Are you an animal lover looking for a durable hardwood flooring recommendation? Look no further.Whether you have cats’ dogs, or rabbits we’ve got the perfect recommendations that are sure to last in a home of furry friends.You don’t need to sacrifice your love for wood floors because you have pets.Softwoods like pine or fir are poor choices for homes with pets. Your pets’ nails will quickly lead to gouges in the floors sealer which will create long shallow dents, marks, and scratches. No amount of site applied surface preparation will shield against your pets’ nails.Below are our recommendations for pet friendly floors:
Brazilian Walnut: Brazilian hardwood flooring is a hard and dense wood. It is specifically known for its resistance to marring, denting and wear. This imported walnut option is sure to be durable against the biggest and toughest paws.
Maple: Hard Maple is a top flooring choice, and is a domestic product. It’s been used as a surface for basketball courts so it is a great option to withstand pet traffic. An important note to keep in mind is that hard maple is different than a maple. It’s a specific type that has impressive hardness ratings.
Cork: If you’re looking for a unique wood floor, consider cork. The material is non-slip, and is impervious to hard impacts. It can also be refinished, and even repaired in the case of a gouge making it a great pet-friendly option.
Bring your furry friend by the showroom to see our wood flooring options in real life.
If the word “cork” only brings to mind wine bottle stoppers, think again. Cork Flooring is a beautiful, comfortable, and sustainable alternative to traditional flooring options. This sleek and contemporary style of flooring has experienced a surge in popularity over the years. Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak tree found throughout the Mediterranean. Portugal is the largest producer of cork in the world with over 30% of the world’s cork trees and 70% of the world’s total cork production. Cork bark is made up of a tiny sealed honeycomb cellular structures containing gas of 90% air. These cells provide cushion and insulation. Cork can be compressed up to 40% and quickly returns to its original shape. This makes cork a very unique flooring material compared to either hard and delicate counterparts. As an added bonus, cork is environmentally friendly as it is a renewable and sustainable natural resource. Trees are harvested, on average, every 9 years and can produce up to one ton of cork per year. Cork trees typically have a lifespan of 150-200 years.
Benefits of Cork Flooring
Durability
Cork flooring is resistant to cracking and abrasions. It’s also impermeable to liquids. Cork flooring has the ability to bounce back, so you don’t need to worry about your furniture causing indentations. When properly maintained, cork flooring will last 40+ years.
Health and Safety
Cork is naturally resistant to mold, mildew, and termites. It is also considered anti-microbial. These natural properties make cork flooring healthy and safe for adults, pets, and babies.
Noise Reduction
No need to tip-toe around the house for a late-night snack when you have cork floors. Unlike hard materials like tile, wood, or vinyl, cork reduces impact noise like the sound of people or pets walking, or something falling on the floor.
Cork is a natural thermal insulator. With a warm hand (or foot) feel, this hardwood and tile alternative will reduce your energy bills through the cold winter months. Its resilience makes it easy to stand on for long periods of time, and makes it resistant to stains, mold and mildew. This renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable option has a minimal impact on the environment from harvesting through to the manufacturing process making it the perfect option for the environmentally conscious homeowner.
Interested in learning more about cork floor options for your home? Visit us in-store to learn more: https://woodchuckflooring.com/
You go on vacation to relax, and spend some time outside of your house. But what happens to your hardwood floors when you’re out of town? Even after being transformed into flooring, wood is still a natural material that reacts to changes in the environment like humidity, temperature and light. Here are our top 3 tips to protect your floors while on vacation because the last thing you want to worry about while you’re kicking back on the beach is the condition of your flooring.
Check for drastic weather changes that can affect flooring
If you live in a region that experiences drastic weather changes it may be worth investing in a thermostat that can be controlled remotely. Whenever there is a sudden peak or drop in temperature you can remotely adjust the settings on your thermostat to ensure you maintain the appropriate temperature and humidity levels inside your house.
Close all windows and skylights completely
Prolonged periods of sunshine exposure can lead to the lightening of your hardwood floors. To keep your floors protected make sure you close all windows and skylights, and close your curtains or blinds. Another protective barrier would be adding a protective screen on the glass to reduce the amount of light that shines through.
Don’t turn your thermostat off!
The indoor temperature of your house should remain between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity level between 30%-50%. When it is too humid your hardwood flooring absorbs moisture from the air. This results in swelling and expanding of the wood which creates pressure between the boards that can lead to cracking. When humidity is low, it can result in the wood boards shrinking which can result in cracking and buckling as well.
To prevent this from happening, leave your air conditioner and dehumidifier on while away to maintain the appropriate temperature and humidity levels.
Questions about best practices for maintaining gorgeous hardwood floors? Give us a call!
