3 Hardwood Floor Refinishing Tips for Pet Owners

Hardwood floors are a beautiful feature in any home. When you have pets, however, they make keeping your hardwood floor looking their best a challenge. At Patrick Daigle Hardwood Flooring, we install and refinish hardwood floors for lots of people with pets, from Dachshunds to Dalmatians. The good news is that you can make some choices that will help you keep your floor looking good. Here are a few wood floor refinishing tips you can follow to keep your floors looking their best:

Choose a Lighter Stain

Choosing a lighter stain will help to hide any minor damage your pet can cause. It also hides the dust and dirt they tend to bring in from their outings more effectively. You could also consider getting a shade that is relatively close to your dog’s fur to help conceal that as well!

Avoid Glossy Finishes

While a glossy finish can be tempting, pet owners should steer clear. Satin or matte will hide scratches or dings much better and they still look great. While we all tend to think the scratches in the floor are all from our pets, you might be surprised to learn we do just as much damage ourselves. High heels, pebbles stuck in the treads of tennis shoes, and moving furniture can cause a lot of the scratches and dents in the floors. Picking satin or matte will keep your floors looking their best for much longer.

Trim Those Toenails

Keeping your dog’s nails trimmed will go a long way toward protecting your floors. Dogs should have their nails trimmed once every one or two months. Use this simple rule of thumb – if they click when they walk, it’s time to get it done. Also, putting mats in front of doors will also help. The mats can collect dirt and small rocks that would otherwise scratch your wood floors.