We want to have wood floors installed but we have big dogs and are afraid the floors will be ruined in a very short time. What are our choices?

Wood floor finishes have come a long way in terms of durability!

Consult with your installer for the best finish for your situation. I don’t normally recommend products in this column, but our wood floor installer/finisher just brought us idea for anyone who has dogs. It’s a product called Soft Paws-they are non-toxic vinyl nail caps. They come in 7 sizes and 7 colors. In addition to protecting floors, doors and furniture from sharp nail scratches, they shield pet lovers with sensitive skin (ideal for anyone taking blood thinners) from unintentional scratches, and helps dogs maintain their footing on slick surfaces, such as wood, marble or tile floors.

Check them out at www.softpaws.net.  (May 2010)

How is the hardness of a wood floor species measured?

The Janka test measures the hardness of a wood species and therefore is a good measure of a wood species to withstand denting and wear. It’s also a good indicator of how hard or easy a species is to saw or nail. The lower the number, the softer the wood. Here are a couple of examples of common woods used in this area beginning with the softest: Douglas fir-660, black cherry-950, white oak-1210, Heart pine (antique)-1225, red oak-1290, hard maple-1450, Hickory/pecan-1820, Brazilian cherry-2820. The hardest wood on my table is Brazilian walnut at 3680. Cork and Bamboo are not included as there are great variances between manufacturer’s products and between horizontal and vertical construction. While Janka values give a general sense of hardness, many other factors also contribute to a floor’s durability, including the type of cut, denseness of cell structure and the finish used. (May 2009)

I want to replace the carpet in my house with something a little more exotic than typical oak strip floor. Is there something new?

You might consider one of the many laminate floors available today. It’s a tough, hardwearing product that comes in many different colors, wood species and patterns, another interesting option is TimberGrass flooring. The look is a little different then the traditional oak or maple floors, but the biggest difference is something you can’t see. TimberGrass is 25% harder than oak and 12% harder than maple. Unlike hardwood trees requiring 120 years to grow to maturity, bamboo is a grass and grows to maturity in less than 6 years and is renewably harvested over and over from the same plants. It’s comparatively priced and there are trim pieces available.

What’s hot in the tile and stone market?

Hard surface floors have grown in popularity recently. Ceramic tile was the common choice for residences for years but porcelain tiles, which have long been used commercially, are picking speed. They are a dense, impervious body with an extremely low porosity. That gives porcelain tiles a high resistance to bending, staining, rapid climate changes, including being freeze/thaw stable, making it suitable for outdoor uses. Porcelain tiles have a high level of flatness and a greater resistance to chipping. Manufacturers have expanded design choices to thousands of sizes, shapes, textures and colors. Metal tiles are now being produced so that they may be installed via conventional ceramic tile methods. They are drop-dead gorgeous! Tiny glass tiles were most often used in Italian mosaics. Today, their use has expanded to the residential bathroom and kitchen because it is easy to clean, totally non-porous and is an ideal product for ‘wet areas’. Small mosaics are still popular, but larger formats-up to 6x6 are now available in a stunning array of colors. Hand –formed, ultra-rustic tiles, hand-painted and raised relief tiles are also in demand.

My basement floor is painted. Can I install ceramic tile without removing the paint?

Probably not. Unless the paint in question is properly applied epoxy paint (not the kind that comes in a spray can) , you shouldn’t install ceramic tiles over paint or paint over spray. If the tiles are installed over a painted floor, the bond strength of the tile adhesive will not be any stronger than the paint’s grip on the concrete. Don’t risk it if you don’t know. Remove the paint from the floor before you install the tile.

I am looking for something different in a floor product for my bedroom. Can you recommend a "green" product?

Bamboo is a viable hardwood flooring or carpet alternative. It’s actually a grass. Thanks to technological advances of the last decade, a new durable, attractive bamboo flooring product is suitable for exportation to the U.S. market. Most of the bamboo supply comes from 3 provinces in China, and, of the more than 1,000 species, only 2 are fit for flooring. “It’s very, very hard-not the stuff that pandas eat. It’s harder than any other hardwood, except pecan and hickory, and more resilient,” says Seymour Ellis of Ellis International. Bamboo wears well, looks good and is a renewable resource. Bamboo is the tallest, fastest growing grass in the world, regenerating at a rate of 4-5 feet per year. It’s comparable in price to mid-range hardwoods like oak.