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Pet proofing your timber flooring

15/2/2021

According to the largest general survey of pet owners released by Companion Animals New Zealand (CANZ), New Zealand has some of the world’s greatest pet lovers. Results showing that 41% of New Zealand households having a cat and 34% of households having at least one dog.

Here are some pet-proofing tips on how to enjoy your timber floor with your furry creatures.

Feeding
Dogs can have a high level of ammonia in thier saliva and urine which can cause staining or discolouration on timber floors. Keeping dog bowls on a tray can minimise water splashes, limiting feeding areas outdoors or in spaces that are easier to clean or not timber finished can also reduce possible damage.

Cleaning
It’s inevitable to have some accidents with toilet training, older pets or cats knocking over vases and the like. Cleaning these spills promptly will reduce the damage or discolouration that can occur to your floors.

Grooming
An excitable dog running around a house with your children is fun but can leave scratches in your timber floors. Keeping pet’s claws trimmed will minimise scratches to your floor surface.

Keeping dog bowls on a tray or limiting feeding areas to outdoors or in spaces that are easier to clean, can minimise water splashes and floor damage.

What's the best timber flooring for pets?

How flooring choices can make a pet home life a little easier:

Floor colour
Choosing flooring products with natural grains/variations and lighter tones draws less attention to any scratches or dents that are dealt to your flooring. Try looking at rustic and feature grades for your flooring choice.

Texture
There are a large range of flooring effects and textures that you can choose from, wire brushed to band-sawn to hand-scraped. Any scratches or dents made from pets can add character to these textured finishes.

Wood Species
Each species of timber has a different hardness. When it comes to most household applications, timbers classed as ‘moderately hard’ is appropriate.

The table below lists some examples of species hardness ratings by the AFTA.

Floor Finish
While a floor finish doesn’t improve the hardness of a floor surface, here’s some things to consider in what finish you choose for your home.

Polyurethanes can be slightly more stain resistant, but if your pets scratch the floor, a re-sand and coat would be needed to re-treat the floors.

Oils and Hardwax finishes can give you a little more freedom with applying oil to scratch marks. But, regardless of the floor finish, any spills and messes will stain, if they aren’t cleaned up quickly. Regular care and maintenance of your oiled floor will make it easier to keep clean.

We’ve had pets for years and still love our timber floors. If you have pets and want to discuss the best flooring options for your home, send us an email and one of our flooring specialists can help you find the best floor for your needs.

CANZ Survey: https://www.companionanimals.nz/publications
Images: Project Georgina St | Karolina Garbo | Pexels

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How many re-sands can I get from engineered flooring?

8/2/2021

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How many sands can you get from engineered timber flooring?

Engineered flooring is becoming increasingly popular in homes across Auckland. Being sustainable and having a higher resistance to climate changes, it's easy to see why it’s becoming a preferred choice.

When deciding between solid and engineered, clients often ask how many re-sands they can get comparatively with each option.

In a previous blog post we covered what the key differences and benefits are between the two options. You can read that post here: What's the difference between engineered and solid oak flooring?

When it comes to re-sanding, there are some key similarities which affects the number of re-sands you’ll get from your flooring. Many are under the impression that solid is superior to engineered.

How many re-sands can you get from solid and engineered wood flooring

Solid and Engineered flooring both connect together with a tongue and groove joint. (This is often nailed down to the subfloor to secure it.)

The re-sandable part of solid flooring is measured from the top surface - to the top of the tongue and groove joint. So, whether you’re sanding solid or engineered, you can only sand down to this T&G joint and you’ll usually take off about 1-2mm per re-sand.

The re-sandable part of solid flooring is typically around 5-6mm. Engineered flooring has a 3-6mm layer of solid hardwood, which is glued to an engineered base of layered ply or birch. So the re-sandable part of both options is comparatively the same.

The thicker the hardwood layer above the T&G joint, the more re-sands you’ll get. This top layer can depend on board width and varies between brands. If you're trying to get a thicker top layer, you’ll pay for this in the cost of your flooring product.

So realistically, you can expect to get 3 - 4 resands from both solid or engineered flooring options.

If you’re thinking about getting your existing floors refinished or want to discuss a new flooring project, feel free to call us and speak to one of our flooring specialists for tailored recommendations for your project.

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Pet proofing your timber flooring

How many re-sands can I get from engineered flooring?

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