Hardwood floors are beautiful, and they add value to your home. You can absolutely have hardwood floors if you have an active household- however you should know a few of the TRUTHS ABOUT HARDWOOD:
1) Wood will scratch. Wood is real, so unlike man-made products that look like the real thing...this is! Dogs nails, if not trimmed, can scratch your hardwood floors, even with the hardest of Hardwood or the strongest wear layer (ceramic bead, or aluminium oxide are popular top layers of wood floors). You could ask your doggie to wear booties, but they probably won’t like it much! Also, be sure to protect your wood floor with felt pads under furniture or chairs.
2) Wood will dent. Your kids probably play hard, and that big dog probably loves chewing on BIG BONES or maybe plays with big toys. If something is dropped onto the wood, it could cause a dent. This might not show right away- but if the light hits the floor, it may become more obvious. Try to be careful.
3) Wood needs moisture, but not too much. In our homes in Wisconsin we tend to have extremely dry winters, and humid summers (well, the end of our summer in August). Wood can be a little tricky. An inexpensive moisture meter (or hygrometer) can help determine if the moisture in your home is in the right zone. Also, we would recommend using a system like AprilAire so that your moisture levels are regulated. Another note, a mat under your doggie’s dish can help to prevent damage to your wood floors, if your pup is less than clean when drinking out of his or her water bowl. You may even want to consider a mat at your back/front door so that your pup can “wipe their paws” There’s a great one called soggy doggy door mats.
4) Avoid soft woods like pine, birch, black walnut, cedar...these will show those scratches and will dent very easily with even smaller active dogs. Our recommendation is to select a harder wood, such as hickory or white oak, or hard maple.
5). Consider a distressed wood without a sheen. Wood that already has character such as hand scraping, or some distressing really can help to hide those dents to fit right in. A bit more of a rustic look is popular these days and can mix well with just about any decor. A matte finish will hide more fur, scratches, etc than a shiny floor. Shiny and dark floors emphasize the dust, debris, dog hair! And we don’t want you to be tied to a mop, or mad at Fido because you selected a dark, shiny floor.
We would love to help you with your new floors and hardwood floor installation, and Precision Floors & Decor’s showroom has the best selection in Sheboygan County! Serving Plymouth, Howards Grove, Kohler, Sheboygan Falls, Elkhart Lake, Sheboygan, and surrounding areas! Our installation crews are craftsmen at what they do, so your floors look great for years and years to come.
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