Many people with pets wish to find the most durable hardwood flooring options for their homes.
This is because pets can damage the surfaces and ruin the appearance of a wooden floor, making it important to choose the best option.
However, It is worth remembering that all hardwood floor types are more suitable than carpets if you have pets since the latter can accumulate allergens.
This article will answer all your pet-friendly hardwood flooring options, so continue reading to discover all the important tidbits.
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Factors Affecting Your Choice of Pet-Friendly Hardwood Floors
If you have pets or are planning to get a dog or cat in your home, it helps to think about the best flooring option for your living space.
Hardwood surfaces are fairly resilient and can withstand scratches and spillages without a major cause for concern.
Small animals cannot typically damage your flooring enough to affect its appearance. However, if you have a large dog, you must consider different factors to prevent this.
Let’s explore these factors before moving on to the hardwood flooring types you can buy.
#1. Hard Surface
When you have pets, your floor surface will probably get scratched. This is especially true if you choose softer hardwood materials like Cherry and Pine.
For this reason, choosing harder flooring options like Maple or Oak is in your best interests, preventing your floors from accruing scratches and other forms of damage.
#2. Rough Texture
Sometimes you cannot prevent your floor surfaces from getting scratched, especially if you have more than one pet.
This means you could opt for hardwood types with a grainier pattern and textured appearance.
These can serve as camouflage and effectively hide any damage to the floor, allowing the scratches to blend with the design and texture.
Your best bet when choosing the right hardwood with this physical characteristic is to consider either Oak or Hickory.
#3. Durable Finish
Most of the damage to your hardwood floors by your pets is to the outermost layer, called the finish.
This means you will make your floor more durable by choosing a finish fairly resistant to scratches and minor abrasions.
For example, UV urethane is a popular option for those looking for a durable finish.
Pair that with aluminum oxide, and you’ll have the perfect finish that protects your floor surface from your pets clawing the ground.
#4. Lighter Color
Darker colors on hardwood look amazing and certainly add character to your living space.
However, if you own pets, their scratches will contrast with the color and be more visible, which you don’t want.
For this reason, you should choose lighter colors since they not only camouflage the scratches but also hide your pets’ hair due to shedding.
Most Durable Hardwood Flooring Options for Large Pets
If you own large dogs like Huskies, German shepherds, and Labradors, you will find wood flooring a poor choice for your home.
If your dogs begin clawing the ground, they will leave ugly marks that will ruin your home’s aesthetics.
However, if you’re adamant about choosing wood as your flooring preference, it helps to avoid softwoods at all costs.
You can find several durable hardwood varieties that rank fairly high on the Janka hardness scale.
Another thing to remember is to opt for prefinished flooring options since they are heavily finished with the most durable substances.
Let’s explore some of the most resilient hardwood flooring types you can get if you have several or large pets in your home.
#1. Hard Maple
One indicator that hard maple is an excellent flooring choice is that it is used to layer basketball courts.
Basketball is an intense game with much movement and friction on the flooring surface. So, it stands to reason that the floor will be coated with some of the most resilient materials.
Ask experts in your area to inquire further about hard maple since it is often confused with other varieties of maple and is not the same.
However, it is worth reminding yourself that your large pets can claw the ground enough to damage it, making it a good option but not indestructible.
#2. Bamboo
This is a flooring option that you might not have considered. Bamboo is not wood, so it is frequently labeled in the same category.
It is not hard enough to resist scratches and abrasions on the surface.
Hence, it is imbued with resins to make it much harder than its original form, making it an excellent option for your home’s flooring if you have pets.
#3. Ipe
This type of wood is a popular option for outdoor decks and is fairly resistant to scratches and mild abrasions. It has a unique look that may be what you’re looking for in terms of aesthetic appeal.
If you have pets, you will find that Ipe holds up fairly well against your cats or dogs digging into the ground.
Final Verdict
Although people should generally avoid getting hardwood floors if they have several pets, some options are much better than others.
Looking at hardwood flooring types, you should choose hard maple, bamboo, or Ipe (Brazilian walnut), which are extremely durable.
Other factors you might want to consider that are not discussed in this article when choosing the best hardwood floor are lower-sheen finishes and prefinished floors.
These effectively camouflage scratches and pass industry standards, making them highly durable options for your home.
