Keeping your pup warm and comfortable is a priority, especially when they’re living outdoors. An outdoor kennel can provide your dog with the space they need whilst keeping them protected from the harsh weather conditions outside. But, what are the best kennel flooring options?
Providing your dog with good kennel flooring is important. Poor quality kennel flooring can leak, be easily destroyed and require frequent replacements, so it’s imperative to choose high-quality kennel flooring. At Benchmark Kennels, we’ve put together this guide of kennel flooring options to help you make the best choice when kitting out your new kennel.
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What Makes the Best Dog Kennel Flooring?
Firstly, we’ll discuss the top qualities of dog kennel flooring you need to look out for. We always recommend adding a comfortable floor to the bed area of the kennel only, not the run area.
A high-quality kennel floor will be:
- Easy to clean
- Waterproof
- Leakproof
- HygienicAnti-slip
- Durable
- Scratch-proof
- Chew-proof
- Strong
- Long-lasting
- Cost-effective
- Insulating
- Comfortable
When looking to purchase a new kennel floor, you should look for the above qualities. All outdoor kennels require an easy-to-clean surface that is ideal for spraying with cleaning agents and waterproof if your dog urinates on the floor. Particularly when the flooring is wet, it needs to be anti-slip so that your dog does not suffer any injuries.
Whatever flooring you choose it needs to be durable as most dogs scratch and chew. Depending on your budget, the kennel flooring needs to be both cost-effective and long-lasting so try to strike a balance between the two.
Kennel Flooring Options
Simply placing your new kennel on your existing grass or concrete floor can cause joint and skeletal problems as well as expose dogs to parasites in soil such as hookworms. So, what should you use as kennel flooring instead? Here are some of the fantastic dog kennel flooring options we have to offer here at Benchmark Kennels.
Phenolic Plywood Flooring
Our Phenolic wipe-clean Plywood flooring is one of the best choices for a dog kennel. Thanks to its sturdiness and waterproof qualities, this kennel flooring will last you a very long time.
Soft enough to cushion your dog’s body, preventing joint and skeletal problems, Phenolic Ply flooring is comfortable and slip-resistant. Easy to clean and maintain, Phenolic Ply flooring is stain-resistant and watertight to minimise moisture penetration and improve resistance.
Wooden Flooring
Wooden flooring is a great option for a dog kennel as it’s not as hard as concrete and is easy to elevate from the soil, preventing exposure to harmful parasites. Wood is also hypoallergenic, perfect for dogs with allergies.
At Benchmark Kennels, all of our kennel bed floors come with raised wood floors as standard. With all of our kennels, wipe-clean rubber flooring can be added as an upgrade.
Rubber Flooring
Rubber is a great kennel flooring option that is waterproof, highly flexible and easy to clean.
Rubber mats offer a stable and comfortable base for your dog. Rubber flooring has great anti-fatigue qualities that help to reduce stress on your dog’s paws and legs, providing the perfect cushioned base.
What Types of Dog Kennel Flooring Should You Avoid?
Now we’ve discussed the best options for kennel flooring, here are two of the worst options.
Carpet
Surprisingly, carpet is one of the most popular choices for kennel flooring. Although it provides high warmth retention and a soft surface for your pooch to get comfortable on, carpets can trap allergens causing allergic reactions. They’re also easily worn and will soak up substances such as urine leading to bad smells.
Tiles
Tiled flooring may seem like a good option as it’s easy to clean and maintain, however, tiles lack slip-resistance, especially when wet. Tiles are also hard, causing joint problems such as arthritis leading to decreased mobility in later life. The grout between the tiles can also leak and soak up urine, leading to bad smells and poor hygiene.
How to Build a Dog Kennel Floor
Building a dog kennel floor is fairly complex and can be quite difficult. At Benchmark Kennels, we do all of the hard work for you. We hand-make every one of our dog kennels here in Britain, complete with durable high-quality flooring.
However, if you’re a DIY guru, and are looking to make your kennel flooring, here are a few tips to help you out.
Consider the flooring type
Choosing the right dog kennel flooring takes careful consideration. Take into account all of the information we have provided you with alongside your dog’s specific needs to make an informed choice.
Produce a diagram
Once you’ve chosen your flooring type, use a pencil to begin sketching out the size of the dog kennel floor.
- Cut four wooden boards to size
- Cut four wooden sideboards to size and attach using wood screws.
- Attach a wooden panel to the base
- Attach a wooden panel (cut to size) to the base structure you just created. There you have the base of your dog kennel floor.
- Attach your chosen floor to the wooden base
- Finally, attach your chosen floor panel (e.g. laminate or rubber) to the wooden panel. There you have it – your DIY kennel floor.
Looking for a High-Quality Dog Kennel?
At Benchmark Kennels, we offer a range of bespoke dog kennels manufactured in as little as one week. All of our kennel flooring options are durable and hard-wearing, fitted by our expert team for convenience.
Contact Us today to discuss your options or order your kennel online.
