We cherish our furry friends as we would our own children, but having a cat or dog also comes with claws, hair and dirt. The selection and maintenance of your hardwood flooring is therefore essential if you don’t want to spend all your time cleaning it.
It’s important to understand that no matter what flooring you choose, your pet will wear it down over time, just like the rest of your family will. Choosing the right flooring, however, will allow you to minimize and even camouflage wear. Add proper maintenance and it will be a lot easier for your fur baby and flooring to get along.
Why choose hardwood?
It’s a known fact that hardwood is one of the most durable floor coverings. Not only because of its hardness and resistance, but also because it can be refurbished through sandblasting up to seven times during its lifespan.
Maintaining hardwood flooring is relatively simple. It’s easy to clean and doesn’t require special treatment. Thanks to the varnished finish, water droplets or even urine can be simply wiped up with a dry cloth, without leaving any stains or unpleasant odours. However, the liquid must be cleaned up without delay, since the wood fibres will eventually absorb it.
In terms of your pet’s well-being, hardwood floors offer better protection against viruses and bacteria. In addition to being antimicrobial, PG Flooring’s finishes are VOC-free, solvent-free and formaldehyde-free, providing a healthy environment for you, your family and your four-legged friends.
How to choose your hardwood flooring
Hardwood floors offer endless possibilities when it comes to appearance. So, here’s what you need to know if you’re looking to hide your pet's marks on your flooring.
COLOUR
If you wish to conceal claw marks and pet hair as much as possible, light and natural colours are the way to go.
GRADE
Ideally, choose a product with a pronounced variation of colours and character marks, which will camouflage pet-induced wear. For example, a floor in a more permissive grade of wood, like our Heritage grade, is a good choice. Also, most of the products in our Unique collection offer a good richness of character marks.
TEXTURE
Products with additional texture, such as our chased and brushed textures, are definitely interesting options. On top of adding cachet to your interior design, the texture will further camouflage marks left over time.
WOOD SPECIES
Certain wood species with more pronounced grain and growth rings, such as oak and ash, will more easily conceal the marks left by your furry friends. You might also consider that some wood species offer superior hardness to others, such as maple and ash. To help your decision-making, you can take a look at the Janka scale, which measures the hardness of different types of wood.
FINISH
The matte finish offers the lowest gloss level, with 3 to 8%. Since wood is naturally matte, a finish with a similar gloss level will further reduce the appearance of your pet’s claw marks, even when the wear is deep.
PRE-OILED FINISH
In addition to offering a gloss level as low as the matte finish, i.e., 3 to 8%, the oil finish is appreciated for how easy it is to repair. Whether for a minor defect, such as a hollow or a scratch, or even to touch up an entire section where the wear is more apparent, simple and quick repair options are available.
Maintaining your flooring
To preserve your floor’s beauty for many years, it’s important to properly protect and maintain it. Normal hardwood floor maintenance is quick and easy. This involves vacuuming regularly to remove the abrasive dust that scratches the floor and washing it using products specially designed for wood floors, like PG Flooring’s maintenance products.
If you happen to drop any liquid on the floor, wipe it up promptly before the wood fibres have time to absorb it.
Place rugs or mats* at the different entrances to your home, in order to trap water, dirt and especially small pebbles that your pup may have under their paws after their walk. If your dog is obedient, you can even train them to wipe their own paws on the carpet before entering the house.
If your fur baby’s food corner is on your hardwood floor, consider using a silicone mat or even a waterproof placemat under their bowl to prevent messes that could cause your floor to deteriorate.
Did you know that when your pooch walks around the house, their claws don’t cause any damage to the floor? It’s when they run, stop abruptly, or jump around that they risk scratching the flooring. Does your dog like to play and get excited in a particular area of the house? Why not place a nice rug* in that area? It can protect your floor while adding style to your decor.
*When choosing your rug or mat, make sure the backing is not rough or made of natural rubber. Soft, synthetic backings are safe as long as they have holes that allow the floor to breathe. Also, regularly clean the underside of the mat to remove any dust and other abrasive dirt.
Long story short, you don’t have to choose between your pet and your dream floor. Hardwood floors and your furry friend can get along just fine; you just need to know your pet’s habits, choose the right floor, and ensure proper maintenance. You can then make memories with your furry companion, in the comfort of your home.
If you have any questions about our products, we invite you to contact one of our retailers near you.
