While Americans own more cats than dogs in the United States, we still love our non-judgmental buddies. Take these facts from the Human Society:
- There are approximately 78.2-million owned dogs in the United States.
- Thirty-nine percent of U.S. households own at least one dog.
- Twenty-eight percent of owners own two dogs.
- Twelve percent of owners own three or more dogs.
- Dogs and wood floors mix like oil and water (our statistic).
We Can Live in Peace
What makes puppies and wood floors so much at odds with each other? Let’s pause to look at their paws. It’s not just their nails. Like us, they bring all kinds of junk inside after they’ve romped around the great outdoors: Mud, small rocks, dirt. These materials are contributors to making a smooth floor rife with scratches. Unlike us, door mats to dogs mean squat. And declawing your canine is a terrible option.
The simple solution is to scatter runners around the surface. Dog’s feet prefer the cushion as opposed to a hardwood floor. The only exception will be when they get hot. Then they may venture off-the-trail, seeking out a cool place to sleep.
You Want Wood. So, What Kind Would We Recommend?
Obviously, you seek the hardest stuff you can purchase. That means fir and pine are off-the-list. Those two types of lumber are meltingly soft.
We’re talking solid hardwood. Engineered wood is out. That type of material is basically a sandwich. Sure, it has a real hardwood finish, but if a scratch happens, there are only so many times you can sand the marks out. Trust us. Sooner-or-later (like 10-to-15 years) you’ll want to be able to refinish the surface and you can’t do that with engineered wood. Another sanding may lead to exposing the meat in the sandwich, leading to total replacement.
Some simply say “we’re going for ceramic tiling.” Hey, don’t give-up so easily. Take a look at what we think will do the trick.
The Best. Built to Last
We’re always talking about ipe (EE-pay). It’s also known as Brazilian walnut. No secrets here: It will cost more, but if you want something you’ll never have to replace, a gorgeous dose of what’s known as nearly the hardest wood in the world, look no further than ipe hardwood floors.
In a previous post we wrote:
“One of the hardest of the hard – which is also eco-friendly – comes to us from South America. It’s called ipe and it’s solid as a rock.”
“How do you know one hardwood from the other? The Janka Hardness Scale tests and measures the resistance of wood and how it withstands denting and wear. It’s a way to see how much force is required to embed an 11.28 mm (0.444 in) steel ball into wood up to half the ball’s diameter.”
“Ipe has a janka rating of around 3680. That places it nearly at the top of the heap. And because it’s so hard you’ll find it mold, fungus and insect resistant. What we love about this wood is that it is very low-maintenance.”
The line at the bottom is simply this: Ipe and your dog can mix. Because it has a natural defense unlike all other wood, ipe does not need to be pressure-treated with chemicals, toxins or preservatives. The last word: The US Forest Products Laboratory stamps ipe as a 25-year-plus material. Treat it right and it will last more than a century.
Not up for ipe? Also take a look at Tigerwood and Grapa!
Original Source: http://timbertownaustin.com/home-improvement/hardwood-flooring-for-dogs
