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Pet-Proofing Your Hardwood Floors
By bambooandhardwoodfloors.com
While resilient floors are still the number one choice for homes with big, lovable pets, it does not exactly offer the beauty and value that hardwood floors can bring. Recent developments in pre-finished flooring have made the lives of millions of pet owners much easier.
First to consider when choosing a pet-friendly floor would be how the basic material would hold up to the weight and behavior of your pets. This can easily be determined by checking out the different Janka ratings of the species you are considering.
Simply said, Janka is the measure of the wood's hardness. This test measures the force required to push a 0.444-inch steel ball into the wood to a depth of half the ball's diameter. Some of the toughest species out there come from the South American region. Brazilian Walnut has a Janka rating of 3680, while its American counterpart is at 1010. Brazilian Teak (3540), Brazilian Rosewood (3540), Brazilian Cherry (2820), Caribbean Rosewood (2300) and Santos Mahogany (2200) are among the top picks for their toughness.
The next thing to consider is the floor's finish. There are four basic types of hardwood finish to choose from. One is polyurethane. It is tough, versatile and can be stained – making it the most ideal flooring finish. On top of this, it can be easily maintained. Acrylic-impregnated floors can add superior durability to your floors. The impregnation process is a great advantage over any other finishing process. It goes beyond just protecting the top wear surface and forces the finish into the wood. Ceramic is another kind of finish that is the latest innovation for hardwood floors. It takes the finish used for ceramic tiles -- which is incredibly wear-resistant – and makes the hardwood floor virtually stain- and scratch-proof and amazingly easy to care for. One problem with this kind of finish: when dings do happen, repairs are difficult. And finally, we have Aluminum Oxide finish. More companies use a polyurethane-aluminum oxide blend more than any other finish out there. It was first introduced as a finish for laminate floors. Now that it is available for hardwood flooring, it can offer the same worry-free maintenance that you get with laminates. Stain and abrasion resistance for this hardwood finish are also unbeatable.
Now for some helpful maintenance tips:
+ The key to keeping your floors beautiful begins with good house training.
+ If accidents do happen, be vigilant. Wipe up urine and other spills immediately. Urine which has been left to stand for a long time can seep deep into the wood , leaving yellow marks that are difficult to repair. Sanding and refinishing might do the trick, but if it's been allowed to sit for a long time, the stain would be impossible to remove.
+ Trim your pets' nails. Unclipped nails are the most common reason for scratched up floors. If you do not have the time to do this on a weekly basis, try asking your local veterinarian about a product called "Soft Paws" which caps your dog's / cat's sharp claws and protects your floors.
+ Keep a mat by the door to trap mud, dirt and tiny pebbles that your pets might bring in. Also, clean up tracked-in dirt immediately.
+ If your pet's designated eating area still has hardwood floors, buy a rubber mat to protect your floor from waterspills. Better yet, but water bowls and feeding dishes that are spill-proof.
+ Keep stain-removal and other floor cleaning products handy. BonaKemi has a good line of hardwood floor / hard surface flooring cleaners.
Remember, YOU are the key to maintaining a great working relationship between your pets and your floors. Teaching them the right way to act around your beautiful floors early on will ensure that your hardwood flooring will look as beautiful as they were the day you installed them.
For more tips on hardwood and bamboo floors, visit http://www.bambooandhardwoodfloors.com
About the Author
Bambooandhardwoodfloors.com is the top resource for information on the best bamboo and hardwood floors available in the market today. With the unbiased resources it offers, consumers get to select from the best flooring prices offered by a variety of retailers.
For more information on bamboo and hardwood flooring, visit http://www.bambooandhardwoodfloors.com
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