If you are looking for the best hardwood floors for dogs, there are several factors you need to consider, such as the finish, sheen and hardness. When you have dogs, it is natural to worry about hardwood floor damage. However, you can also take some precautionary measures to help to keep your hardwood floors looking good.
You can do several things to help protect your hardwood floor, not just from your dog’s claws, but in general.
- You can try to keep their claws short so that it causes less damage. Have your dog’s claws regularly trimmed to limit the damage to your floors. You can place felt pads under certain furniture so that it doesn’t damage the floor.
- If your dog has any ‘accidents’, make sure to clean up quickly, if possible. Obviously, if they vomit while you are at work, there’s not much you can do, unless you decide to confine your dog to a small space and put protective material on the floor for such accidents.
Certain things can also make a difference, such as the types of hardwood flooring you choose. Listed below are the six best hardwood floors for dogs:
1. Dog-Friendly Hardwood Floors
You can get a more dog-friendly finish when choosing your hardwood floor. For example, something with a lower sheen can help to make dents and scratches seem less visible. With glossy floor coupled with the wrong lighting can intensify dents and scratches that your dog can make on the floor.
If you choose a floor with a less shiny finish, then it can help to hide scratches much better. A finish with a lower gloss can really help to hide scratches and even dirt. To be honest, there really isn’t a hardwood floor that is considered scratch-resistant.
After all, you may have your dog for the best part of 10 years or so. In this time, there will be a difference. The idea is choosing something that doesn’t make it so visually obvious.
2. High Janka Hardwood Floors
The Janka hardness scale measures wood’s resistance to wear and tear, scratches and resistance to dents. Pick a floor with a high Janka rating. The higher, the better it can cope with scratches and dents.
Basically, the ‘harder’ the floor, the better it will stand up to your dog’s daily shenanigans. When you speak to a professional regarding your needs, mention this to them. This way, you can get a good, solid wood floor that can stand up to the wear and tear of your dog.
3. Distressed Hardwood Floors
This is the best hardwood floor for dogs and puppies. This is one of those floor types that may get dents or scratches from your dog, but it does not detract from its beauty. This is what’s so great about this floor type, especially for pet owners.
This kind of wood floor is first distressed using a steel brush. Softer fibres of the wood are scraped out. This leaves the harder textured grain. It is then stained and finished.
Even if your Great Dane does a moonwalk like Michael Jackson, you won’t be able to tell if there is any damage, because it magically blends right in. Distressed wood is something that some people love, but others hate, so it may not be for everyone.
4. Solid Hardwood Floors
If you are to choose a hardwood floor based on the fact you have a dog, then choose solid hardwood and not engineered hardwood. Solid hardwood’s quality is much superior. Engineered hardwood only has a limited number of sandings.
The good thing about solid hardwood is, even if it gets scratches or stains from your dog, you can refinish solid hardwood, especially if the scratches and stains are deep.
5. Light Hardwood Floors
As far as the colour of your wood floor goes, lighter colours are the best hardwood floors than darker colours. This is because darker colours will show scratches more than lighter colours, so keep this in mind before you get anything. One common hardwood floor is oak, which is naturally light, so you may consider this especially if you have dogs.
Another tip is to consider the colour of your dog’s hair. If you choose a hardwood floor that is of a similar colour to your dog, than the hair can blend in and not show so much.
6. Other Hardwood Floors
If you are considering the best hardwood floors for dogs, speak to a professional and they will be able to give you the best advice. Most hardwood floors are durable and strong enough for dogs.
If you have a dog, avoid soft woods such as cedar, pine, fir, American Walnut, American Cherry and carbonized bamboo. While some of these may look aesthetically pleasing, they may not be very practical if you’ve got a couple of large boisterous hounds on the loose. Softer woods tend to dent easily, even if you live on your own with no kids or fur babies. The funny thing is they also tend to be more expensive. So, if you have a dog, avoid these.
