While you love your furry family members, your hardwood floor finish might suffer from constant claws scratching up its surface. Luckily, there are tips you can use to maintain your hardwood floors. Old Reliable Floor Co has been providing quality hardwood floor refinishing and staining to their Cincinnati, OH, clientele for years. Below, their experts share the most practical tips for maintaining your beautiful floors.

What You Should Know When It Comes to Hardwood Floors & Pets

1. Keep Nails Trimmed to Save Your Hardwood Floor Finish

Although this isn’t a surefire solution to keep your animals’ nails from scratching your beautiful hardwood floor finish, it can reduce the overall amount of scratches that occur. Make a practice of keeping your furry baby’s nails trimmed bluntly and broadly so that direct digging into the floor for traction is avoided.

2. Select a Durable Species of Wood

While there are numerous options when it comes to selecting your floor, choose a hard species of wood. Not only will this wood flooring last for decades, but it will not succumb to as many scratches from your furry best friend. The Janka scale is used to measure the hardness and durability of wood. A Douglas Fir, for instance, rates at 660, the softest wood on the scale. For a home with heavy traffic and animals, select Brazilian Walnut or Ipe. Another appropriate choice is a hard maple, which ranks at 1,450 on the Janka scale.

3. Use Rugs for High-Traffic Areas

For areas with high traffic, try to lay down runners or area rugs. This will not only be a comfortable spot for your pet’s paws, but it will reduce the number of scratches on your hardwood floor finish. Area rugs can also disguise places that might require hardwood floor refinishing.

If you’re in need of hardwood floor refinishing, use a trusted expert in the industry. Knowledge of your hardwood floor finish and staining methods are a must. The qualified and caring staff at Old Reliable Floor Co are on hand to assist you with any questions or concerns regarding your hardwood floor refinishing project. Call them today at (513) 922-5598 or visit their website for more information.