September 22, 2022
As a manufacturer of resinous flooring solutions, Dur-A-Flex offers seamless flooring systems for many markets. From rugged industrial floors to attractive and stylish ones, there is a resinous flooring solution for almost any environment. Today, we are going to take a look at the needs of our four-legged friends and discuss the flooring requirements for veterinary facilities and kennels.
What Flooring Is Best for Veterinary Offices and Kennels?
Our animals, whether dogs, cats, gerbils, or lizards, etc. are part of our families. It is our responsibility to ensure our pets are receiving the best care and treatment when they visit the vet, groomer, or kennel. In addition to receiving the best care from the staff, it is essential that the facility is safe and sanitary.
Flooring plays a critical role in the safety and cleanliness of any facility. Seamless floors are extremely hygienic and are an excellent choice for veterinary offices and kennels as they address both these needs (and more)! Seamless flooring systems are safer for the animals than other flooring solutions because they eliminate crevices and grooves for their nails to get caught in, and they also eliminate places for bacteria and germs to harbor and spread.
Not all seamless floors are created equally. Vinyl flooring and rubber floors have seamless options, however, they may not address the additional requirements for the space the way resinous flooring systems can.
Tips for Choosing the Best Veterinary and Kennel Flooring Material
Just the same as with any environment, when considering flooring for animals, it is important to look at the needs of the space. What will the floors be exposed to? What type of chemicals will be used to clean the floors? What type of traffic will these floors see? (Keeping in mind that cat and or dog paws will be walking on these floors.)
In order to choose durable and easy to maintain flooring for a kennel or veterinary office, there are a number of important factors to consider:
- Impermeable surface – Whether it’s from spills, accidents, or cleaning — veterinary and kennel floors will be exposed to liquids and should be watertight. It is imperative for the overall hygiene and durability of the flooring to prevent liquids from penetrating the surface.
- Chemical resistant – The floors of a veterinarian office or kennel will be subjected to biological fluids and waste. It is also likely there will be spills from medicines and sterilizers. Stringent cleaning protocols using chemicals are required to sanitize the floors and remove any residual odors. Chemicals can deteriorate and decrease the lifetime of a floor. A list of what chemicals will be used should be checked against the flooring system’s chemical resistance.
- Urine resistant – Having urine resistant flooring is vital in a veterinary office or kennel. Cat and dog urine can be corrosive and deteriorate floors. Check to ensure that urine is listed amongst the chemicals tested on the desired flooring system.
- Stain resistant – No matter how sanitary a surface is, stains tell another story. Ensuring the flooring options for a kennel are stain resistant will keep it looking like new longer. To avoid unsightly stains, this is where it is important to think of the types of sterilizers, medicines, and cleaners that can come in contact with the floor. Again, check these items against the flooring’s chemical resistance data.
- Slip resistant – Slip resistant flooring is a safety concern for both two-legged and four-legged creatures. The floors chosen in a kennel or veterinary office should take slip resistance for both dry and wet surfaces into consideration. The floors should be safe and comfortable for both paws and shoes.
- Scratch resistant – Flooring for veterinary facilities or kennels should be scratch resistant. Animal’s nails can be sharp and many of our fur babies are prone to digging. In addition to scratches from the animals, the floors may see scuffing from furniture and carts. Scratches can make the floors difficult to clean and create areas for debris and germs to get trapped.
Resinous flooring systems from Dur-A-Flex address all of the above factors and can be tailored for the individual applications (areas) in veterinary facilities and kennels. Additionally, resinous floors can be combined with an integral cove base and wall system for a completely seamless and hygienic environment.
Dur-A-Flex Veterinary & Kennel Flooring Options
Let’s look at the areas of a veterinary office or kennel that could benefit from durable and pet friendly flooring options.
- Lobby
- Grooming area
- Animal common area (the back room)
- Kennels / Holding areas (indoor)
- Kennels / Holding areas (outdoor)
- Veterinary Exam Room
- Veterinary Operating room
For each application it is best to discuss the specific needs of the space with Dur-A-Flex, but an Accelera® based system is a great starting place. Our Accelera flooring line comes highly recommended for this market. The floors can be decorative flake, decorative quartz, or solid color. Accelera flooring systems offer excellent chemical, urine, scratch, and stain resistance. It also offers excellent slip resistance which can be increased as needed through the use of textured additives or broadcast aggregates.
Choose Pet-Approved Flooring by Dur-A-Flex
Veterinarians trust Dur-A-Flex resinous flooring systems for their ease of cleaning and durability. For more information on choosing resinous floors:
- Take a look at some of the projects we have completed for other veterinary and kennel facilities.
- Download our Animal Care Industry Flyer
- Contact your local Dur-A-Flex territory sales manager. They will assist in determining which flooring system will best address the needs for your facility.
Recap:
Resinous floors are arguably the best flooring choice for veterinary offices and kennels. Dur-A-Flex manufactures several resinous flooring solutions providing hygiene, protection, and durability for these facilities — and most importantly, for the 2-legged and 4-legged occupants.
Author: Jes Grant
Jes Grant is the content development manager for Dur-A-Flex. She has over 15 years of experience creating content for various technical industries, and has been featured in several publications for her writing and design work.