Laminate Floors with Pets and Kids

Q: We are looking at putting hardwood floor / laminate in our home. Just wondered what you would recommend for a high traffic area, plus we have 2 kids and a dog. We need something durable. Our home has white wash oak trim throughout, was wondering also if this would be a wise choice for flooring being it is a lighter color.
Thanks!
Tami S.
A: When looking for a durable floor laminate is a great choice. As we discussed about Ryan W.’s dog Jin and his floor. A good AC4 or AC5 rated laminate with proper care taken will stand up great to the traffic of kids and a dog.
The key here is keep your dog’s nails trimmed and ensure you used a good underlayment along with purchasing a good floor. You can also look into several engineered hardwood floors, such as Bellefloor or Philharmoniker, but if you want to ensure greater durability go with a laminate.
Try taking a look at Westhollow’s Vise-Loc products, Pergo Select, or Quick Step’s Perspective for a few great laminates that should fit your project. I would personally suggest using a 3mm cork underlayment below the floor to give it a great feel, reduce sound, and to have an underlayment which is naturally better at handling higher traffic.