[Mike Finley]

What would be your recommendations for flooring. I have about 1300 sq feet that will need flooring. Dining room, kitchen, foyer, powder room and hallway.

I could easily tile it up to make it look sweet, with a nice diagonal pattern, maybe with a boarder, but I'm getting sick of tile.

I'm considering hardwood floor. Can this be dog proof? As in dog doing laps, skidding out and not make it look like crap in a short time? Was considering bamboo, had heard it was the hardest surface. Would prefer not to have to finish whatever is put down. What do you think?

 

[Floorwizard]

Was considering bamboo, had heard it was the hardest surface.

ouch...bad info....

Natural Bamboo may be as hard as maple, and carmelized Bamboo as hard as oak.
Even if you bought Brazillian Cherry or Walnut (hardest wood out there) the dog could still scratch it.
For value, wood or tile is really your best option.
there are tons of high end products in Cork, Vinyl, Laminate...ect...
But tile is about all I would recommend for someone who wants darn near no wear to show immediately from a pet.
Everything else my friend, can get beat up by dogs relatively easily.

I happen to not like tile because it's just too darn hard and cold for my Alaskan bones...If I wanted cold and hard, I would step outside and stand on a frozen lake.
But the decorating possibilities are awesome, and the durability unmatched.

I would have you lower the expectations a bit, try to get you to call scratches "character" and then show you some rustic woods that tend to already look distressed.

but then again....deco with tile can be real neat...

 

[Mike Finley]

Beautiful floor, is that your work?

Okay, so first off if I got you right, bamboo ain't the cure all wood that some flooring people are making it out to be.

Life is full of compromises, so of course from what I'm reading you are telling me that there is no hardwood floor, or pretend hardwood floor that will not wear.

So, I like the sound of B. Cherry or Walnut, however I picture that being a relatively dark floor, where I'm thinking more of a tone along the lines of what natural maple looks like.

Disregarding color for now, how much "character" are we talking about. I don't see us living in this house for more than 5 years and when I go to sell it I don't want to have to replace the floor or make excuses for the condition. I rehab these places to pretty much 110% condition so I can get major money for them when we move on.

As long as we don't chase the dog around on purpose, being careful and just the random accidental dog freaken out and running in place like a cartoon as it takes off across the room every couple of years what would you think?

 

[Floorwizard]

I have done similiar work, but that specific picture is not my work. Nice though huh?

Bamboo is amazing for 1 thing, it is a very green product, more renewable than trees. Bamboo MUST be harvested or it will die quickly. It should not be touted as super hard, although it is harder than some woods, it cannot surpass maple, as long as the Bamboo is grown at super high elevations. If grown in low elevations, forget about it....less dense.

Even concrete will wear in time. But harder woods will have less dents (but still dents most likely) and not as deep scratches (but scratches nevertheless).
Area rugs and trimming the nails should do nicely. And use a low shine flat finish. The higher the shine, the more the wood will say "look at me and my scratches!"

B Cherry and Walnut are dark, you are right.

If you buy a relatively hard wood, buy area rugs, trim the nails, use the right cleaner, use furniture protectors on the legs of dining chairs (heck, get an area rug for the dining room), then you should have no issues with resell.
Unless someone comes in to buy the house and expects perfection.

I would buy wood as an investment in a second if I had the dough.
It's a smart move....

 

[Mike Finley]

Is there a rating system for hardwood floors for hardness or wear/scratch resistance?

I don't know if these are the right terms - but which is more resistant a "real" hardwood floor or a manufactured hardwood, is there any miracle surface out there or on the horizon coming?

 

[Floorwizard]

Actually both engineered and solid will be the same hardness, but an engineered floor is more stable.

www.Kahrs.com for the best engineered wood in the world.

google "janka ball testing" you will see ratings...