin boys who just turned 7 and now a welsh corgi. When we remodeled we took up the carpeting in the living room and went with hardwood floors. They look beautiful. It is cooler in the winter, but we are happy with the hardwood floors. It is easier to keep clean, but there may be more bumps for the little ones. They will get used to it and you can have rugs down. Make sure the rugs don't slip. My boys run around the house a lot. I hope that helps. We have tile in the kitchen.

Martha

Hey A.. I have all hardwood floors and if I had carpet it would be a mess. I have 2 cats so I get hair. I us the swifter wet mop with the hardwood floor cleaner. The purple box. It is the best for maintenance.And it doest make the floor slippy. Murphys oil soap leave a residue that attracts dirt. My floors are vintage and look great. I hae a fun rug for my son to play on so hes not on the hard floor and those mfoam puzzle like mats you can buy at toys r us. Blue. For play time.My son is also 3. And wood floors are a great way to give the kids a dust pan and little broom to learn to clean up when they have an accident. Now my son does it without asking. he thinks its fun to clean. Hope it lasts.
Good luck. Where are you located?

Hardwood for sure! SO much easier to clean and odors and stains don't stick around. I used to hate my hardwood floors in the home that we own. Seemed like I was always seeing particles 'n' stuff on them. Now, in the place we're renting we have carpet AND I HATE IT!!! The spills, the stains, the DOG ODORS stick and the carpet just seems nasty and disgusting. Plus, hardwood floors make it possible for Fido to do some of the clean-up for you! Hardwood floors also don't hold dust and allergens. I had hardwood in my kitchen and living room and can't WAIT to move back into my house!

Hardwood! I have hardwood floors throughout my home and I love them! My 6 week old son is not old enough to crawl around on them yet, but all the other babies and toddlers I've had at my home only confirm the fact that hardwood floors are the way to go. When they have accidents, spill juice, or if my dog doesn't make it outside one night, all I do is grab my Murphy's Oil floor cleaner and wipe up! No carpet stains, no lingering smells, etc. I put down area rugs in the family room and bedrooms and runners in the hallways for some comfort and warmth, but other than that it's hardwood floors all the way! Good luck with the remodeling with your boys and dog!

A. Hi!
Have you looked into natural cork? It is a very durable not to mention renewable alternative to hardwood. You can get cork in a variety of polished finishes that look great. I am concerned with the allergens involed with carpet, as well as the many chemicals that enter your home with new carpet. The cork would be a much safer alternative for you daycare children, and as I said before it it more resistant to scratching than regular hardwood. Good luck with your remodel!!

Hi A.,
I just recently converted my main level from carpet to wood floors. I have 3 kids ranging from 5-15 and two big dogs. I love it but I will tell you if you have a childcare and are concerned about scratching, you should probably do carpet.

I have some minor scrapes already but they are barely visible...scratches are less visible if the wood is not so dark. However, I did not take in the noise factor...sound carries a lot more and the house is much noisier. Fun but it is loud. If you need naptime or need some solitude...you may want to wait. Again, I covered the entiree main floor, perhaps you can do a portion.

Also, it is amazing how much dirt carpet covers up. Dirt can hide on wood like it does in the carpet...a mixed blessing.

I know a great floor guy if you are interested and he can help you out as well. Here in Monument.

Good luck,
B. T

By my own techie nature, I research everything. We just redid our kitchen a few years back and have four kids, homeschool, and a kitty. I chose linoleum that looks like wood. I've gotten several compliments, even by a wood floor installer! It's MUCH easier to clean and maintain than wood, and carpet would be impossible in our home. For our next kitchen, I'm researching cork or bamboo for eco reasons. If anything, I'll seek out marmoleum with a wood pattern!

I have had hardwood in our house for about three years and I love it. My six month old is crawling around just fine on it and my 11 year old loves to slide around in his socks. We also have two dogs, and outside of having to adjust to the sound of tapping paws, it's great. Also, easier to clean up after kid and animal accidents!!!

It sounds like we're all in agreement, I love my wood floors, too!
My only suggestion is to look at the hand scraped floors because the texture hides scratches and other "oops" that may result from children or pets.

Hi A.,

We have both hardwood and carpet, I love the hardwood. We have two daughters 4 years and 2 years. Our flooring has been down for about 6 years and it still looks great. I like it much better than carpet. If you need to clean it up quickly all you have to do is sweep up the mess and spot clean with a wet cloth if needed. Carpet you have to drag out the vaccume and I hate vaccuming. With the Colorado winters and springs sweeping is alot less time consuming, and with two kids I need all the extra time I can get, Hope that helps you.

Hi! My husband and I have remodeled and built 7 houses over the last 10 years and tried lots of different kinds of flooring! We love laminate and have it in our main living areas, carpet in the bedrooms & tile bathrooms. We did laminate in one bathroom before and that was a big mistake! Water and laminate do not mix; it gets in the seams and warps. We had engineered hardwood in the house we built and it was a nightmare; scratched too easily without any pets. I love the look of wood so laminate is the best choice for us and our 3 boys. You have to be careful with laminate in the kitchen because of the water issue; we have rugs in front of the sink and fridge to help protect the floor. If you choose carpet, remember that it will always look lighter in a bigger piece. Took us 3 houses before we actually liked the color and got it dark enough! Good luck!

I would definite recommend laminate hardwood. It is very easy to install and maintain. It is very easy to take care of, and it doesn't trap dirt like carpet does.

We have NEVER regretted the decision to remove our carpeting. We have 2 large dogs and 5 grandchildren ranging in age from 1 to 9 and it is so much easier to keep the floors clean. All of the dog hair seems to gravitate to the outer edges of the floor, making it easy to vacuum up. I used to dread vacuuming b/c it seemed I never got all of the hair picked up. I have heard that a Pergo type material holds up better under dogs feet, but we are happy with the wood. Good luck

HI A.,

We have both hardwoods and carpeting in our house. I love both. We have a very large lab as well and he does great with the hardwood floors, just make sure you get a strong hardwood. We had checked out quite a bit of flooring and decided on a handscraped expresso maple, our lab does not scratch them at all. The hardwoods are very kid friendly as well. Hope this helps... good luck with the remodle..

Hardwood floors with a Swedish finish or tile. Hardwood is easily cleaned with a dust mop-damp mop-or vaccum with a brush. The hardwoord stays beautiful Keep the dogs nails clipped.

My personal aesthetic would be hardwood, but that is my aesthetic. We have parque/wood floors and the only issue is that our 15 month old who is walking/running all over the place, slips a lot. We are putting little skid things on the bottom of al his socks and shoes. Also, clean up is much easier. I do have some questions about carpet and the way they are made, especially the fire retardant on them. My husbands grandmother had major health issues because the chemicals they put in the carpets then but I have friends who are sensativities and allergies to the chemicals put on carpets now. You can find carpets that are less chemically now a days, but you will definately pay the price. Good luck.

In my house we have carpet on the living room floor. I love having carpet there because we spend a lot of time playing on the floor and laying on the floor watching T.V. If the living room is a place where your family gathers a lot and your kids are always playing and crawling on the floor then I would suggest carpet. I would never put hardwood where you want to be comfortable. The kitchen on the other hand..... if your cabinets are stained wood then hard wood floor in there wood be too much IMO- if they are painted (like white) then hard wood wood look great! I love the look of hardwood and even with dogs and boys they do wear nicely.

www.momtomombiz.com

We got hardwood floors installed when my son was 2 years old. We have two dogs and a cat. I love them. The animals leave little tumbleweed-like hairs which I can easily vacuum up. Spills and and accidental presents left by animals are easily cleaned up. Getting the floors installed was a bit of a trial since it's noisy and smelly but I haven't regretted getting them. Good luck.

Hi, A.!
Over the course of the last 36+ years, we have lived in 16 homes. I am a mother of three and a grandparent to four who has always had dogs and cats as part of our family. I, too, did child care in my home for a while. Now retired, we reside in a home we designed and built ourselves. I think the only floorings we have not had are cement, adobe, and terra cotta. With the high traffic which children and pets generate, I strongly suggest you install neither carpet nor hardwood flooring for the following reasons:

CARPET would provide some of the cushioning children need when they fall. However, carpet contributes to allergy problems. Also, cleaning would be constant as carpet acumulates pet stains, odors, ground-in food, and food stains, all perpetual challenges to remove. The wear to the carpet would mean eventual replacement at higher prices in the future. Also, dogs can catch their claws in carpeting, especially in shag or in Burber. However, carpeting is easier on the bones of aging pets.

WOOD FLOORS are better for those with allergies, but take constant care. They MUST be vacummed and dusted daily (Swiffer) and washed down (Quick Shine...Wal-Mart) as they begin to lose their luster. [Technically they should be waxed with paste wax and buffed out at least once a month!Eventually they will need to be stripped and refinished (sanded, vacuumed, washed, resealed), all time consuming, labor intensive, and expensive.] Wood floors are beautiful, but don't have the cushioning of rugs when little ones fall. Also, it becomes increasingly difficult for aging pets to walk on wood floors as they find it difficult to get up and often slip when walking. If you install hardwood flooring, you will be a slave to its care.

My suggestion for your current situation is this:
Install PERGO flooring (or a similar brand). Pergo is a wood-look laminate flooring which comes in varying colors and widths. This "floating" floor has a cushioned pad under it, easier on your feet than standing on wood flooring. It is easier maintenance than wood requiring only dusting and an occasional quick wet wipe. It wears like polyester and always looks great, both necessary with the dirt tracked in by kids and pets; Pergo is kid and pet friendly. It is good for people with allergies. [Wood flooring remains my personal favorite, but we have learned there is no "perfect" flooring.] My recommendation for this stage in your lives (children/pets) that you go with something like Pergo. (You can always install carpeting when they are older. It can be put right over the Pergo!)

K. R.

Hi A.,
I'm a 70 yr old who takes care of my great-grandson, age 10 mos. At my age I've had both, hardwood and carpet. Give me hardwood every time. I don't care how much you clean your carpet - it holds and hides DIRT. Plus, I find hardwood floors easier to clean.

Hope this helps. God Bless.

A. L

all carpets contain chemicals...i suggest hard wood.

I had carpet when my kids were younger and I found it harder to keep clean. I also had a color that showed all of the dirt. If you get carpet use a color that will not show the dirt and spend the extra money and upgrade the padding and make sure that the carpet is stain resistant. I also invested in a steam cleaner and cleaned my carpets every couple of months.

Wood flooring is great as well. It is easier to keep cleaner then carpet especially with young kids and pets. You can even use it in the kitchen because this flooring is really resistant to spills and other accidents.

Both have pros and cons I personally have carpet in my living room that is 10 years old and I can't wait to get rid of it. I plan on putting wood laminate in there. In my kitchen and through out the rest of my house except the bedrooms is tile. With your young kids I would would get wood flooring because it is easier to maintain.

I hope that this helps.

As a Naturopathic physician who focuses on allergies and chemically sensitive patients, I highly recommend hardwood or tile. Carpet lets off very dangerous and toxic gases and fumes for years after it is installed, it also holds residues and toxins that we bring in from outside, that can not be cleaned out of it well. Hardwood nad tile are durable (if you get the right kind) and easy to clean. The kids love running all their toys on it and it never looks dirty from juice spills. I have a mix of tile, hardwood and crpet in my home, but would love to get rid of the carpet. This is just my advise. Hope this helps you make some decisions.
K. A

Hardwood for sure except maybe in the bedrooms. Your lab may scratch with his nails, but hardwood is much cleaner.

I love our hardwood floors. I have an 11 month old and a 3 year old. Spills and messes are so much easier to clean up on wood than carpet. I love the look too. It's really beautiful.
Good luck deciding.

K.

my husband owns a flooring company, plus we remodeled our first home and built another one. we have a 5yr old, 3yr old and a 10 month old. in the first home we had wood in the kitchen and in this home we have tile. wood is harder to maintain. kids, dogs and water are tough on wood. tile is awesome. i would definately stay away from carpet! (carpet is the cheapest however) tile is my favorite, but if you like the look of wood there are some pretty good laminates out there and depending on how handy you or your husband are laminate is something you could install yourself.

Hey there A., I have heard that hard wood floors are way easier to clean then carpet, and require less maintenance. But then I have also heard that the damage from constant traffic can scratch your wood floor pretty badly, which is pricier to repair than vacuuming or stain treating your carpet. I would ask about scratching if you go with hard wood, or get a dark carpet. It does seem that getting a dark carpet can solve a lot of problems, haha.

we did pergo..its pre finished and looks great..now 11 years later with 2 kids and all there friends.we are the only house in town that allows scooters inside..plus we have 2 big newfoundland dogs..no scratches..go lighter rather than darker to not show dirt is my other sugestion..good luck...J.

we are remodeling the same areas in our house. we are using laminate wood floors. We have done a lot of research and Wilson Art is the absolute best laminate product out there. Stands up to big dogs and kids. It will not expand and contract like real wood (we have had that in the past) and does not show scratches. Good luck!

Hi A.,

We have hard wood floors throughout our house (was done before we bought the house 6 years ago). They look great but kids and pets (and even husbands, which I have found true in my case) are very hard on wood floors. If I were to do it over again, I would have carpet in bedrooms and common areas and tile in the kictchen and bathrooms.

Best of luck to you! Have fun remodeling!

D.

I think most people put tile (or linoleum for a cheaper alternative) in their kitchens because they resist water better than wood.

For your living room, wood would definitely be easier to keep clean. Carpet might hide crumbs and dog hair better in the short term, and it's warmer on the feet unless you have radiant heat.

We much prefer the hardwood floors of a previous house we lived in to the carpet we have now. The boys played, walked, ran fine on the wood, although of course everyone (dog included) preferred to sit on the area rugs in the winter time. Those rolling walker toys move a lot faster on wood!

The dog seemed to take a little effort to get started running on the wood, like a cartoon animal running in place for a second, or maybe it was just normal but you could hear her nails so much it seemed that way.

If you get carpet, make sure you keep a little remnant for repairs! We have a hole in the corner that our rabbit dug into the carpet that puts us into a pickle.

Have fun!

I love my hardwood floor. It requires a little more maintenance but at least the dirt is not settling into your carpet where you cannot see it. We also have dogs and i am glad that i get to sweep up the shedding hair then try to keep it out of the carpet. Allergies are also big with carpet if that is any concern for you. I have a 4 year old and my grandsons that play on the floor with no problem if you are worried about your children.

Give the choice, I will never choose carpeting. At the very least, it should be shampooed 3 times each year. It holds the dirt, hair, etc., but hardwood doesn't. Hardwood, tile or lineoleum may require more maintenance but it is cleaner and less apt to create allergy and/or breathing problems for everyone in the house. I have had both and raised many children over many years. I opt for hardwood.

Hi A.,

I would suggest the wood floor. Carpet attracts and holds so much dirt. With a day care and children of your own the carpet will not hold up and will get dirty fast. Wood is easier to maintain and clean. It also will add more value to your home.

Hope this helps.

We just installed hard wood floors to a new add on to our home.I love to look and feel,how ever they are alot of work to take care of. Water on the floor for more than 30 mins can ruin them. The chairs slide when you sit down even with the no skid on them and they scratch alot eaiser than I thought they would.
with little ones and a dog and two cats.......I'm not sure we were ready for a show room floor

I have hardwood floors and love them. You can see all the dirt so I do vacuum everyday. If my two year old daughter peas on the floor while potty training I just wipe it up. If my cat gets sick on the floor or my dog has an accident, just clean it up, no stains, no carpet cleaners. Also, if your children have allergies or develop asthma, it is the best way to go.
My parents removed their 10 year old carpet when I was younger and put in hardwood floors. You should have seen all the dirt, dust and mold in the carpet pad and the carpet itself.
Also, my friend has carpet just in the living room and between her animals, children, fireplace and husband the carpet is a mess. She is always complaining about keeping it clean.
Hve fun with the remodel. That is very exciting.

With hardwood floors, depending on what type of pets you have, The hardwood floors do not do so good with dogs because it is so soft that when the dogs are walking on it, their nails tend to dig into it and leaves marks in them. You unfornately are unable to buff them out. I wouldn't recommend carpet in a kitchen either, I would recommend tile. I just had hardwood in my master bedroom and tile through-out the rest of the home except for the other bedrooms were carpet. I was advised about the hardwood flooring by a friend of mine who installs them.

I am a mother of tow little girls, 2 1/2 and 1 1/2 and I wouldn't trade my wood floors for anything. All the messes and spills that can happen are much easier to clean up. Go for hard wood, you will love it.

I would totally suggest hard wood. I have wood in my dining room which is a major alley way, and carpet in my living room. I have a 13 month old who has pretty much killed my carpet! But the wood seems to not only still look nice once he's traveled across it, but is holding up nicely!

A.,
I have a 3 year old little boy and a 1 year old golden retriever. We have both carpet and hardwood and I can't wait to put in all hardwood. Between the dog, kid, and husband, they are trashing the carpet. I feel like I am always shampooing up spills or muddy tracks. The wood floors on the other hand are very easy to maintain. I find that they are not getting scratched up by the dog's claws like I thought they might. Another plus to the hardwoods is that if there are any allergies in the family, the wood floors don't trap those allergens like carpet can and your family will breathe easier.

Hi there-

We remodeled and went with wood laminate flooring and we absolutely love it. It's floating, so when my daughter takes a spill and bumps her head, it has give. She usually bounces right back up. It's also SUPER easy to clean, and it was really inexpensive- we went with the highest quality stuff we could find and it still cost under a $1000 to do our living room. We found ours at Costco and did a lot of comparing with what we found at Home Depot and Lowes, etc. The Costco stuff was by far the nicest-looking. It's also a lot more durable than straight hardwood, so my dogs (and I have 100-pound ones) don't scratch it. In addition, the super-dry Tucson weather isn't as hard on it as it is on the normal hardwood.

I have really bad allergies, so carpet was a no-go for us. I don't personally love carpet because it stains (even the high-grade stuff). Also, no matter how often you vacuum, it can be really dirty. When we pulled up our old carpet to replace it, I was soooo horrified by the 1/2-inch thick layers of dust and grime underneath.

If you're really not into the laminate wood flooring, although I highly recommend it, the Bamboo flooring is BEAUTIFUL and it's a renewable resource. If we didn't have a little one and dogs, we would have gone with that. It's also supposed to be a little more durable than some of the other kinds. My sister is an interior designer and says Bamboo is her #1 choice for hardwood. I don't believe it's even anymore expensive than the other hardwoods... the stuff at Costco wasn't much more expensive than what we got.

Have fun redoing your rooms!
T.

I have 5 children and 2 dogs. We built our home ourselves and had I known then what I know now, my house would have had no carpet. I love the hardwood floors so much that we tore out the filthy dirty carpet in the kids rooms and put in hardwood floors. No matter how well you clean your house the carpet will always contain dust and dirt that can sometimes lead to health issues, especially for those with asthma or allergies. If you use natural wood that is pre-finished it will wear very well. Although laminate wood is cheaper you get what you pay for, it's noisy and it does look fake. My youngest was 5 months old when we moved in and yes it did hurt when he would fall but those days pass quickly and area rugs can provide extra padding.

I would recommend tile but since you are where it is cold, I say go with the hardwood floors. It's easier to clean, and if you every get a new puppy, it's easier to clean up while potty training the dog. The hardwood will be colder than the carpet, obviously, but not as cold as the tile.

I actually have hard wood throughout the downstairs of my house and carpet on the stairs and upstairs. There are pros and cons. It does get a little dusty. but to me when I clean it the satisfaction of knowing it is clean is cool. It surprises me a bit to see how much dusts collects, kinda makes me wonder if I had carpet would it all be in there, kinda gross! I love the way it looks, and with kids all you do is mop it up. I have 2 dogs and it is a breeze cleaning up the pet hair. Good luck!

A.,
Carpet is a nightmare in the kitchen with spills and everything else. As other have said hardwood is easier to clean better for allergies.
carpet is nice but it hold pet dander and hair. It is your choice but I had capet in a house when my kids were little and it was impossible to clean up spills.
C. B

I have hardwood floors in my dining room and kitchen, and I also have two large dogs. I would not make that flooring choice again just because I can't stand the scratches the dog leave in the floors! It doesn't bother some people, though, and maybe it wouldn't be a problem for you. I have a friend who believes it just adds character! Carpet is more labor intensive, but you may find it more practical with a daycare if the kids spend much time in the living room playing, unless you purchase a very large area rug. However, they are VERY expensive and still have to be cleaned. If you want the look of a wood floor in the kitchen, you may want to consider a laminate flooring. Laminate is extremely durable and comes in lots of different styles (oak, maple, etc.). A friend has had laminate in her kitchen/dining room for about 6 years, along with two very large dogs, and the only mark on the floor is from the point of a very large knife which was dropped! That's my two cents - hope it helps, and good luck! I have the greatest admiration and respect for daycare providers - you are wonderful!!

Hi A.,
Definately go with hardwood. We have have a hardwood that was prefinished so it was installed the same way they install laminate. I have a lab and two daughters who are constantly running in and out of my house, sometimes with rollerblades on, we do have quite a few scratches in the floors but, like many other ladies who've responded, the scratches don't bother me. My husband is a realtor and he used to cringe everytime he saw a new scratch but he's lightened up. The bottom line is that wood is so much easier to clean up, looks 100x better, is easier on your bare feet (I got plantar fascitis from walking barefoot on my tile), and adds so much resale value to your home (laminate does not). If you're really concerned about scratches install a hardwood that can be refinished over and over again. Good luck, I'm sure your home will look beautiful when your done.

I have hardwood and I wouldn't change it. I have a dog, cat, a 1yr old and a 9yr old. With all the spills, and tracking of outside debris, I think hardwood is the better choice. I also should tell you, I swiffer at least 3 times a day.

I've had hardwood in the kitchen for almost 13 years and only NOW do I have to get them refinished. I recently put Brazilian Tiger Wood in the family room (did it by ourselves) and it looks great! Go to Macdonald Hardwood website, they have discount coupons, take the class, and go for it!

I have both carpet and hardwood-I love the hardwood! So much cleaner. It is more expensive initially, but it doesn't hide dust, animal hair, or anything else for that matter.

I am the mom of 5 ages 21 to 7. I love having hardwood floors because of the clean issue. I know they are clean, but they are loud and cold sometimes. I don't mind that. The clean issue is more important to me. Area rugs can take care of the other concerns and be cleaned better than permant carpet. Best wishes with your choice!

No carpet or hardwood..........I would do tile. It is hard to get the pet hair out of carpet completely and hard wood scratches. My next house will be all tile.

Hi A.!
My husband and I have four kids and a dog and the only rooms in our house that are carpeted are the bedrooms. When we go to replace those rooms we will probably get laminate/hardwood floors in there also. I can not tell you how thankful I am that we have almost all hardwood floors - every time I sweep (which is often)I am reminded of how all that I just swept up would still be in my carpet as opposed to being thrown away. Hardwood/laminate floors are also a must if anyone in the family has allergies - it helps considerably! Hope this helps, K.

Definetly hardwood!
I have found that carpet traps alot of dirt, underneath as well.
I have wood throughout my house. so much easier to clean.
The kids love it because they slide around the house in their socks, and cleaning the floor at the same time!!!!

I have both carpet & hardwood and a dog (part golden). We have dark hardwoods and the fur and drool make me want to clean them every other day if I had the time. I think if we had a lighter color hardwood I would not see as much. I have heard the bamboo is nice, but tough to clean.