Pets don’t have to crush your dreams of a hardwood-floored house. Hardwood floors and pets can co-exist well together, with a few rules.
Consider the hardest wood you can find, and go with a low-gloss or matte look that will hide scratches. If you choose prefinished engineered hardwood, select a product with a low sheen and wood grain. Another option is reclaimed or distressed wood, which is supposed to look scratched anyway.
If you’re worried that your pets will damage your new flooring, you might think that carpet is your best choice—but that’s not the case. Carpets are well-known for collecting dust in the house, so unless you deep-clean the carpeting all the time, the majority of dust stays there. Plus, fleas consider carpet a perfect home!
Fortunately, many pet-friendly, non-carpet flooring options exist
Distressed hardwood floors already have a charming “damaged” or rustic look. Any future damage will only enhance the existing style. Distressed white oak floors are an excellent choice. Their bright color combines strikingly with the distressed look.
Wood species with strong graining patterns, like hickory and red oak, hide scratches extremely well.
Hard maple (sugar maple), a domestic wood species, is another terrific option. Keep in mind that hard maple has a higher Janka hardness rating than other types of maple hardwood floors.
Brazilian Walnut has a 3,680 rating on the Janka scale, so it is one of the hardest woods in the world. It will withstand physical damage caused by your pets extremely well.
Matte or satin finishes withstand pet damage better than a gloss or semi-gloss finish because a glossy finish can highlight scratches.
Luxury vinyl flooring is another good option for pet owners since it is hard and can give you the look of almost any other type of material, from stone to wood. Also, you don't need to worry about moisture because there is no way for a liquid, like pet urine, to go through the vinyl. When you need to clean up, you can easily mop or wipe up any mess.
To discuss the best hardwood flooring options for your lifestyle, schedule a consultation with us at our showroom.
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