Is real wood flooring easy to scratch?
Real wood flooring from Value Carpets is a prized element in many homes due to its beauty, warmth and durability. Some homeowners could be concerned about how easily their wood floors will scratch.
The simple answer is that it depends on the wood. While wood floors aren’t as resistant to scratches as stone or tile, some types of wood are harder to scratch than others. Ultimately, the scratch resistance depends on the type of wood, the grain pattern and whether or not it is protected by a hard finish.
Hardwood or Softwood Flooring?
Softwoods and hardwoods are both used as flooring material, but they offer different scratch resistance. Softwoods such as pine, spruce or fir will more than likely to scratch with normal use. They are better suited to parts of your home that do not get a lot of traffic, such as the bedroom. Hardwoods such as oak, maple or birch are denser, so they are able to resist scratches better than softwoods. These woods are ideal in high-traffic areas such as your kitchen or living room, where furniture is often slid across or dropped on the floor.
Does Grain Pattern and Cut affect the floor’s resistance?
The pattern of the floor’s wood grain can influence its scratch resistance. Hardwood floors with a tight grain pattern are ideal for high-traffic areas as the tight grain makes it more scratch-resistant. The way floorboards are sawed can also determine how resistant to wear the wood will be. Plain-sawn flooring has a flat grain and has noticeable grain patterns and may not wear evenly, with scratches possibly more visible.
How to improve scratch resistance
The best method to prevent scratches on your wood floor is by applying a protective finish. Penetrating sealers are applied to wood to protect it from moisture, but they do not offer much scratch protection. Surface finishes, such as polyurethanes and vanishes will create a protective surface coating that will resist moisture, scratches and stains. While the wood itself may not scratch, the surface finish is not impervious with wood floors needing a refinished surface finish every two or three years.
Engineered and solid wood flooring from Value Carpets
Value Carpets offer two different types of wood flooring; engineered and solid real wood. The engineered version has a multi-layered plank with a final layer of solid wood on top. It gives you the natural beauty and character of wood plus it’s easy to install.
Alternatively, solid wood floors are hard-wearing, with a feeling of true quality that will last a lifetime.
Get in touch for more information
If you would like more information about real wood flooring from Value Carpets, please do not hesitate to contact us now.