Pets are family favourites, but between spills and scratching, they can cause significant floor damage. So, it’s no surprise that pet owners looking for hardwood floors for a new house or putting new floors in an existing home question, “What is the finest hardwood flooring for dogs, cats, and other pets?”
Of course, any hardwood floor is preferable to carpet in pet-friendly houses. On a hardwood floor, allergens such as dust and mould can be simply wiped away. And cleaning up minor spills on a hardwood floor is simple, but eliminating a stain and odour after an accident on the carpet may be difficult.
Hardwood Flooring
Our New Zealand natives (Kauri/Matai/Rimu) are famously prone to denting and scratching, regardless of their finish. A decent, inexpensive “harder” timber choice is oak or Australian Hardwood are great to prevent damage.
Floor Finishes
Polyurethanes are more stain resistant; nevertheless, if your dog (or cat) severely scratches the floor, you will need to resend and recoat it. Unfortunately, this entails (typically) moving all of your furniture away from the areas that need to be resanded, leaving the house while the job is being done, and then cleaning your home to remove all of the extremely fine sanding particles that will wind up in your home. While sanding machine technology has advanced significantly over the years, extremely small dust particles from the machines continue to escape the vacuum.
How To Prevent Pet Damage
The good news is that there are numerous simple methods for coexisting peacefully with your pets and your wooden floors.
- Maintain your dogs’ claws by trimming or clipping them. This helps to keep your floor’s surface from being scratched.
- Toilet training entails correctly teaching your dog to use training pads and, if and when necessary, constructing a dog door so the dog may relieve itself. Training pads contain an absorbent surface with a plastic backing, which prevents liquid from passing through the pad and onto the wooden floor below. If you come across an accident, cleaning it up as soon as possible can assist to minimise the damage.
- Putting dog bowls on a tray to assist in minimising splashing on your wooden floor is a simple option (or transferring it to an area without wood under it, such as outside). It’s also a good idea to keep the area clean regularly.
If you have pets and need some advice on what the best alternatives are for you and your family, we are here to assist. Please contact us today, and we will point you on the appropriate route.
