Pets & Hardwood

Having hardwood floors in a home with pets can be a great alternative to carpeting.  Hardwood allows for more efficient tidying up of pet hair and dander, and makes clean up from unexpected accidents easier.  When you share your home with a pet there are some helpful hints to prevent and decrease the wear of your flooring, without sacrificing your furry companion.

1. Avoid spilling pet water, and be prepared to clean up any spills efficiently
2. Trim pets nails to avoid surface scratches
3. Designate 'pet free' zones
4. Use area rugs and mats in high traffic and play areas
5. Choose a specie with a higher hardness rating

Although several species rate highly on the Janka scale, any flooring subjected to a high pressure or sharp scrapes will eventually scratch and indent the surface over time.

Surface wear will be less evident on:

1. Species with pronounced grain patterns and rich natural colouring- oak, cherry, walnut
2. Wood with a low lustre matte or “satin” finish

Surface wear will be more evident on:

1. Light coloured and finely grained species (maple)
2. A high lustre (gloss or semi-gloss) finish
3. Very dark wood floors, while dramatic, also tend to show dirt and dust more than mid-range or light coloured species