Dogs, cats, rabbits, we love them but…

Thursday, 31 October 2019

We all know if you want to increase your web popularity, publish a cat video. If you want to attract people’s sympathy, talk about your dog. Since forever, pets get all awws and ooohs. They’re featured in discussions and share the daily life of most of us. In fact, according to research led by Canadian households, close to 50% of them have a cat or a dog.

Now, those who have the chance to share their life with these adorable pets, also know the downside of the scratches left on the floors.

There are some floor coverings that offer better resistance to scratches left by their claws. For example, you may opt for harder wood species such as engineered, bamboo, ceramic, stone, or concrete with or without epoxy.  

However, because you can’t put stone, ceramic, or concrete everywhere and changing your actual floor for a more rigid solution is not an appropriate solution short term, you should think of a more realistic alternative.

If you have a laminate floor, it will be more difficult to treat deep scratches as sanding is impossible. But, whether you want to protect or restore, there are certain products on the market that do not require you to sand, allowing you to give back some luster to your floor. Less expensive than a regular finish, this solution may, without a doubt, help for surface scratches.

If you have hardwood, cork, or parquet floor, a good floor finish is the treatment your need. If your floor is not to damaged yet, hurry up! Think of protecting it soon.

Many finish options are available. Since you have a pet, make sure to choose a finish that will be resistant to high commercial traffic. Often, these finishes have additions of components, such as aluminum oxide.

Also, there are waterborne, oil base, or crystal finish. Each type of finish has its benefits and downsides. But, as you have a pet, it is highly recommended for you to use products that will be safe not only for its health but for yours as well.

A good way to know if the finish corresponds to these criteria is to look at the VOC (Volatile Organic Components) as well as the base of the product. The higher the number of volatile organic components, the more the product tends to be harmful. In regards to the basic component, that’s the one which gets evaporated to leave the finish on the floor. So, if this one is toxic, the VOC will be more toxic.

Another thing to note, not every finish can be applied on top of any other finish. If you do not have any deep scratches, you may apply two coats of finish on the previous one without having to sand down to bare wood. You just have to make sure the finish you choose allows it. You will only have to unpolish the surface and apply two new coats. If you have many and/or deep scratches, a bare wood sanding is required.

Something to also consider is the ease to apply. There are some finishes that may be applied with a roller. It may be worth it to take a look at these.

Choosing the right finish that will resist your pet scratches may seem complicated, but when reading the labels in the store and asking experts who work there, you will have all the information to make an informed decision.

Once you decided to do the job and you chose your finish, you just have to do it. For restoration on top of an existing finish, we evaluate the project to be approximately one day. This way, you may get back to your home a few hours after the last coat.

If you need advice or additional information about this, feel free to contact a team of experts that will be able to give you a hand.