A hardwood floor is a good investment that will certainly add value to your home. If you’re looking for the best scratch-resistant wood flooring, know that no wood floor is completely scratch-proof, but some resist pet claws and furniture scratches better than others. It’s not just the differences between wood species that matter, but also the finishing materials. Generally, the hardest floors come from the tropics, depending on whether they are pre-finished in the factory with a baked polyurethane finish or aluminum oxide that increases hardness. The least durable floors are made of softwood, and any floor is more susceptible to scratches when finished on-site with lacquer, oil, or less than three coats of polyurethane.
WHAT IS THE BEST SCRATCH-RESISTANT WOOD FLOORING?
The basic rule to remember when looking for the best scratch-resistant wood flooring is that: the harder the wood, the more resistant it will be to scratches and dents. Hardwoods like red oak will be more durable and resist scratches better than softer woods like pine, which show scratches more easily. With proper care, your hardwood floors can stay beautiful for a lifetime. They also develop a patina and character over time. Wood hardness
Wood producers use the Janka hardness test to determine the strength and durability of a wood species.
The hardest and most scratch-resistant species, such as Ipé, Cumaru, and Jatoba, come from the tropics. On the other hand, softwoods and hardwoods are about half as hard. Softwoods, such as pine and fir, are particularly vulnerable to scratches. However, bamboo is extremely hard because it is compressed. Finishing material
Even a softwood floor can resist scratches if the wood has a hard and durable finish. The hardest finishes are those of pre-finished floors applied by the manufacturer in the factory. On the other hand, among the finishing choices we apply to flooring, oil-based finishes are more scratch-resistant than water-based ones. If you want to apply a finish yourself, choose a moisture or acid-cured product that contains aluminum oxide nanoparticles for maximum durability. You can also use a catalyzed product, also called a 2-component varnish. There is no difference in durability between a satin and glossy finish, but a glossy finish will show scratches more easily. Maximizing scratch resistance
Considering both the hardness of the finish and the wood itself, the most scratch-resistant flooring you can buy is made from a North American wood with a high Janka rating and pre-finished with a baked polyurethane finish. Hickory is the toughest domestic hardwood, almost 30% harder than maple, but its highly figured grain pattern isn’t suitable for all uses. Oak is the most common flooring material in North America; it is 6% softer than maple. Whether you choose oak, maple, hickory, or an exotic wood, choosing a pre-finished floor is the best way to ensure scratch resistance. Mitigating scratch damage
In case you have a pet such as a large dog with claws that will likely scratch any floor you install, you can use certain strategies to minimize the impact of scratches. One is to choose a light-colored and heavily grained wood that doesn’t show scratches – for example, hickory would be a good choice, as would white oak. Another trick would be to choose an intentionally aged floor – it’s already scratched, so a few more marks will simply add charm.
If you’re finishing the floor yourself, apply the maximum number of coats recommended by the manufacturer. Finally, prefer solid wood to engineered flooring, which can only be resanded a few times.
