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A timber floor with kids and dogs? Expert tips to have it all!

June 3, 2022 Leave a Comment

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Timber floors are beautiful but can be tough to maintain, especially with children or pets. Spilt drinks, dirty feet and claw marks can all be hard on your floor. But you can have a beautiful floor with kids and dogs; you just need to know how to look after it.

Photo: Art Department Creative

Timber flooring experts Kustom Timber share these top tips.

Choose the right floor

First step, selecting a floor thatโ€™s tough enough to cope with whatever kids and pets throw at it. Engineered timber flooring is ideal for busy family homes; it gives you the warm, natural look and feel of solid timber, but itโ€™s quicker and easier to install, and requires far less maintenance.


Topped with a layer of solid wood, the naturally occurring patterns on engineered timber flooring make it ideal for disguising scratches and scuffs. Plus, itโ€™s easy to clean and maintain and is designed to age gracefully with your family. With minimal upkeep, you can expect an engineered timber floor to look beautiful for years.ย If youโ€™re concerned about wear and tear, choose a floor with a forgiving finish, such as matte, hand-scraped or wire-brushed.

Clean it regularly

Keeping an engineered timber floor clean is easy โ€“ simply sweep, vacuum and mop it weekly to prevent dirt from getting ground into the wood. Avoid abrasive cleaners, which can damage your floor; instead use a non-toxic wood cleaner to maintain the strength of the timber (and contribute to a healthy home).

Jump on spills fast

As soon as spills happen, mop them up with paper towels or a soft, lint-free cloth. This prevents liquids from penetrating the timber, which can leave a residue.

Dealing with โ€˜little accidentsโ€™

New puppy? Chances are your floor is going to be subject to a few little accidents in the coming months. Pet urine can leave dark stains on your timber floor and a permanent smell, so clean them up immediately.

Wearing gloves, place paper towels on the urine puddle to soak up as much as you can. Then blot the area with dry paper towels. Rinse the area with a damp cloth and dry out with a towel. For a stronger clean, there are products available specifically for spot stains on timber flooring.

Have your professional pet groomer regularly trim your dogโ€™s claws to reduce the chance of them scratching your floor. Making a habit of walking your dog on concrete can also help.

Feed your pets on a tiled floor, such as the laundry, or outside. If you must place their food bowls on your engineered timber floor, put a mat underneath them to catch excess spills and mess. 

Mats, rags and runners

Mats on the front and back doors of your home prevent little paws and shoes from bringing dirt inside, which will minimise scratches and scuffs.

Protect flooring in high-traffic areas, such as a hallways and family rooms, by laying down rugs and runners. Youโ€™ll find they will also add another decorative dimension to your room.

Cover furniture legs

Scraping the legs of a chair across a timber floor (which kids tend to do) can wreak havoc on the surface. Avoid this by applying anti-scuff pads to chair legs and a protective layer under heavy furniture. Nailed-on pads are best as they wonโ€™t present a choking hazard.

Dealing with deep scratches 

One of the beautiful things about an engineered timber floor is that you can have it re-sanded and refinished to look like new โ€“ perfect if youโ€™re worried about any deep scratches or discolouration.


How often you can have your floor re-sanded depends on the thickness of the top layer of hardwood. As a guide, Kustom Timberโ€™s products have a minimum veneer of 4mm, and can be lightly sanded and polished around two to three times.

Accept the patina of time

Try not to worry about a few scratches and a little discoloration on your timber floor โ€“ these are part of life in a busy household with children and pets and will only add to the patina and character of your floor. Plus, when you choose an engineered timber floor, the naturally occurring patterns of the wood make any scratches or discolouration barely noticeable.

By adopting a few precautionary measures and good habits, keeping your timber floor in great condition is easy. Kids, pets, and characterful timber floor โ€“ you can have it all.

For more on Kustom Timber

Jen’s new floor before and after
In partnership with Latitude Financial Services As regular readers will know, we have been doing up our “nanna house” (so…

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Want to try a different tipple this weekend? Toda Want to try a different tipple this weekend?

Today's #iafoodiefriday recipe is a lemon and pink peppercorn spritz by our friends at @thewholefoodsrefillery ๐Ÿธ 

They'll give you 20% off your first order with our code. Find everything you need on the blog now via link in bio.

Cheers! 

#pinkpeppercorn #spritzlife
Those finishing touches make ALL the difference! Those finishing touches make ALL the difference! 

@kethy.australia, whose cabinet hardware I've used in my own kitchen, laundry and on my recent sideboard glow up, are passionate about bringing you the latest design and finishes from around the world!ย 

Their stunning timber knobs and handles from Denmark add texture, warmth and an organic feel to yourย projectsย that can only be achieved by using natural materials.

Whether you're embarking on a new build, renovating an existing kitchen, bathroom or laundry or updating a piece of furniture, Kethy have something for you in their huge range.

See it all online and find your local re-seller at their website via link in @kethy.australia bio.

#timberhandles #timberknobs #cabinethardware #cabinethandles #finishingtouches #drawerpulls #kitchenhandles #kitchenpulls #kitchenknobs #kitchendrawer #kitchendrawers #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #theinteriorsaddict #homerenovations #interiordesignaustralia #interiordesigninspo #transformyourhome #housemakeover #designinspiration #trusttheprocess #designwork #beautifulhomes #dreamhouse #homestylingsydney #beforeandafterrenovation #creatingbeautifulspaces #kitchentrends2022 #kitchenglowup
Before & after: Renovating a kitchen while keeping Before & after: Renovating a kitchen while keeping ALL the character!

What a great example this is by @huntingforgeorge 

See all the details, and the laundry, on the blog now, via link in bio.
The patient has very much bounced back! Letterbox The patient has very much bounced back!

Letterbox kinder egg deliveries from a friend, dressing changes without a flinch and refusing to nap despite all the bribes (check the face on him in pic 3!).

Thanks for all your care and messages/comments for this tired and shaken up mama! Now very relieved and grateful ๐Ÿ™
Before & after It's not just the award winning de Before & after

It's not just the award winning designer houses that get us excited here. It's also the beloved family homes which are renovated and extended to make them fit for purpose so people can continue to live where they love ๐Ÿค—

@inspiredspacesaus helped her clients with teenage kids transform this house in Sydney's Hills District inside and out, making it their forever home. 

Due to the nature of the block they could only extend sideways and then gave it street appeal with render, new windows and doors.

See inside on the blog now, via link in bio. It was completely overhauled!
Charlie doesn't recommend running head first into Charlie doesn't recommend running head first into tiled steps ๐Ÿค•

Oh what a night. Thankfully Hornsby Hospital were as amazing as always and we avoided stitches. All taped and glued  back together and now to keep him calm for the next few days (๐Ÿคช) and watch for signs of concussion. 

Bravest little patient ever. Yes I've had a ๐Ÿท

Funny how we go into super organised mama mode in times like these. Grabbed dinosaurs, textas and scrapbook on the way out in case we had a long wait!

UPDATE: thanks for all the love! Charlie is so well this morning after a big sleep!
Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressi Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressive!

The new @studio.xox ONLY sells Australian brands. Like @nood_co coloured basins, lead-free eco brass from @faucetstrommen and @lindseywherrett's  ceramic basins made by hand in Tassie.

And as for their Sydney showroom (they also sell online): WOW.

See and read more on the blog now via link in bio.

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#interiorinspiration #myhomedesign
I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new @madeinaustshow in Sydney this August.

๐Ÿฆ˜๐ŸจForget every tacky association you ever had about touristy Australian made and prepare to see a showcase of the best of home, lifestyle, fashion and beauty made right here. If the pandemic has made you appreciate buying local even more, this is for you.

It's the first business to business trade event connecting retailers with Australian made products to champion our local makers๐Ÿ™

Apply to exhibit or find out more at their website, via their bio, now!

Are YOU buying more Australian made post covid?

#madeinaustralia #australianmade #aussiemade #aussiedesign
Do I recommend a timber vanity top? A big fat NOP Do I recommend a timber vanity top?

A big fat NOPE! ๐Ÿ’ง 

Which is why we have recently covered ours with a Caesarstone top (thanks to @justinplace_sydney for the advice and supply) and the sweet RELIEF of not having to worry about this high traffic area anymore, I'm telling you!๐Ÿค—

Doesn't matter what they tell you or how many times it's sealed, I'm not sure it's a great idea in a room which is so, well, wet!

I love having the warmth of timber in the bathroom and it's a beautiful piece, but timber on the top? Never again.

Ours probably lasted a year (if that) before it started to go downhill (and we want a good decade out of a bathroom, right?!). 2.5 years on, everything else in this bathroom looks virtually brand new and the water marked vanity top was really letting the side down and making me sad!

But I'm so pleased with this solution, I have to say! Took the plumber less than an hour to remove the sink, install the top and connect the sink back up. We didn't need to move the tap and it isn't too close to the basin.

The kids are allowed to brush their teeth and wash their hands (liquid soap ๐Ÿฅด) in here again and I can leave my hair straightener on there with gay abandon ๐Ÿ˜†

The reflective surface (which I can clean with whatever I like!๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป) brightens the room up too!

Next week I'll tell you what I really think of my brass tile trim too ๐Ÿ˜‰

#interiorsaddictbathroomreno2 #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #timbervanity
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Jekyll Chau

About Jekyll Chau

Jekyll Chau is interning at Interiors Addict as part of his Master of Communication and Journalism at UNSW.

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