Best hardwood floor for BIG dogs

[Jake Elkins]

Thanks everyone for the advice. In several years of discussion with LOML, we have decided that hardwood > engineered >> laminates or tile. Its time for a change, and will probably go the hardwood route. Honestly, until I had visited some of the hardwood stores (perhaps my mistake), I had just assumed that we would get unfinished sand-in-place hickory at $3 a SF. A couple weeknights with a rented sander and a dust mask, followed by some poly, and I thought I'd be set. Now I just don't know. What Adam had said about the beveled edges echoes some of my original thoughts when I saw these floors installed at the store: these are great places to get dirt, sand, dust, and nails, caught.

Perhaps an important consideration that I forgot to mention. I know that we definitely will be in the house for 5.5 more years, at the end of which we will definitely be moving. So, I don't know how that plays into the thinking. Given the sorry state the current floors are in, something will need to be done (i.e., new carpets, laminate, etc) before we try to sell. We were thinking that we might as well get something in the interim. Just my naive way of thinking, but I almost think that we could recoup at least some of the cost of going Brazilian 'something'. "Exotic hardwood throughout the entire upper area" might have a nice ring to it in the realtor ad. I'm not sure if I could say the same about the cheaper, but perhaps more practical, options of engineered or laminate or faux-wood tiles.

I have a lot of experience with laying tile, but relatively none with wooded floors (if you don't count Pergo), so this will certainly be a learning process. Re: jamb saws, I have used with success my Bosch FlushCut saw (Swiss made, neat little tool, btw). I know a dedicated saw might be nice, but this one will have to do. No budget for more tools, unfortunately. $500 for a flooring nailer? Ouch! Any opinions on brand with this?

At 1,200 SF, going with hardwood will eat up a pretty big chunk of our savings, and I have just a bit of trepidation with going forward at this point. Everyone's opinion has been greatly appreciated. If anyone can offer up any more, I'm all ears.

[Vijay Kumar]

Well Paul dont keep us in suspense. What floor did you end up getting after this extensive testing? Inquiring minds what to know

As Joe said the ultimate problem will not be the wood itself but whatever finish is applied. The floor will certainly get scratched and grungy in no time no matter what wood you choose.

Consider laminates. A laminate floor I put onto a vacation home porch proved to be impervious to even golf shoe spikes. I tested samples with hammer blows; immersion in water [the well known Pergo swelled up and delaminated] and screwdriver scratches before picking the brand. All I will advise is that Pergo failed and I got something else. There are lots of choices. The trade-off for indestructibility is that laminates may look just like wood but will never walk or sound like real wood.

[Stephen Cherry]

I vote for unfinished hardwood. Do a quick sand and finish job now, and another when you sell. It will look great.

I don't know where you are at, but near Baltimore we have "wood floors plus" with oak for about 2.20 per foot. I've used their product, and it's nice. They sell a lot of flooring.

[David Nelson1]

1+ on wood floor plus in Glen Bernie

[Jerome Stanek]

As far as an under cutter a $14 HF multi tool will do just fine.

[Shawn Pixley]

Ever the contrarian, I installed the strand Bamboo. It is heavy, hard and durable and held up well to our big dog. I wish the solid white oak had held up as well.

[Ben Hatcher]

I also installed strand woven carbonized bamboo. You've got to check the hardness as I've seen product hardness vary from about 1100 to 2800.

For those who say that the hardness of the wood doesn't matter and that it is all about the finish, I propose this, put your favorite "hard" finish on some styrofoam board and walk on it. I bet you can read the brand of shoe from the mark it left. With hardwood floors, especially with dog nails, DENTING will cause as much visible damage/patina as scratches.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

90% through a DIY installation of 1200 sf of sculpted prefininished hickory here. Pretty surprising how tough that finish is, but I bet your MUCH larger dogs would be more than it would take. We installed for doggie reasons too. Our dauchsunds and kids were tough on the carpet, and lets face it, carpet is gross no matter how well taken care of it is. Dogs hate the new floors, they are kind of tip toeing around still, must be the slippery. Kind of funny to see.

Shawn's mention of bamboo seems to me like it probably would not scratch. The sample we brought home is the hardest of any of them.

I'm using my biscuit cutter as an under cutter saw, and I did a pile of research and tried two other "knock off" brands before I just bought a Bostich stapler. Looked to me like the resale value is very good for used Bostich, so you could sell it after you are done. Make sure you get that graphite mallet hammer thing Bostich sells. It is a very well designed tool that will make your life easier.

Oh, it will take more than a couple weekends to pull this job off probably for us rookies. I'm on day 6 and there is at least 4 more. A pro could have probably done it 1/4 of the time, but I am also the mover, the demo guy, the trim carpenter, and the drywall contractor....

Steve

[Rich Engelhardt]

No budget for more tools, unfortunately. $500 for a flooring nailer? Ouch! Any opinions on brand with this?

Use the search function an search here for flooring nailers.
I bought one from Harbor Freight for $99 with a coupon. I believe they have the same deal going on right now.
I couldn't be happier with it.

Lumber Liquidators has the best price on cleat nails and staples.

[Rian de Bruyn]

I must say I know little about hardwood floors BUT I can tell you everything about a boerboel ( I am a boerboel breeder in SA)

[Brad Shipton]

I spent a bundle on a genuine Bostick and that felt a little wasteful. I have been told the knock off hardwood nailers have gotten better, and Rich has been here quite some time. If you are organized and do it all in one go, rent one from whatever big box you have handy.

As for the exotic flooring getting more at resale, I doubt it. I did a bunch of inlays and different borders, and the best you get is, that's cool. If you are in an median house area, the comps are what will set the price. I suggest you pick whatever you like and be happy. Most people do not understand the differences between engineered, laminates and hardwood. I am a big fan of the engineered, but if people ask at resale time the average joe might get confused. 3/4" solid still seems to be what people think is "real hardwood." I have explained it to many friends and I can tell they don't follow the differences.

The install is not difficult at all if you follow the instructions and have the few basic tools. Are you re-using the existing registers or do you want the wood style? There are some nice flush mount options that go in with the flooring if you like that option.

[Paul Symchych]

It was a German product, name of Witek or Witex or something similar. No idea if they are still sold here.
That was quite a while ago. I sold the place 6 or 8 years ago.

[Mort Stevens]

I would go with prefinished engineered hardwood. The finish on prefinished flooring is harder than anything applied from a can.

x2

I don't know what they use for finish, but it's as tough as you can get.

[Ruperto Mendiones]

I'm a resident in a household of 2 Irish wolfhounds. We installed travertine. It shows some wear from casters but canines have caused no problems. In a previous house slate showed no wear from Newfoundlands.

Ruperto Mendiones

[Rich Engelhardt]

If you are organized and do it all in one go, rent one from whatever big box you have handy.

Brad,
That's what one of my orginal plans was - to rent the flooring nailer from Home Depot.
I stopped in two different stores to check prices and availibility and both carried no name Aisian nailers.
I figured I might as well take a chance on the Harbor Freight one.
My gamble paid off on this one.