Amtico spacia flooring and dogs

[pigsinmud]

You have all been helpful with decorating and woodburner advice, so am hoping you can help again.

We are finally doing up our living room . Have 15+ year old carpet down at the moment which I can't wait to rip up. I had read a few good things on here about Amtico flooring. Went to floor shop yesterday. She recommended Amtico Spacia - slightly cheaper Amtico range. We like the look of traditional oak and have been given a price for product, preparation and fitting for living room and hall. She said yes dog and children proof - only way to scratch it was to drag metal across it.

I was very keen in the shop, but now at home I am worried it will look naff. I would love to go for wood, but she reckoned that would need a lot more upkeep and Amtico was a better bet with dog and children. Our front door opens into middle of living room so need really hard wearing floor.

So Amtico stories good and bad welcome......prefer good as we are 90% set on it!

We have Amtico in the kitchen/living space, hall and utility room. It's not the Spacia, it's the more expensive range (colour is fresh oak).

I love the Amtico but it DOES scratch. For example, we have scratched ours by gently pulling a tripp trap (wooden) high chair across it.

The thing is, wood scratches much worse and requires upkeep. Laminate can look cheap. I think you should go for the Amtico but don't expect it to remain flawless!

Thanks for that. I want something easy to keep and you are right wood will scratch much more.

Hiya. We have Amtico in two bathrooms, not the range you're looking at, and Karndean in hall and living room. Have to say the Karndean is far better. Amtico in my exp only stays looking good if you faff about stripping and resealing regularly which I have to say I don't. Karndean more forgiving - happy with a hoover and an occasional damp mop with some wood/laminate stuff. The Karndean has scratched a little, but due to furniture scraping. Our 2 dogs' claws haven't affected it at all, whereas all the real wood we've seen in doggy friends' houses has been v scratched.

We've got an oak-look Amtico (here when we bought) I can confirm that it definitely scratches but we do not take any care of it at all. I would choose wood Scratches simply add character to wood.

They had Amtico in a dark wood in a show home we looked at recently and it was very scratched. This put me off it tbh and we have gone for Quick Step laminate

Crappity crap. I just don't know what to go for

We have amtico in our kitchen (slate tiles) and antique oak in our living room and hall. It looks lovely, and so far no dog or cat scratches, but we have managed to scratch it replacing our furniture! Luckily, damaged tiles are very easily replaced - the company we used did it for us but basically just heated up the tile to melt the glue and the tile came out very simply.

When I said antique oak, I meant spacia antique oak of course not the real thing (unfortunately!) Can I just slightly hijack the thread and ask what everyone uses to clean their amtico? I've been using the amtico own-brand cleaner that they gave us when we had it installed but it won't last forever and wondered what works best. Thanks!

Thanks for replies. I had never heard of Amtico until I saw someone mention it on here. Dh & I are very indecisive and had made up our minds, but now we're wobbling. The showroom had Amtico on the floor - it looked ok, but there were marks on it - sort of marks you get in a sports hall iyswim.

My son's slippers mark the floor, but it rubs off.

i had Amtico laid around 15 years ago, the first one is oak with a beaten gold inlay around the wall and it is ridged. its had bikes, dogs, and muddy feet on it for years and although there might be a few tiny marks that you can't see it still looks so beautiful that everyone that comes comment and usually end up getting it themselves as they know the wear and tear is rife in my house.
the second one i got in the Kitchen is smooth, this has been marked by my kids tilting on metal pedastool chairs and has various marks and scratches. Although it still looks nice after 10 years i would go for the ribbed one, it seems such better quality.
I am steaming my Amtico at the moment and it is coming up beautiful, i have used strong bleach, washing up liquid and limescale remover in its time on the floor and it has never changed.

Hang on a second, you have to recoat Amtico?

I just assumed once it was laid that was it - no maintenance?

Never done anything to our Amtico and the bathroom one looks good as new after 11 years. Mop with standard floor cleaner. that's it.

Have it in a flat with two dogs and it seems to be coping fine. I think if you go for one of the very smooth ones in a plain colour you will notice every mark, but if you go for a textured one with a slate or wood effect or similar, you really won't. We did go for the industrial quality though - look on Ebay for the ends of jobs being sold off cheap, in all their main colours but not the rarer fashion colours.

I have amtico spacia in my bathroom and my kitchen and I wouldn't get it again tbh. The bathroom one is quite scratched from me pulling out the clothes dryer from the cupboard every day and the kitchen one is scratched from where I moved the fridge. I think proper Amtico is better and can be restored iyswim. Of course wood would scratch too but could also be restored.

I have engineered oak and two boys and a dog. It has some minor scratches after 4 years but not very noticeable. And we are not at all careful. With wood I think anything wear and tear adds to the look of real wood...that said the wear is barely visible.

Also I once left the velux open and it rained heavily and I had big puddles when I returned and I just mopped them and it was totally fine. It can apparently be sanded down 6 times or so in its lifetime.

So if you do want actual wood I'd say just get it!

Can't comment on the Amtico, but the Karndean we put down about 15 years ago has worn well in our kitchen, except under the chairs. OH is large and has worn the coating off where he moves his dining chair around without getting up. Paw marks, dog hair, children's boot polish scuffs and muddy boot prints are easily hoovered/ washed away.