Dog claw scratches wood floors

Q: We built a new home last year and installed S******* engineered wood floors throughout most of the downstairs. Even though we keep our dog’s claws clipped, we still have lots of scratches over our wood floors. The finish is aluminum oxide.

I‘ve tried the standard scratch repair kits (filler, crayon type fillers, etc.) and it does nothing. I’m trying to contact the manufacturer but do you have any ideas? Can the floors be sanded and refinished?

A: Understand, it is not your dogs fault. I generally don’t recommend pre finished because, as tough as aluminium oxide finishes are, in the end it can be it’s Achilles heel. If you can’t buff the finish because it is so hard, then you can’t keep it looking fresh.

If the surface veneer is thick enough, you should be able to sand it. Not easy to do, but possible.

Similar Q: We have scratches all over our floor from a large dog. Can we buff these out without having to strip the floor?

A: Probably not because it isn’t just the finish which is scratched. The weight exerted on claw tips by a large dog is extreme and it actually causes depressions or grooving in the wood itself. Eventually the finish itself will also yield.

Related Q: How to I get scratches out of a pine floor/pine planks? My dog has made several scratches.

A: Pine is very soft. A dog will make nail impressions in very hard wood. What is one to expect when you have pine? Love your dog. Enjoy your floors. Re-coat when they start to look terrible.