Monday 8 June 2020

Hardwood Flooring for Pet Owners

When you've got small children or pets at home, you may think that installing wood floors is an impractical fantasy. However, does this mean you should avoid hardwood floors altogether?

Not at all. To begin with, hardwood is naturally resistant to spills provided that they are addressed right away. And there are plenty of options available to realistic homeowners that know they won't be able to maintain their flooring in pristine condition. The key is selecting the most appropriate floor.

There are lots of factors to consider when seeking the look and durability of hardwood flooring yet need the ability to take the wear and tear. Some wood species, as an instance, are harder and more resistant to abrasion than many others. A few styles of flooring will hide scratches and pet hair better. And a few textures and finishes may make the dings look intentional.

Let's take a peek at a few of the ways parents and pet-owners -- or perhaps only people who anticipate high traffic -- can have great-looking hardwood floors without needing to constantly worry.

Texturing

One excellent -- and now fashionable -- choice for those who fear they'll be unable to maintain their flooring looking pristine is to employ one of a range of kinds of texturing. Texturing, as you might suspect, involves various techniques to add feel to a floor.

Hand-Scraping and Wire-Brushing

Hand-scraping and wire-brushing are just two texturing methods that make a more rustic appearance. The end result will help mask any damage caused by high traffic and pets. Pet hair and grime are also visible.

Hardness

When choosing flooring for your area, a crucial aspect to consider is the hardness of the wood. In general, the harder the timber is, the less likely it's to be scratched or dented. Very hard woods are ideal for high-traffic areas, whereas softwoods might want to be prevented.

To find out how hard a certain species of timber is, you'll want to look at its Janka score . This measurement indicates the amount of pounds of force it takes to drive a 0.444-inch steel ball bearing halfway into a plank. Thus, the greater the Janka score, the harder the wood species is.

This wood species are among the more popular and durable hardwoods used in flooring.

Red and White Oak

The two most well-known species of wood for floors in the USA are red oak and white oak. Both species are tough enough to withstand a fair amount of abrasion, nevertheless are still easy to work with. This combined with their abundance helps make both species a more cost-effective alternative for high-wear houses. Furthermore, quarter-sawn timber of both species possess"rays" of grain (especially white oak) that are aesthetically pleasing and also will help hide small dings and pet hair. Red oak has a Janka rating of 1,290 while white walnut has a score of 1,360.

Hard Maple

Also called black walnut or sugar maple, hard maple is -- as the name suggests -- a very hard domestic wood species. It is heavy, strong, and highly resistant to wear.

Hickory

Hickory is an extremely hard wood that's abundant in the United States. Hickory is less commonly used for flooring as there's a wide variation in colour patterns from board. While hickory isn't a good option for those who seek uniformity of look, its extreme durability will help withstand damage. Furthermore, its wide color variation will go a long way toward concealing that harm if it does happen. Hickory has a Janka rating of 1,820

Exotic Hardwoods

A few of the hardest woods in the world are located in tropical climates. All these are lumped together in the USA under the general heading of"exotic hardwoods." Some of those wood species are far less commonly used for flooring as a result of their high cost and lower accessibility. Yet their hardness makes them quite resistant to use, and their attractive color and grain variation may also help mask minor marring.

Some popular exotic species (arranged based on Janka rating) comprise sapele (1,500); merbau (1654); padauk (1,725); santos mahogany (2,200); jatoba, also known as Brazilian cherry (2,820); ipe (3,510), teak (3,540), and cumaru (3540).

Parquet

In addition to hardness and texture, the fashion of floor you choose can affect how observable abrasions and stains will be. A somewhat"beyond the box" alternative to high-wear homes is to forego plank flooring in favor of parquet. Parquet flooring is set up by organizing small, uniform pieces of wood into repeating patterns across a floor.

While nothing regarding parquet makes it naturally more resistant to marring (again, this is much more a result of hardness), the vibrant, repeating patterns of parquet will naturally divert from any slight dings and scratches. This is similar to the way a blot is less noticeable on a shirt than on a plain one.

Character-Grade Woods

Character-grade forests are forests that are obviously marked with mineral streaks, knots, wormholes, and other"imperfections." On species like character grade white oak, as an example, marring is less noticeable among the abundant markings. Character-grade woods are often a good lower-cost option for anyone seeking a rustic look. Softer species may also develop a natural patina fairly fast, which both improves wear resistance and makes a floor more visually pleasing.

Refinishing

If you are worried that, despite the best attempts, your floors will nevertheless be marred by heavy wear, think about a periodic refinish/screening. Though refinishing will not get rid of all scratches and dents, it will partly fill them and make them far less visible.

Think about a high-quality, low-gloss oil finish. This will give you the appearance of new flooring with no price and hassle of a replacement. In fact, with oil finishes you don't need to refinish the whole floor -- jojoba oil refinishes can be carried out on high-traffic areas to receive your floors looking like new .

When picking a finish, elect for matte. Not only is that on trend, but any scratches, dents, discoloration, and pet hair that may seem will be far less visible than on a glossy finish.

Flooring for the Whole Family

The type of flooring that is ideal for your own pet, high-traffic house will finally depend on the appearance you're going for, your finances, and your family situation. These factors are unique to you, and so there's no one-size-fits-all solution.

For this reason, it is important to consult with seasoned professionals. The expert artisans in Oshkosh Designs will work with you to think of the perfect floor design for your space. Call us today -- we would like to hear about your fantasy flooring, your kids, and your pets!

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