Q: I want to replace the wall-to-wall carpeting in my house with either hardwood or bamboo flooring. I hesitate to do so because I have two large dogs (50 and 65 lbs, respectively) and am concerned they will damage the floor with their nails and toys. I am looking at light to medium natural shades. Should I give up my dream of beautiful wood flooring? Thanks for your help!
Tina
A: When it comes to our furry companions and floors, certain things must be taken into account before making a flooring decision. My first suggestion will be a regiment of care for your dogs. The best way to ensure your pets and don’t damage your floor is to ensure their nails are trimmed and in the case of longer haired dogs, to ensure their fur is not covering the pads of their feet. A great tip passed on to me from my good friend Nate B. over at the Charlotte, NC location is that if you prevent fur from covering the pads of your dog’s feet, they will not dig into the floor with their nails as much. The reason behind this is that dog’s naturally use their nails when they lose grip from their pads.
The next major tip would be to keep a good maintenance schedule. The less dirt and grit on your floor, the less likely these things will get dragged across your floor by your feet or your pets.
Now in regards to the actual flooring to use, this becomes a matter of opinion normally, but let’s stick to the facts to give us the best information here. Bamboo, in the natural variety, is harder than white oak (at a Janka hardness of about 1410) meaning it resists denting better than the “norm” of wood flooring. Abrasion resistance will come from the finish on the floor. Look for a floor with several coats of a good finish with aluminum oxide. Panda and Westhollow both make great bamboo flooring featuring the patented Klumpp finish, which is a UV cured polyurethane with aluminum oxide. This is a tough finish that can take a good deal of abuse and looks great.
For hardwood, you will have similar aspects to look for as you do with bamboo. Harder wood species will be more dent resistant and abrasion resistance will come mostly from your finish. Again be looking for a good finish that includes aluminum oxide. Bruce, BR-11, Westhollow and many others all make great products for hardwood with good finishes.
Another thing to consider here is engineered vs solid. Depending on your subfloor you may be limited here, but consider the pros and cons to each type before making a decision. The big benefit to an engineered would be the benefit of having a cross-ply laminated product. This means it will give a bit more dent resistance along with resistance to expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. The down side to an engineered is that you get a lower number of times the product can be refinished.
Solids are the traditional hardwood (normally 3/4″). The big benefit is the number of refinishes possible along with the great value these floors add to a home. The downside here is that it is less stable than an engineered (meaning more expansion and contraction).
Should you give up the dream of a beautiful wood floor? Of course not! If you are ultimately worried about damage to a new wood floor, look into laminate. Good laminate is super tough and can stand up to some serious abuse, but with proper care so can many wood floors.
