An obvious one, the choice of flooring is an important decision to make when your house is filled with children and dogs. There are plenty of different materials one can always choose from. More the availability of materials, confusing will be the scenario.
There’s one and that’s always been the priority for homeowners, a classic- solid hardwood. But can hardwood and dogs together live happily ever after?
A challenging question because over time, there are situations where hardwood can scratch and dent over time. It’s just a matter of time and visibility. We really don’t think this can be a heart contenting reason for not getting a hardwood flooring.
This is moreover a cat concern rather than a dog concern. Usually cats are passive while dogs are active being. We all have seen some dog chew and destroy things. But is it a big matter of concern? So, before letting in the techniques, lets find out about the formation of solid hardwood floors, consideration on needs to make before buying one and guidelines that needs to be adopted for your furry friends to floor down hardwood boards.
Suitable hardwood flooring which are dog friendly
#1. Don’t buy soft woods
American cherry, pine, fir, American walnut are the softer version of wood and are likely to dent on a faster pace. You don’t need a dog to ruin these floors are they itself slowly worn out. Though beautiful, they are not practical. Brazilian cherry hardwood floors are hard and durable in nature.
# 2. Opt for solid hardwood
These have limited number of sanding and are of better quality. Pet stains and deep scratch can be re-sanded in this flooring.
#3. Distressed wood for better choice
These looks make the dent and scratch appear less visible. As the wood itself is designed in a distressed pattern the dents sometime can fit in perfectly. Likewise, presence of knots will hide the mark. Glorious flooring in Sydney has a great line of authentic hand scrapped products and you can visit our warehouse for more options.
#4. Stronger graining woods
Woods holding strong grains can easily hide in the marks and scratch. Red oak is a great example as it encompasses hardness and is excellent in hiding dents and scratches due to strong graining. Brazilian cherry has harder graining in comparison to walnut hardwood.
#5. High stain finishes
Glossy finishes show scratches visible, as the lights reflects the board, whereas stain finishes work wonder to press the issues.
#6. Use rugs/ mats in open areas
Make sure to use rugs and mats at the main entrance. These areas are more likely to worn out at a faster pace due to snow, rain, dirt, salt. And just remember your pets don’t wear shoes, therefore rugs and mats are important to protect the flooring.
#7. Use oil-based polyurethane
If you are refinishing your hardwood floors make sure to use oil-based polyurethane, as it lasts longer. It also works as an extra shield to preserve the hardwood floors for the next generation. You can get every flooring accessory with Glorious Flooring in Sydney.
#8. Other tips for flooring protection from dogs
Place mat underneath the dog bowl. You can also consider putting doggy socks or micro-fiber doggie mats, which are in fact dog and floor friendly. Further if your dog sheds frequently consider placing similar color mats above the hardwood floor. Also make sure to clean the dog urinates immediately as it can brutally damage the floor.
Formation of Solid Hardwood Floorboards
Firstly, hardwood is made from tree. After cutting the tree, logs are created which is later converted to planks and graded for appearance. Secondly for smoother finish, the boards are evened out on all the four sides to level up the planks.
To make the board fit tightly edges are grooved, this phase allows the board to contract and expand without creating gaps. During this method, the planks are sure to go through distressing process for more sophisticated arrival.
The final one includes staining and sealing with layers of protective finish.
Consideration for selecting hardwood flooring
Inside your head you might have fixed the variant of hardwood that generously suits your style. Beside the color you have lot more to check on;
#1. Different species & its durability
Here species refer to the type of wood which determines the longevity of your floor. Each of the species carry hardness rating, so harder the wood higher will be the rating.
#2. Flooring location
Are you planning to cover the entire space with hardwood or are you just planning to change it for a single room? Understand your room environment, and the traffic flow, after getting to know it, decide the hardwood board with a strong consultation with flooring specialist.
#3. Width of the plank
Today wider planks are used instead of two to three-inch strips. A wider plank floor has fewer seams instead of thin floor strips. Those seams are important as it may contract or expand.
#4. Hardwood grain & patterns
Variation in color do exist. Before permanently installing the floorboards lay out and arrange them to figure out the exact taste. Hardwood flooring don’t have any incorrect color, in generic the color is of natural wood texture. These products have four basic types of wood grain developed through several methods such as liveswan, sawing wood, plainswan, quarterswan.
While some have no wood grain or striking pattern. Choosing boards which compliment your wall colors give out a harmonious look.
We hope by now you have understood the prevention you need to adopt if you have a pet and you want to place hardwood flooring in your space. If you still are not satisfied and want to know more, you can contact us at Glorious Flooring in Sydney or Silver Water, our representatives are 24/7 available for your assistance. You can also make query through our Facebook page.
Glorious Flooring is Australia’s No.1 flooring wholesale suppliers rendering massive amount of service in Sydney and Silver Water. Our products can be availed by the purchaser based in other location as well, so feel free to get in product information.
