Harwood Floors and Pets

We are often asked if hardwood flooring is a good choice for a home with pets.  Pet owners, especially of dogs, worry that the animals nails will scratch the floor or urine will damage the wood.  We are animal lovers too and we say pets and hardwood flooring can peacefully coexist!

Compared to other materials, hardwood floors may be a better choice for clean up and repair of damage. Let's face it.  Keeping animals in the home adds to the wear and tear of any flooring or furniture they spend time on.  The best you can do is take some proactive measures and keep watch for any wrongdoings.

Dogs shed, get fleas/ticks, track in dirt, vomit, etc. Carpet confines the dander, dirt, fleas and ticks making it difficult to remove it all.  Oils from dogs coats can transfer to carpet and cause discoloration. Urine stains are all but impossible to fully remove from carpeting.  The urine seeps below the carpet and is absorbed by the padding and the smell almost never fully goes away.

Laminate flooring makes wiping up messes easy, but any damage done is permanent. Scratches, nicks, and dents will be there for good and if a wet mess is not cleaned up promptly, laminates may buckle.

Hardwood floors can be repaired if needed.  This is the big difference.  Scratches and dents can usually be sanded out. Dirt, dander, fleas, and ticks are more easily removed from hardwood flooring as well.  Follow these tips and you should be able to keep your hardwood floors in good repair and enjoy your pets!

• Place food and water dishes on a rug or mat.

• Place a rug or mat by the doors the animals use most often.

• Keep the nails trimmed.

• Wipe up urine or any wet mess immediately or as soon as possible.

 Enjoy your floors and enjoy your pets just as we do here at GR Flooring!

Reduce the Allergens in Your Home

Everyone's been saying it.  Allergy season seems to be worse than ever this year.  If you suffer from allergies, you know there is little escape from those nasty allergens that have your eyes puffing up and tearing and your nose running all day and night. That is why it is so important to make your home as allergen free as possible.

Allergens, such as dust mites, pollen, and animal dander are nearly invisible and will intrude into your home no matter how often you clean. There are, however, steps you can take to reduce the misery may they be causing.

Carpets may be warm and comfortable, but they trap allergens and hold and tight.  Frequent vacuuming will help, but this is not ideal for an allergy sufferer.  Conversely, hardwood floors offer allergens no place to hide because they are free from fibers and grout lines.  People with allergies should vacuum or sweep once per week or when dust is visible.  Hardwood flooring has the clear advantage here as dust build up can be seen.

Hardwood flooring comes in many varieties and some are better choices for an allergy sufferer.  The experts at GR Flooring can help you decide which will be best for you!

How to Maintain Your Flooring

Signs of spring are all around us.  The days are becoming warmer and longer and birds have begun their yearly ritual of nest building.  Many of us have also begun our yearly ritual of spring cleaning.  So in honor of attacking dirt and grime, GR Flooring offers the following floor maintenance tips.

First and foremost, preventative maintenance will help keep your floors looking beautiful. There are a few tips which apply to all floor types:

• Follow manufacturer's recommendations.
• Install floor protector pads on the bottom of all furniture.
• Place protective rugs or mats at the entrances to the area to trap grit and absorb moisture. 
• Keep high heels in good repair so they do not dent the floor.
• Sweep, vacuum, and/or dust mop with a recommended hardwood floor cleaner on a regular basis.
• Frequently shake out rugs. 
• Wipe spills immediately.  Be sure to check manufacturer's recommendation to determine if you should use a dry or damp cloth and if you should follow up with a cleaner.
• Never use wax on top of a non-wax finish.
• Never use petroleum based cleaners on water based finishes.
• Never use a water based cleaner on a wax floor.

Follow these tips and you will be able to enjoy your flooring for years to come.  Of course, if you have any questions, one of the experts at GR Flooring will be happy to answer them for you.

Welcome to GR Flooring!

We are excited to introduce our new blog, but first let us introduce GR Flooring!  We are a family owned and operated wood flooring specialty company which was built on the principals of honesty, quality, and integrity. Our knowledgeable and experienced craftsman have helped GR Flooring rise to the top of the flooring industry and set the standards that other wood flooring companies strive to meet.

GR Flooring supplies and installs unfinished and prefinished hardwood flooring, laminates, exotic and engineered woods.  We also provide floor repairs and refinishing of existing floors. We handle new construction, renovations, and residential properties. Large or small, we will provide stellar service and beautiful results.

As a family owned local business, our customers satisfaction is of the utmost importance to us.  We deliver personal service and strive to ensure each customer is 100% satisfied with our work.  Our business thrives largely due to referrals so we are successful when our customers are happy!


We look forward to providing helpful tips and useful information in our future blogs.  Keep an eye out for our new website too!