When you install hardwood flooring in your home, you want to make sure it stays beautiful for years to come. Hardwood that is damaged or worn is never going to give off the same appearance as newly installed hardwood, so you need to make sure you are avoiding any and all damage. A fairly big cause of scratched and damaged hardwood these days is dogs’ nails. As dogs run across a hardwood floor, their nails can easily dig into the wood and create scratches and deep gouges. To better prepare yourself for having a pet in your hardwood home, there are a number of things you can do.

Choose your finish wisely

When looking to buy hardwood for your home, you should know that wood with a glossy, shinier finish is far more likely to make every dent and scratch show. This is because these types of finishes reflect light a lot more than their non-glossy counterparts, making it much easier to see scratches and dents. If you are a pet owner, it’s probably a good idea to stray way from the glossy finishes and go for something a little less shiny.

Try using a two-toned finish

Some hardwood companies offer a flooring option that is “two-toned”, which means it is stained black, then sanded, then stained again to give it the completed look. The end result is an “old” look in which black soaks into the grain and edges. This style of flooring is extremely popular with homes that contain pets because it does a great job of camouflaging any small scratches or dents that may happen to occur.

Keep your floors clean

No matter what type of hardwood you decide to put in your home, you will not be able to avoid scratches and gouges if your floor is consistently dirty. When your floor is dirty, your pet’s paws can just drive that dirt into the hardwood and cause it to dig deep scratches and gouges. Try and sweep your hardwood floors regularly in order to avoid this from occurring.

Trust your hardwood supplier

When it comes to making the right choice concerning your hardwood floor, there is no better way to get the information you need than by asking an expert for their opinion. Your hardwood supplier is likely a good candidate for this, so make sure you ask all the questions you need answered before you purchase any hardwood. An experienced professional is going to be very informative when it comes to buying hardwood that is safe for pets, so make sure to ask!

Use mats and rugs

If there is a stretch of hardwood that you know is going to be seeing a lot of pet traffic, it may be a good idea to consider setting up a couple of mats or rugs in that area to avoid any damage all together. This will ensure that your hardwood stays beautiful at all times.