As a nation, we love our pets. In fact, 60% of households own a pet, with dogs being the most popular choice.
So it makes sense that when making decisions about your home, many of us need to consider the implications of our furry friends.
A popular question which is often asked by dog owners when they're looking for decor options is: Will my dog ruin my hardwood floor?
The simple answer is no!
But before you take that answer on face value, it's important that you know the context of it.
While every situation is different—largely depending on personal taste and the type of pets—here are 10 general tips for homeowners who want hardwood french oak floors but also want to share them with their “best friends.”
1. Keep pet nails trimmed.
Scratches are a primary concern when allowing dogs on hardwood floors. That’s less so with cats, because they don’t usually walk with their claws out, but they can still damage floors when rough housing and chasing.
The obvious way to minimize this damage is to keep the nails of your pets trimmed, which is also healthy for them.
2. Use a hard species of wood.
The harder the wood, the more it will resist damage by pet nails. (If the wood is too soft, big dogs can even dent it while running through the house.)
3. Consider a light to medium colour.
Light to medium-coloured hardwood floors generally show scratches, hair, and dander less than dark flooring.
4. Avoid glossy floors.
The shinier a floor, the more it will shows imperfections. Satin and matte finishes are good for “hiding” scratches.
5. Choose a hardwood with a pronounced grain.
Open-grain hardwood, such as oak, help draw the eye away from scratches.
6. Consider adding texture.
Although not for everyone, hand scraping, wire brushing, or distressing floors to add texture is one way to disguise scratches as they just blend in!
7. Chose solid wood floors rather than an engineered floor with a thin wear layer.
Solid wood floors can be re-sanded (i.e., restored). Many inexpensive engineered floors have such a thin wear layer you would be lucky to sand them even once. Being able to restore your floors is a reassuring benefit to homeowners worried about pet damage.
8. Put rugs in pet high-traffic areas.
This is self-explanatory, but I like to remind pet lovers that rugs aren’t just for protecting hardwood floors from pets; they’re a wonderful way to accentuate the look of the flooring you choose.
9. Keep an eye out for pet urine, and clean it up immediately.
Urine is another common fear of dog and cat owners who want hardwood floors. The acid in urine can damage some finishes and the wood if it remains for too long. Fortunately, if you wipe it up right away, it’s no problem.
10. Put mats under water bowls
Even with modern finishes, water can damage hardwood floors if left too long, so it’s a good idea to put a breathable mat under pet water bowls kept on hardwood flooring.
Takeaway
There’s no need to dismiss hardwood floors as an option just because you have indoor dogs or cats. Your pets can enjoy your hardwood floors as much as you do! #frenchoak #interiordesign #hardwoodfloors #france