Quick recommendation
For most households with pets and kids, choose rigid-core waterproof luxury vinyl plank with a 20-mil or thicker wear layer. It is the only common floor that is genuinely waterproof and highly scratch- and dent-resistant, and it cleans up in seconds after the kind of accidents that come standard with a full house. It looks like real wood, it stays dimensionally stable through Northern Nevada's dry, high-desert swings, and it works in every room — including kitchens, mudrooms and basements where wood and carpet struggle.
If part of the house calls for softness underfoot — a nursery, a playroom, a bedroom where a toddler will spend time on the floor — pair LVP in the high-traffic zones with a stain-resistant carpet in those rooms. Want the exact products and a measured price for your home? Our estimates are free — book one here.
What to look for in pet- and kid-proof flooring
Not all "durable" floors handle the same abuse. A floor that survives a busy family is rated well on five things at once:
- Waterproof, not just water-resistant. Potty-training accidents, knocked-over water bowls and a thousand spilled drinks need a surface that water cannot swell, stain or seep beneath. A 100% waterproof core matters far more than a marketing claim of "water-resistant."
- Scratch & dent resistance. Dog nails, cat claws, scooting chairs and dropped toys all attack the surface. A thicker wear layer (measured in mils) and a tough core resist the daily scuffing that dulls a floor first.
- Easy to clean & hygienic. Pet hair, tracked-in grit and the occasional accident should wipe up with a damp mop. Floors with deep texture or open seams trap odor and dander.
- Comfort & sound. Kids sit, crawl and fall on the floor; pets pad across it all day. A little give and an attached pad cut noise and add comfort without sacrificing durability.
- Traction. Older dogs and running kids both do better on a floor with some grip rather than a high-gloss, slippery surface.
Best options, ranked for pets and kids
Here is how the realistic choices compare for a household with animals and children. We sell and install all of these, so this ranking is about fit, not pushing one product.
| Flooring | Waterproof | Scratch/dent | Easy cleanup | Comfort | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigid-core LVP | Yes — 100% | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Whole-home, pets, accidents, mudrooms |
| Laminate | Water-resistant only | Very good (high AC rating) | Good | Good | Wood look in drier rooms |
| Stain-resistant carpet | No | N/A (crush/matting instead) | Fair | Excellent | Bedrooms, nurseries, playrooms |
| Solid hardwood | No | Varies by species; softer woods dent | Good | Good | Style-first homes, low-accident rooms |
1. Waterproof luxury vinyl plank (our top pick)
LVP wins because it does everything a family floor has to do at once. Rigid SPC/WPC cores are fully waterproof, so a puppy accident left until morning or a tipped water bowl is a non-event. A thick wear layer (look for 20 mil and up for homes with big dogs) shrugs off nails and grit, and the whole floor wipes clean. It comes in convincing wood looks, it is comfortable and quiet underfoot, and it is the floor we most often recommend for whole-home installs and rental turns alike. Dive into styles and specifics on our luxury vinyl flooring page, or see how it compares head-to-head in our LVP vs. laminate vs. hardwood guide.
2. Laminate — the wood-look runner-up
Modern laminate is hard, takes a high AC traffic rating, and resists surface scratches very well — often a notch better than LVP on pure scratch hardness. The catch for pet and kid homes is moisture: most laminate is water-resistant, not waterproof, so standing accidents and repeated spills can swell the seams over time. It is a strong, value-driven choice for drier rooms — living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms — where you want a wood look without the wood price, just keep it out of bathrooms and mudrooms.
3. Stain-resistant carpet — for soft, quiet rooms
Hard flooring is not the answer for every room. In nurseries, kids' bedrooms and playrooms, comfort and sound absorption matter, and a quality stain-resistant carpet with the right pad is genuinely family-friendly. Choose a solution-dyed nylon or polyester built for spills, skip plush styles that crush and trap hair, and accept that carpet is the one option here that will not survive repeated pet accidents the way LVP does. Many families use the best of both: hard floors through the living zones, soft carpet in the bedrooms.
What to avoid (and why)
Choose if you have pets & kids
- Rigid-core waterproof LVP with a 20-mil+ wear layer
- High-AC-rating laminate in dry rooms on a tight budget
- Stain-resistant carpet for bedrooms & play areas
Think twice about
- Soft solid woods (pine, some maples) — large dogs dent them fast
- High-gloss finishes that show every scratch and turn slippery
- Plush, high-pile carpet in accident-prone rooms
- Untreated solid hardwood near water bowls and the back door
One Northern Nevada note: our dry, high-desert climate already pushes families away from solid wood, which can gap and cup as humidity swings. That makes dimensionally-stable LVP an even easier call here. If you do love real wood, engineered hardwood is the climate-smart version — see our best flooring for Northern Nevada's climate guide.
What it costs (estimate, not a quote)
As a general industry range, installed waterproof LVP typically runs about $7–$15 per square foot, laminate the same $7–$15, and stain-resistant carpet (with pad) around $3–$11, depending on product grade, subfloor prep, removal and stairs. LVP and laminate share a range, so for a family floor the choice comes down to water, not price. These are general industry estimates, not a Landmark quote. Because every home is different, the only accurate number is a measured one — which is exactly what our free estimate gives you.
Get the right floor for your busy household
Tell us about your pets, your kids and the rooms that take the most abuse, and we'll match you to the right product and install it — we use skilled installers and warranty our labor. Landmark Flooring is licensed, bonded and insured.
Nevada State Contractors Board license #0088180.