Need answers about hardwood floors

captiva

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I already have hardwood in my kitchen and foyer but after months of pouting, I have finally talked my husband into putting hardwood in the rest of the first floor. I do have a couple of questions about it before I take the plunge. Two of my cats are barf monsters . Mama eats too fast, runs into the family room and throws up on the carpet at least two times a week and George has the same problem. I know it's not a big deal if we are around to clean it up right away but has anyone had cat spit up on their hardwood floor that sat all day? Will it damage it? How do you do daily cleaning? I'm afraid to use any type of vacuum because I'm afraid daily use will scratch it over time. Is there anyone that thinks it's a mistake to get it because of your own experience?
 

momofmany

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I had hardwoods at my old house because it was easier to care for than carpet. There was hardwood under the carpet, so when we had those floors refinished, we had an industrial strength varnish put on the floors (the same thing they use in gymnasium floors). Cat yack wasn't a problem for them, and we used a cannister vacuum with a floor attachment to suck up all the hair. Any vacuum with a beater bar just doesn't work well on bare floors.

We're going to replace all the carpet here with bamboo in the next year. I'm not at all concerned about caring for it.
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by captiva

I already have hardwood in my kitchen and foyer but after months of pouting, I have finally talked my husband into putting hardwood in the rest of the first floor. I do have a couple of questions about it before I take the plunge. Two of my cats are barf monsters . Mama eats too fast, runs into the family room and throws up on the carpet at least two times a week and George has the same problem. I know it's not a big deal if we are around to clean it up right away but has anyone had cat spit up on their hardwood floor that sat all day? Will it damage it? How do you do daily cleaning? I'm afraid to use any type of vacuum because I'm afraid daily use will scratch it over time. Is there anyone that thinks it's a mistake to get it because of your own experience?
I have hardwood floors on all three floors. We have parties and alcohol frequently gets spilled on the floors. I cannot imagine barf being worse than that.
 

pami

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I have never had a problem with spit up causing any issues at all. Even not finding it until later. Pesonally, hardwood floors and cats are so much easier to take care of than carpet and cats.

I use my Dyson on the floors. I use the attachments to clean the edges and the corners and then steam mop with vinegar.

Amy, arent bamboo floors supposed to be harder than hardwood?
 

momofmany

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Originally Posted by Pami

Amy, arent bamboo floors supposed to be harder than hardwood?
Depends on the bamboo. Cross cut bamboo that was heated to caramelize the color can actually be fairly soft. Also newer growth bamboo isn't as hard. Vertical cuts are harder than cross cuts. But the hardest stuff out there: at least 6-7 year old bamboo that is "stranded" together and not caramelized. They take the remnants of normal bamboo processing and bind it together with a formaldehyde free bonding agent. The stuff is supposed to be like 300 times harder than red oak.

Guess what stuff we are getting, although we may compromise and get the caramel color. I've done a lot of research on it.
 

calico2222

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Are you doing actual hardwood as in the individual planks, or doing laminate flooring that looks like hardwood? Laminate flooring can hold up to pretty much anything, including vaccuums, spills, cat puke, ect. Actual hardwood floors are pretty durable as long as they are treated and varnished properly. The house I grew up in had the old time hardwood floors and they were a mess when we first moved in. After about 10 years, my parents were finally able to get the floor on the first story refinished, and it made a world of difference but it cost a chunk of money. But after that, we could use a regular vaccuum set of "bare floor" setting without any problems.
 

rosiemac

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I have laminate flooring which looks like wooden flooring and it's so hard wearing. If you can get that where you are i would opt for that.

In my old house i had the original floorboards which were sanded and varnished, and i could run the vacuum over no problem. The only thing i couldn't do was to walk on them with spikey heels or it would leave dents in it.
 

catmom2wires

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I recently put the woven bamboo throughout the house. I bought it from Ecotimber.com. It is really tough! I tried soaking the sample piece in water overnight and it STILL was OK.

Enjoy the new floors!
 
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captiva

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Thanks for the input, everyone! When I finally decide what I want, I will be back to ask for color advice !
 

pami

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Are you going to have the floors in your kitchen and foyer sanded to match? If not, I would keep them all the same color. My opinion with cats is, the lighter the better.
 

littleraven7726

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We have hardwood floors throughout our house. After we closed on the house, we pulled up a corner of the carpet and discovered real wood floors.
We couldn't afford a professional refinishing, and did it ourselves. They look great and you couldn't pay me to go back to carpet.
When the cats barf, I just wipe it up. There's no need for spot cleaning machines like the carpet did.


I don't know about bamboo, other than I have heard you have to really investigate whether it's a "green" product or not. Some bamboo isn't grown using sustainable methods.
 

gailc

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About 12 years ago we took out maple flooring from an old one room schoolhouse. We hand scraped 100 yrs of varnish from the edges before it was re-installed. We used an oil based polyurethane finish vs the water based formula. We do need some spots redone due to scraping from the bottoms of the chairs. Cat puke is not a problem!!

I would prefer the real 3/4" wood vs the laminate. How many times do you think our floor was done in 100 years?? And still have the majority of that dimension of wood left.

Laminate at best can only be refinished once. And people have had warranty issues concerning any type of damage caused by water.

I use a vinegar/murphy's oil soap mix and vaccuum with my non carpet cleaner.
 

momofmany

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Originally Posted by CatMom2Wires

I recently put the woven bamboo throughout the house. I bought it from Ecotimber.com.
Ecotimber is a good company. They use older growth bamboo which is harder than the stuff they mass produce today. And they don't bind it with formaldehyde. So it is actually very environmentally friendly. By woven I assume you mean stranded? That's the stuff I'm looking at and am going to see a sample of the Ecotimber's bamboo this week.

Originally Posted by littleraven7726

I don't know about bamboo, other than I have heard you have to really investigate whether it's a "green" product or not. Some bamboo isn't grown using sustainable methods.
You are absolutely right. The bamboo massed produced in countries like China today is grown in areas where they clear cut the forests, and they over grow the bamboo and harvest it after about 3 years. It's so soft that they treat it with bad chemicals like formaldehyde, which leaches bad gases into your home. Imagine your cats on a floor that has formaldehyde gas? But there are entire web sites that talk about which bamboo companies are really "green". And I'll tell you - companies like Lumber Liquidators sell the worst bamboo out there. It's the cheapest, but its the worst.
 

Willowy

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I don't like laminate at all. It's too hard, too cold, and doesn't do well with moisture. I spilled something on my laminate floor and the seams are warped now. I'd love to have hardwood but I can't afford it. I think I'll do the house all in sheet vinyl. Although tile would be nicer, I think my floors would fall in from the weight.

I know quite a few people with hardwood floors, and they all love them. I don't think cat barf will damage a properly sealed hardwood floor.

I'm afraid of bamboo because I've gotten too many slivers from bamboo toys/chopsticks, etc. Probably the floors are finished well enough to not give you slivers, but just the sight of bamboo gives me chills now.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Momofmany

We're going to replace all the carpet here with bamboo in the next year. I'm not at all concerned about caring for it.
I just wanted to address this. We had bamboo put down in our little house before we moved in because we heard it was harder than wood and of course there was the "green" aspect. I have to tell you that even with clipping Bijou and Mika's nails weekly, there are many, many scratches and if you drop anything heavy on it, believe me it is going to leave a dent/chip.

I honestly would never get bamboo again - I'd stick with oak or maple.

To the OP - I personally think hardwood floors are easier to keep than carpeting and are much more sanitary. A little cat barf isn't going to do any harm even if left all day while you are at work.
 

darlili

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shoot, my book is at home, but it's a book about cats by Dusty Rainbolt, the feline columnist....anyway, she mentions a friend had her hardwood floors sealed with the stuff they use at bowling alleys. I would guess that would be more expensive at first, and might take a bit longer, but, think of the wear and tear bowling alleys deal with!
 

rosiemac

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Originally Posted by Willowy

I don't like laminate at all. It's too hard, too cold, and doesn't do well with moisture. I spilled something on my laminate floor and the seams are warped now.
It depends on what quality laminate you buy. The more expensive laminates don't have those problems. My floors had rolls of silver padded underlay laid down first before the laminate and this makes it softer and warmer to walk on, and and i wash my floors no problem
Originally Posted by Pami

My opinion with cats is, the lighter the better.
I agree. All my floors are done in the lightest they had which is a light oak and it's brilliant!
 

pami

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Originally Posted by Rosiemac

I agree. All my floors are done in the lightest they had which is a light oak and it's brilliant!
My previous home I had the floors sanded and stained golden oak and at this house I had the hardwood installed upstairs and had the downstairs sanded and all the floors stained in golden oak. I wouldnt not go any darker than that.
 

pami

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Originally Posted by Rosiemac

I wouldn't either. With mine you can't see any fur, but as soon as i swiff it it's amazing the amount that's on it
I know itsnt that crazy!! I say the same goes for countertops too, only light countertops!! Mine have been dark granite in the last 2 houses and I cant stand it!! LOL
 
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