use vinyl sheet floor as hardwood liner

4 years ago

We are getting a new puppy and plan to keep her in the family room which has a softish hardwood floor (easy to scratch, and is slick). To make it easier for the pup to walk/run around, as well as protect the floor, we are looking for a temporary floor cover that's easy to clean (expect accidents in the first few months). Vinyl runners tend to be narrow and long, and not really meant to cover the whole room. An idea came to me to use a vinyl flooring sheet cut to size and simply lay it on top of the hardwood (no adhesive). Will that work? Or should I look into some double sided tape or something to hold it in place. Concerned that after a few months the tape might not come off the hardwood floor and will damage it. Thanks!

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Comments (3)

SJ McCarthy
4 years ago
Neither of the above. The vinyl will damage the hardwood MUCH MORE than the puppy. I guarantee it. And any form of tape will damage the hardwood just as much.
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Pras Badri thanked SJ McCarthy
Seabornman
4 years ago
I used red rosin paper and 3/16" underlayment plywood to protect my prefinished hardwoods during construction. Worked great. The plywood was cheap (current prices may not be). You could glue the edges of vinyl to that and be reasonably sure it wouldn't curl up. Someone said to use the regular building paper as the red rosin paper could stain if it got wet, but I didn't experience that. I saw a black friday ad for laminate flooring for less than 50 cents a square foot. You could use that and it would be easier to dispose of when you're done with it.
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SJ McCarthy
4 years ago
Your best bet is AREA RUGS. Large, inexpensive area rugs. The rugs will be big so they will not move around. Do NOT purchase any rug with a rubberized backing. You want a natural/regular weave backing.

Go ahead and cover the wood in wall to wall to wall area rugs. Ikea has some great sizes for very little money.

Remember: vinyl and rubber (natural latex OR man made rubber) have a CHEMICAL REACTION to the FINISH on the hardwood. Vinyl stains hardwoods...like a horrible tobacco orange. Vinyl also 'melts' some polyurethane finishes to create a gooey mess.

Wood floors are meant to be lived on. Puppies live on wood floors and wood floors live on. It is the way of the world. Puppy accidents, if cleaned up quickly, will not cause damage.