This has been one of the hardest decisions for us to make...
We have dogs. And we know that we want hardwood floors in our log home. But dogs can ruin beautiful hardwood flooring in no time.
We know... Been there done that!
Our Current Hardwood Flooring
When we built the home we're currently living in, we chose hardwood flooring throughout the entire first floor.As I've mentioned before, there were relatively few choices that were left up to us in the build process... so in this case, we basically got to pick "which shade of brown" we wanted.
It didn't matter. Because we were absolutely clueless about hardwood flooring at that time anyway. We ended up choosing a lighter shade of brown (more like "blonde") oak wood floor. It's solid wood, but it's not the most durable under the heavy feet of 2 (for awhile there, it was 3) 70+ pound dogs!
The hardwood floors we currently have:
"Bruce" hardwood floors - solid oak - natural - dura-luster plus (urethane) finish - 3/4" x 2-1/4"
Wear & Tear From Dogs
The bad part: The doorway to the fenced-in backyard is through the kitchen -- the showcase room for all of that beautiful hardwood flooring!And worse yet: The section of flooring that's nearest the door has become extremely dented, pitted, and dirty in appearance -- as a result of our dogs' repeated visits to the great outdoors.
It's partly our fault, because we taught our dogs to "drop" anything that they have in their mouth at the door, before they can go outside. Sometimes that's a stuffed toy, and other times it's a heavy bone from the meat counter at the grocery store!
Early on, when we were first training them to do this nifty behavior, the dents & pits weren't noticeable at all. It wasn't until a year or so of this type of activity that we started to notice that the dirt & grime had begun to accumulate inside of those dents and pits! And once it's in there, there's no getting it out.
Best I can tell, aside from refinishing the flooring, we're pretty much stuck with yucky looking hardwood flooring near the back door entrance in this house.
It's really hard to tell from these photos, but if you look close enough, you can see that the floor on the right is chipped, dented, and it looks kind of grimey where dirt and dust have settled into the cracks. The urethane finish has definitely been put to the test near the back door. In person, it's very noticeable.
Hardwood floor near door
The Best Flooring Choice For Dogs?
Now, fast-forward to our new, soon-to-be-built log home... and you can bet we've done some homework about hardwood flooring at this point!While we still haven't decided on the exact wood or style we're going with, hopefully, we'll be able to find a hardwood flooring that will be better at withstanding years of normal wear & tear, plus the added heavy traffic from our dogs. (We know we're getting a darker wood this time. We have 2 black labs that shed a lot, and every little thing you can do to help "hide" that helps... even if it is just an illusion!)
At this point, we're looking at Hickory as the wood choice. And definitely a wider plank than usual. (We currently have 3/4" x 2-1/4" wood planks and they're just so small... and traditional.)
We also like the rustic, natural looking wood -- that's already pitted & stained, yet still looks clean and new.
I'll be sure to add an update to this post once we make our final decision...
In general, here are some guidelines:
HARD WOODS: (most durable) oak, cherry, maple, hickory, elm, balsa, mahogany, sycamore
SOFT WOODS: (dent easily) birch, cedar, pine, redwood, fir, larch
What's the "real" difference between hardwoods and softwoods?
Q: Can dogs scratch hardwood floors?
A: Yes. Even with the new stronger finishes, a dog's nails can scratch wood flooring. The best prevention is to keep nails trimmed. Scratches can be repaired with a touch-up kit. If damage is extensive, you can lightly sand and apply a new varnish coat.
Have Any Advice?
Have you found a hardwood floor that is durable and holds up to the day to day traffic of dog paws?If so, please do share!
Or, feel free to share any tips that you've learned, or things you've heard along the way. Anything you can add to this discussion of dogs and hardwood floors will save future home builders with dogs both money and frustration in the long run.
RELATED:
Hardwood Flooring Tips For Homeowners With Dogs
Dog Groomer's Hardwood Floors Hard To Maintain... Help!
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We have a 80 lb lab and had Anderson wood floors through out the house and in the kitchen where the dog stayed after 8 yrs of running, drooling and scratching it did not look good at all. We are in the process of building again and at the point of deceiding what to put down. I was wondering does anyone know what kind of floor they have in old country stores they seem to hold up good!
I would not get bamboo. We got bamboo floors and our dogs ruined them within one month. They are scratched to no end and look horrible. I would not recommend getting bamboo, even if it is green, if you have dogs.
We have a 1.5 yr old active yellow lab. My carpet is terrible even after I cleaned it. I want to get wood floors in the next year so I am doing some research. My sister is advising me not to get wood with the dog but she is very picky about her house. It is sounding like a hardwood with a gymnasium finish is the best. Please help. Thanks
i have 2 80lb dogs who have been trained not to run on the red oak wood floor. but alas, within a week there were scrathces all over it !! their nails are clipped short and are blunt. i am installing more wood floors , but in areas that the dogs don't go. i think the finish is very important. i would choose a very hard wood if you are concerned about dents. i heard a horror story about a soft wood floor(can't remember the type) and denting. someone had a cocktail party shortly after installing their brand new floor. at the end of the party there were dents all over it from high heels.
i am considering putting bamboo in my bedroom. any one with any experience. i like the fact that the bamboo regrows after being cut so it is a very"green" product.
I saw your advice on wood floors but didn't see what you finally put in your house. We are military, just moved to Colorado Springs, and I'm needing a floor that the golden retriever can't scratch too much, not to mention, us. It's amazing how much time I devote to thinking about this! Any help would be apprciated.
I had engineered pecan in the last house and it scratched terribly.
Hi Patricia,
We haven't made a decision on our wood floors yet, because we (unfortunately) haven't even broke ground on our new log home yet. :o(
We're still trying to get through the bank loan process during these trying times with mortgage lenders, not to mention trying to find a log home lender who works well with self-employed persons.
I'll definitely post an article about it when we make our final decision on the flooring.
Until then, I hope that others will chime in here with wood floors that have worked for them -- with dogs in the home.
Thanks everyone!
I am thinking of putting down Australian Cypress hardwood floors BUT I have 2 70lb golden retrievers that are turning 2 and they run through the house. Any suggestions? My significant other tells me to not do it and wait a year or 2. I'd love any thoughts you might have. It is factory finished with aluminum oxide. It is a harder wood - harder than red oak by 7%. Thanks!