Scratch-Proof vs. Scratch-Resistant Floors: What the Terms Mean

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    Flooring options that withstand scratches are highly coveted among customers seeking child- or pet-friendly flooring solutions. As they explore their choices, they’ll likely hear about both scratch-proof and scratch-resistant flooring – but what do those terms mean? SMART Carpet and Flooring provides thousands of flooring options to homeowners in New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania via our mobile flooring showrooms. Here, we explain scratch-resistant floors and highlight the flooring options we have available.

    Can a Floor Truly Be Scratch-Proof?

    The answer, in short, is no. To say a floor is scratch-proof means that it’s made of a highly scratch-resistant material. A sharp enough object can damage the most durable floor, even if it claims to be scratch-proof. While there isn’t a flooring option available that’s guaranteed to withstand all sharp items, some are more resistant to scratches than others. The flooring’s composition and protective coatings determine how effectively it can withstand scratching.

    While there is no such thing as a truly scratch-proof floor, scratch-resistant flooring can withstand common home activities over an extended period. Many types of scratch-resistant flooring are highly stain-resistant and waterproof, and they can reduce the threat of allergens, bacteria, or mold developing.

    What’s Special About Our Scratch-Resistant Flooring?

    SMART Carpet and Flooring proudly offers a variety of scratch-resistant options, which fit a variety of spaces and work within different budgets. Scratch-resistant flooring types we offer include:

    COREtec

    A COREtec flooring system provides homeowners with a versatile, long-term solution, which adds beauty and functionality to the space. The composition provides additional comfort for your feet, while absorbing sound, helping to reduce noise coming from upper floors. The innovative design is also highly waterproof and capable of handling spills or accidents.

    Hardwood

    While typically a more expensive option, hardwood flooring gives homes a classic, distinguished, warm look. It particularly goes well in bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, foyers, or hallways. Our available styles include bamboo, engineered, and solid. Customers should be aware that traditional hardwood floors aren’t waterproof and could decay if they take on too much moisture. To prevent this, you should have hardwood flooring resurfaced every five to 10 years.

    Laminate

    This flooring, which is made of fiberboard or plywood, is a common hardwood alternative. It’s coated with an aluminum oxide finish that helps it withstand constant movement within a home. Laminate flooring is a versatile option that works in a variety of residential spaces, and it doesn’t require special maintenance. Our vast selection allows you to choose from styles that include distressed, exotic, high-variation, and weathered.

    Tile

    Another low-maintenance option, tile can add flare and style to a home. This flooring is commonly used within areas of a residence commonly exposed to water or moisture, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and entrances. Tile’s sustainable material prevents the development of allergens, mold, or pollutants. It also works as a heat conductor, making homes more energy efficient.

    Vinyl

    Vinyl flooring is another strong, scratch-resistant option for homes with small children or pets. It doesn’t need intensive maintenance, and any high upfront costs for installation tend to pay off from its longevity. The three distinct types of vinyl flooring we offer include:

    • Hybrid vinyl: This vinyl looks like natural stone or hardwood. The hybrid vinyl subgroups we offer are engineered plastic core (EPC), infused polymer core (IPC), stone plastic composite (SPC), and wood plastic composite (WPC).
    • Luxury vinyl: This style’s protective layer makes it one of the most scratch- and water-resistant options available today. Rigid core vinyl plank flooring made of a combination of stone and wood holds up well in high foot traffic areas.
    • Sheet vinyl: This type provides homeowners the satisfaction of long-lasting service and minimal maintenance. Our sheet vinyl styles include marble, stone, tile, or wood.

    Proper Care and Maintenance Matters

    While no floor lasts forever, you can extend these models’ longevity with the proper care. Actions you can take to preserve your scratch-resistant floor:

    • Keep pet nails properly trimmed
    • Lay down carpets, mats, or rugs to reduce impacts from foot traffic
    • Regular damage or imperfection checks
    • Reduce excessive moisture entering a home during humid weather
    • Consistent cleaning and sweeping with appropriate products
    • Place pads on furniture legs so they won’t rub against the surface when moved
    • Take care of spills quickly

    Make Us Your Scratch-Resistant Flooring Provider in New Jersey and Pennsylvania

    Regardless of the type of scratch-resistant flooring you are looking for to add to your home, reach out to SMART Carpet and Flooring. We are locally owned and proudly serve New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.

    Need more carpet or flooring? Take advantage of our traveling mobile showroom to shop and save. Our selection is 10 times higher than our competitors. We make the selection process comfortable and pressure-free. When it’s over, you’ll say, “Wow, that was easy!” To assist with flooring costs, we offer free services such as furniture moving, measuring layout, padding, and standard stair work.

    Contact us today to learn more about our work or to schedule an appointment.

    Judith M.
    A great experience. Ryan made it an efficient and pleasant visit. Came back when I changed my mind. They look great!
    Percita S.
    The sales representative Michele was extremely helpful and knowledgeable assisting pick out what would look best in my space. The installer are fast and efficient. I would definitely recommend their services.
    Kim H.
    Team was very professional and on time. They completed the job in a timely manner it looks beautiful! Jim, checked in to see how they were doing! He is great to work with!! I will be calling him in the winter for my next install. Thank you!!
    JoAnn L.
    I am so happy with my new floor. The guys that came and installed them were awesome. They moved all my furniture and put it all back. They were in and out in no time.
    My sales guy Andrew was awesome, he explained everything to me in detail and there were no surprises. Honestly this is the first time in a long time that I had work done in my house with no problems. I would recommend this company to anyone that wants to redo their floors. I am just so happy
    Brian C.
    This was a superior company. The person that came out and estimated the work did a fantastic job. The workers that came out and put down the rug did an unbelievably good job. The Costco company negotiated the best possible deal pricewise with this company on top of all that they gave me a $900 shop card with Costco. Unbelievable.
    Karen L
    Have used them many times. Ryan was our salesman and was great. Smooth installation and very happy with final product.
    Charna G.
    A very positive experience. The gentleman in the showroom was very patient and informative. I picked out a couple of rugs I liked and he arranged for the mobile showroom to come to my home. Ryan, with the mobile showroom, showed me the samples in my home, which was invaluable. He measured, answered questions and helped me make some decisions. He was a pleasure to work with. Delivery followed a couple of weeks later. I’m very happy with my choice. It was a painless and reasonably priced experience.
    dennis F.
    Nice price, great service and professional installation. Sales Tech Ryan was very helpful and friendly.
    Sandy P.
    Joe helped us pick out the perfect carpet for our needs. Would recommend Smart Carpet!
    Jeanette B.
    Bill Hicks was absolutely outstanding! He helped me navigate my carpeting needs with professionalism, patience, and efficiency. The installer, Sam, was also equally excellent.
    David B.
    I’ve used Smart Carpet several times over the years - this time around we got Louie for our sales rep and he was great! Very personable, patient and helpful. We made several changes during our renovation and Louie gave us fantastic support - even came back to the house more than once to make sure we were satisfied with our selections. The installation teams were phenomenal. FAST, CLEAN and courteous (they wore slip on shoes so they could remove them and keep the new carpets pristine!)
    Paulyn H.
    This is my fifth time working with Smart Carpet. Rima listened to what I needed and provided me with multiple options based on my descriptions. She helped me narrow it down to my final choice. The whole sales experience was no pressure and she went out of her way to answer any questions I had. Installation was exactly as expected. Sammy was a professional craftsman, and took great care to install the padding and then the carpet in the correct direction (it's a herringbone pattern) and ensure I was satisfied with the results. Everyone was great from start to finish. And j wouldn't hesitate to work with them again if needed.
    Barry K.
    Had a carpet installed in a basement bedroom and staircase. Louie from sales gave us the quote and was really good to work with as far as picking the best padding and carpet for our space. The price was fair and the installation went very well. We liked the communication with Louie and the company. Would use them again in the future. Communication was the key.
    Stephanie D.
    Great service and knowledgeable crew! I needed a quick turnaround and they absolutely delivered. Their recommendations were on point, they came prepared, exceeded all expectations and were a pleasure to work with.
    Christopher G.
    Excellent service! Great pricing!
    Laura G.
    Louie was extremely knowledgeable about the products. He really listened to what I wanted and went the extra mile to order samples for me. He was good with follow up and a pleasure to work with.
    John C.
    Smart Carpet provided a quality installation of my wood flooring. Matt Connor was courteous and informative about the planning and installation procedure. I would highly recommend to others.
    Ryan W.
    We are very pleased with Smart Carpet and Flooring. John came to our home to present options and gave us a fair estimate. The installers were professional and did quality work. Communication and customer service were great throughout the process.
    Denise R.
    Team was awesome. They communicated their timing and kept to it.
    Jennifer G.
    My experience with Smart Carpet couldn’t have been better! Andrew gave us a great consultation and estimate. He was honest, helpful and informative. I needed installation in an extremely short amount of time for my daughter’s room, and he made it happen! Sam came to install my carpet. He was friendly, quick and efficient. The carpet looks beautiful and we are very pleased with the quality. Looking forward to future projects with Smart Carpet.
    Michael G.
    I’ve used Shayne for the second time now in our second Monmouth county home and he’s continued to exceed our expectations with our carpet and flooring needs. He’s very thorough and responsive in helping us.
    lori W.
    What a wonderful experience! Our sales rep Louie was so knowledgeable and helpful in guiding us to the best flooring for our needs. His follow up to make sure job was completed was exceptional customer service. I highly recommend Louie and Smart Carpet for your flooring needs.
    Bre S.
    This is my second time using Oscars Carpet One in Williamstown. The staff is very sweet and helpful. Highly recommended!!
    Paul S.
    Excellent job all around from sales to installation! Very efficient and neat installers.
    Tina S.
    Jim was excellent helping us pick Core-Tec flooring. He was on time, on target and informative, educated and knowledgeable in his profession. Jim was Very patient, he took his time and really demonstrated the "CARE" factor.
    The installers were prompt, professional, courteous and very skilled. They never stopped working until the work was done. Excellent work ethic. They were also very very neat with an attention to detail that goes above and beyond.

    Michael Shymko
    Celeste G.
    Our representative was Bill Hicks. We had a great experience with Bill. He was a true professional and explained everything well. Bill was a pleasure to work with. We would recommend your company and Bill Hicks to everyone. Overall we had a great experience. The installation process was also great and the carpet is beautiful.
    Billy D.
    Overall top notch experience. Our saleswomen Ruth was a professional and I couldn’t be more happier with the ease of the installation process.
    Michael D.
    Installers were on time did a nice job they vacuumed and cleaned up and took care of everything I needed done they left the house cleaner than when they got there I'll be using them again
    Dagney K.
    We had Louis come out today to measure our house for carpet. He was a pleasure to work with. He was very professional and gave us some great advice. Smart carpet is a big company, but Louis gave us small company attention with great attention to detail. He also creatively came up with a plan that suited our needs perfectly. Thanks again Louis! 🙂
    Ryan G.
    Smart Carpet and Flooring did an exceptional job on my carpet job. Louie, the sales rep spent multiple hours with me and even came twice to ensure I was well educated on all my carpet options, and never pressured me. Louie is extremely knowledgeable and patient. Louie came during the job and after the job to ensure it was completed with excellence. The carpet installers were also exceptional. My stairs are quite complex, but the installation team spent time to complete the stairs and the whole job as expected. I am extremely glad I decided to use Smart Carpet and Flooring for my house.
    alex F.
    Working with Jim and his manager Adam Forbes was a great experience. There was an installation error on one corner and a highly visible seam….they came and replaced the entire carpet! They really stand behind their work. Very pleased.
    Amanda R.
    Shayne Heslin was very helpful. We were able to do a very fast turn around between the first call and a finished job.
    Gayle H.
    We just moved to Atlantic County from Ocean County. Shayne H. was always our
    " go-to" guy for 20 years so we hoped he would come to our new home - and he did!! Professional and courteous service. Smart Carpet is the ONLY way to go! Thank you Shayne from Steve and I once again!
    Grace C.
    Im so glad i used SMART carpet to get my wall to wall done. Louie and Sammy were great. Profesional, punctual and very knowledgeable. My carpet came out better than I expected.
    Andrew S.
    I had an amazing experience with smartcarpet and Bill Hicks! He was extremely helpful and very honest regarding what would be the best options for my basement!
    He kept me in the price range that I was going for and gave me excellent recommendations. He took his time and I never felt pressured! I 100% recommend Bill and Smartcarpet!
    Linda D.
    The installers did a nice job. We love our new carpet.
    Michael F.
    Every step of the process to install, our carpet was smooth. I went online to put in information for a free estimate and someone called me within five minutes and gave me an appointment the following morning. Our estimator, Ruth, arrived early and was a pleasure. She has much experience, quickly calculated our square footage, and explained the different types of carpets. We struck a deal within 15 minutes. Our carpet was installed two weeks later by Sam, who called the night prior. He was friendly, arrived on time and had the job completed promptly. Smart Carpet is a very professional operation and I would certainly use them again.
    Xx
    Sales person Ruth K Tom's River NJ ,rep was extremely helpful w/ choosing the right carpet for us. Sam installed our carpet so perfectly! Easy process from beginning to end. I have used smart carpet for many years. I highly recommend them for any flooring needs.!
    Maureen F.
    I met with Jimmy Breslin and he was excellent in helping me get the perfect carpet and price! Fabian and his team arrived right on time and worked so hard and also did an excellent job. Thank you Smart Carpet!
    Yvonne D.
    Carpet looks beautiful. Louie, our salesman was very patient as I made my carpet selection. The installers and binder were excellent. Will use again!
    Michel R.
    They did a really good job in a short time. Recommended.
    Kim R.
    Calling Smart Carpet is the best decision I made. Drew, our salesman, was very knowledgeable about his products and very helpful assisting us in making a decision. Price was very reasonable. Scheduling installation was easy. The installers worked very hard, and we were glad that we did not have to remove the railing in the upstairs hallway. The carpet looks amazing. I'm very pleased and won't hesitate to call them for any upcoming flooring needs.
    Leah K.
    Just had carpets installed by Smart Carpet and Flooring. It was a great experience and our salesperson, Matt Connor was amazing! He was very professional and went above and beyond to help us get the perfect carpet for our house.
    Kevin N.
    Jim is an expert salesman! He was a delight to work with and he made the entire process enjoyable and simple. We will always go to him when the next project pops up.
    Dan N
    My experience with SMART Carpet and Flooring was terrific from start to finish. Bob was so helpful during the selection process in assuring that I found the perfect texture and color of carpet for my home. The timeline for install was ahead of schedule and the installers did a flawless job. Couldn't be happier!
    Thomas M.
    We met with a couple companies and Louie stood out. Super professional and knowledgeable. Had so many more options of carpets than any other. They came in and installed everything perfectly. Highly recommend using Smart Carpet Flooring. Only issue we had was a lot of paperwork. In a digital world that part needs to be easier.
    Ronkymore A
    My family had a great experience with Smart carpet and flooring. Right from getting the quotes from Matt( the sales man) until installation. Matt was very professional, knowledgeable and courteous. We'll definitely be back for our next installation. I promise, you'll not be disappointed. Thank you!!!
    Emily P.
    We worked with Bob for our new carpet and he made the process so easy. From the initial meeting and measurement until the installation. He even checked in to make sure the job went well. We are very happy with our final product!

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