Protecting Your Floor From Little Paws
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.
- Avoid spilling pet water, and be prepared to clean up any spills quickly
- Trim pets nails to avoid surface scratches
- Designate 'pet free' zones
- Use area rugs and mats in high traffic and play areas
- Choose a wood species with a higher janka 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:
- Species with pronounced grain patterns and rich natural colouring - oak, walnut
- Wood with a low lustre matte or “satin” finish
Surface wear will be more evident on:
- Light coloured and finely grained species (maple)
- A high lustre (gloss or semi-gloss) finish
- Very dark wood floors, while dramatic, also tend to show dirt and dust more than mid-range or light coloured species
