Pet-Friendly Ways to Upgrade Your Flooring

Are you one of the 65 percent of families in America with a pet? And maybe you’ve been told hardwood floors aren’t the best choice for those of us with pets.

There are some types of wood floors better suited for pets. They aren’t indestructible, but they are certainly more practical than others. Look for these dog-friendly flooring types:

Wire Brushed. These wood floors are distressed by a machine to remove the sapwood (soft wood) and enhance the wood grain, adding texture and character. Its weathered, elegant, antique look hides scratches particularly well due to its matte finish.

 

Character Grade. This flooring keeps the wood’s natural appearance and displays its full characteristics. Color variations and knots occurring naturally show clearly. This visually less “perfect” wood hides damage well.

 

Distressed Hardwood Flooring. This wood is intentionally scratched and scraped to create an antique look. Planks’ edges can be darkened, wire brushed and sculpted, resulting in lots of texture and character. You won’t know if a dent in your floor was one that you paid for or one your dog made! Scratches can be easily hidden using a touch-up pen. 

Low-Gloss, Satin or Matte Finishes. These sheen levels help hide normal wear and tear and show footprints less. The glossier and darker you go, the more light reflects off the floor—showing more dirt, dust and imperfections—not what you want with pets.

 

Sliced Cut Engineered. A hardwood veneer is glued on top of engineered hardwood. Look for a top veneer at least 3mm thick, as you can sand and refinish it at least twice.

 

Aluminum Oxide. This chemical is used to finish flooring because of its strength. It serves as the protective coating on most prefinished hardwood floors.

 

Acrylic-Infused/Impregnated. Acrylic resins and stain are injected into the veneer so the boards are much more crush-resistant than untreated wood. Most acrylic-infused products have commercial warranties. Because stain is injected in the actual wood fiber, the color is more permanent, greatly minimizing visible scratches.

 

Oil-Rubbed Finish. This very low-gloss finish uses oil instead of polyurethane or wax and tends to make wood look vintage. Oil penetrates and becomes part of the wood, so it isn’t nearly as sensitive to scratches or wear as a urethane finish. It’s easy to maintain (DIY) and, if done properly, will prevent a floor from ever needing sanding. Expect these floors to be on the upper end of the price scale.

 

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