Pine, fir, cedar

American Cherry

American Walnut

Carbonized bamboo (caramel colored)

These woods are softer and will dent very easily – even without dog or without kids. They look beautiful, but they are not very practical. And, ironically, most are more expensive (because fewer people buy them and there is lower supply). Note: American Cherry and Walnut are different thanBrazilian Cherry and Walnut. American = soft; Brazilian = hard.

Use solid hardwood rather than Engineered hardwood. Solid hardwood is often better quality and most engineered hardwood floors have a limited number of sandings. It’s always good to have an insurance plan, and you will have stronger peace of mind with solid since you can refinish solid hardwood floors if you get deep scratches or if you get pet stains.

Consider distressed hardwoods. This is a stylized look that some customers love and others hate. It tends to be in style in the South, certain areas in the west, and more rustic homes in the Northeast. This look is not for everyone. But, here’s why it’s good for pets…it shows the scratches and dents less because that’s how the wood is designed – it dent looks like it fits right in. Likewise, hardwood that has more knots and character marks will hide the dent and scratches more.Anderson Virginia Vintage Line has a great line of authentic hand scraped products and you can buy them on this link at FastFloors.