Can you have it all? Can you have luxury and scratch-resistant flooring for luxury apartments at the same time? For owners of luxury apartments and condos, the last thing you want is to install flooring that is not scratch-resistant. When people rent condos or luxury apartments, they do not always respect the flooring, and, inevitably, scratches can develop that can ruin the beauty of the flooring. Some of the common causes of scratches on flooring include:
- Pets: Both cats and dogs love to scratch items in the home and these scratches are often deep and obvious
- Moving furniture
- Shoes and boots
- Children discarding items on the floor/tossing toys
- Heavy foot traffic
Is there scratch-resistant flooring for luxury apartments? Yes! Over the past two decades, several flooring materials have been manufactured that are quite scratch-resistant and they include the following:
- Hardwood is flooring for luxury apartments that are susceptible to scratches but you need to select the right type of hardwood. Hardwood flooring made from white oak, hickory, and hard maple is less prone to scratches as it has an excellent surface finish. You should generally avoid softer woods, like cherry, pine, and black walnut, as they tend to scratch easily. One way to hide minor scratches is to select hardwood flooring with dense grain patterns, then marks on these woods are not as obvious. Finally, if you select hardwood, then you also need to cover the area of the floor where your pet sleeps and eats with heavy rugs. In addition, if you have children, place rugs around play areas so that any toys tossed do not fall directly onto the floor.
- Engineered wood is the ideal scratch-resistant flooring for luxury apartments; not only is it scratch-resistant, but it is moisture-resistant, and offers the same gorgeous aesthetics as traditional hardwood flooring. Because of the way engineered wood is made, it is durable and can withstand significant foot traffic. Most importantly, it is also cheaper than traditional hardwood flooring. However, before you have engineered wood installed, you need to ask what type of finish it has. In general, oil-based polyurethane varnishes and certain lacquers are more scratch-resistant than water-based products of like nature.
- Tile is one of the most scratch-resistant materials on the market. It is made from very hard materials, like porcelain or ceramic, and can withstand a significant amount of foot traffic without being damaged. Tiles have many other benefits, including being water-resistant, easy to clean and maintain, comes in many styles and designs, and does not build up pet dander and dust, making it an ideal flooring for people with allergies. Best of all, tiles do not get scratched from pet claws. The only two downsides to tiles are that they do feel hard and can be cold on the feet, but in Florida weather, tiles are an ideal flooring.
- Laminate is a terrific flooring for luxury apartments. The newer generation of laminate products is more durable and can withstand significant foot traffic. The latest laminate flooring usually has an extra top layer that is not only waterproof but will resist scratches from furniture, pets, and even toys. The other benefit of laminate is that it can mimic hardwood and most people will not be able to tell the difference between these two floorings. If you are looking for scratch-resistant flooring for your luxury condos, then look no further than laminate. The best feature is that laminate flooring is very affordable. You can also consider adding a non-slip layer to make the flooring safe for children and the elderly.
- Luxury vinyl is another option if you are looking for scratch-resistant flooring. However, you need to purchase the latest vinyl flooring that has an additional top layer that makes it more durable and protects it from scratches. Older products may not have this top surface finishing. Vinyl has many other great qualities, including being soundproof, easy on the feet, moisture-resistant, affordable, and, best of all, it can mimic the look of stone, wood, and other luxury finishes.
How to Prevent Scratches
No matter what flooring you select, to make it last longer, you will need to maintain it. If you are worried about scratches made by pets, then you can have their claws trimmed regularly. In addition, throw some rugs where the pet plays and sleeps. Similarly, if you have children who like to toss toys around, place some rugs in those areas.
In addition, you may want to use furniture pads on tables and chairs to cushion any impacts to the floor. Avoid pulling furniture across the room; instead, lift the furniture when moving. If your hardwood flooring has scratches, most of the time you can erase them by refinishing the surface. Finally, make it a point that everyone in the home removes their shoes at the front door before walking into the home.
Conclusion
If you are looking for scratch-resistant flooring for your luxury apartment complex or condo, you should consult with a representative from East Coast Flooring & Interiors. In general, there are many other things to consider when buying flooring and those include the cost, installation, durability, moisture resistance, among others.
By knowing the pros and cons of the different flooring materials, you will be able to select an option that meets your needs. Call 1-954-417-6966 to speak with an East Coast Flooring & Interiors representative. They are very knowledgeable about floor options.