Hello folks,
Two weeks ago, I had my red oak floors refinished with Bona Traffic in a semi gloss finish. They sanded, stained, then put three coats on. I love the floors. One reason I chose this floor is that I have a 43 lb dog who can get excitable. I read that the Bona Traffic is a tough finish. There were scratches in the old Swedish finish floors, but not a lot - and the floor hadn't been redone in over 15years....

When my floors were done, I brought myself and dog home. It is just the two of us and I don't wear shoes in the house and am easy on floors. The floor guys recommended I put Soft Claws on my pet's feet, which I did, to prevent him slipping and scratching the floors.

In just two weeks, he has put numerous scratches in the floor. Every day, there are more. He generally just walks on the floors - but occassionally, like yesterday, when the UPS man came to the door, he ran down the hall barking and left probably 20 scratches. I also noticed that I have a very light weight dog food box, about 5 lbs, and I have gently moved it forward in the pantry to get out dog food, and it, too, has scratched the floors. This really surprised me as I have, in the past, shoved that dog food box around and it never scratched the original floors in the pantry at all.

I am just sick about it. I realize that dogs and hardwood are not a good combination, but it is not like he is charging throughout the house constantly or that this is a house with rambunctious children. Just one woman and a 9 year old spaniel.

I am beginning to wonder if there is something wrong with the finish. That maybe for some reason it is defective and too soft.

Again, I totally understand that scratches happen and that is life, and that pets can certainly scratch, but I am astonished as to how many scratches there are even when the dog is wearing claw sheaths.

What do you think? Any advice? Is this a defective finish, or were my expectations too high for the Bona Traffic?
Thanks!

If they used the catalyzer that comes with the finish, I would say that the finish is not defective. Some contractors choose not to use the catalyzer so that they can keep any un used finish rather than throw it away .

On another note, if your floors were not stained previously and were just natural color, they would show less scratches than the floor with stain on it. If this is the case, it might explain why you are seeing more scratches

Hi and thank you - I assume the floors were originally stained - as they were the same color as the cabinets but I bought the house when it was about 15 years old. The floors were pretty tired by then but I just didn't notice the scratches happening as often as this- in just two weeks, maybe 40 or more scratches, and as I say - it's just me and the dog and the dog walks around most of the time as he is older but has the occassional burst of barking and running at the door, etc.

I will have to live with it if it is normal but was just thinking that it seemed like it was scratching a little too easily.

Thanks!

Maybe a year down the road, you can try re coating.The swedish finish (glitza ?) is tough stuff from what I remember but not very much harder than traffic if the appropriate amount of hardener is added to it

Thanks for your reply. I do think that next year I will consider a buff and another coat. Or I may wait til the dog dies - but that could be longer than a year. In the meantime, I bought some runner rugs and have them down in strategic places and plan to observe the floor for another couple of weeks, then maybe contact my flooring people and see if they think, as I do, that these scratches may be more than is usually seen

More info is needed and pics would be helpful...

but it is possible there may be a bonding issue..stain may not have been thoroughly dry..

if the finish looks like it blisters at the scratch or is breaking away..it is definitely a bonding issue..

it could also be a curing issue and as mentioned, no catalyst used, or the dog was exposed to the floor be fore fully cured.

i don't think a cocker spaniel should be causing that type of damage..but dogs do destroy..

i have Bona mega on mine and my dog is killing them..

I gave up caring...area rug and runners are good start..

it may be a good idea to raise your concern with your contractor..

Im sure he would be willing to pay a visit and give an honest assessment..

Hi James,
Thanks for your reply. I don't see blistering around the scratches - it just seems like the floor was soft. They let me come home on the third day, I had booties on my dog the first two days, then Soft Claws on him after that. I tip toed around like a tooth fairy, making certain I was super careful. My dog didn't do anything out of the ordinary - except once, when he peeled out when the UPS guy came to the door - leaving wide scratches, but otherwise it seemed that he left scratches just wandering around and pivoting, without hysterical running or barking. I used some Tibet Almond Stick on some of the scratches and it helped, visually, by about 50%. I went out and bought several rug runners to put down in the dog's flyway to make sure he stayed off the floor as much as possible. He is a 43 lb dog with polar bear feet. But, we are both middle aged and certainly not doing the moon walk on the floor or anything.

My strategy is to observe the condition for the next week or so, then contact my contractor to see if he thinks that perhaps it didn't bond well enough or something, as you suggested, and then put myself into "floor therapy" to learn how to live with the angst of a new floor getting dinged.......in other words, acceptance.......sigh....

Thanks!

Trim your dogs nails and keep them trim...

lastly, in an inconspicuous spot, see if you can scratch the floor with your own finger nail..if you do it easily..there is a problem..if you glide across it and break your own nail trying..it is good.

you can try a closet....take a razor blade/box cutter.

make a tic tac toe board on the floor with it...as if cutting through deep enough to get through the finish..

then take a piece of painters tape, masking tape. and put it over the cut ..press it firmly down..

then pull it up like ripping a bandaid off..

if you take the finish up..it is not bonded..it will be clearly evident..

Thanks so much, James, for this information! I will try both things! I appreciate all your help.

Hi I am wondering what ended up happening over time... I am feeling the same way...just got oak floors for the first time since being in the house over 4 yrs.....bona novia was used and has only been a week and already so many scratches from the cats and dogs.....never noticed ur like this before .....very frustrating

We use Bona Traffic just about every week for all kinds of clients, some with several children, several pets big and small.
We apply it at a rate of 350-400 feet per gallon always using the hardener and almost always use satin sheen.

I have bona traffic and a 31 lb beagle/pug that is extremely hyper, she does put "scratches" into the floor, but she is not scratching the color or finish off of the floor, they are actually more like dents. The wood is only so hard, it doesn't matter what you put on top of it you cannot make the wood harder.

The benefit of traffic and most other high end water-bases are that they are flexible, when these "scratches" happen the color and finish are not being scratched off, they are actually conforming to the dent and still protecting your floor.

I feel there may be several reasons why you are noticing more scratches now

1. the floor is darker now, than it was before you had the floors done
2. the floor as a whole has more sheen to it
3. the floors are brand new (you don't notice scratches in an old car right)
4. possibility of incorrect application of finish (either amount or missing hardener)

was it plain traffic or the newer traffic hd?

we have noticed the HD is not wearing as well in our opinion.

Danic123 Bona Novia is an entry level waterbase finish, it is meant to be cost effective, that with a hi gloss sheen and several animals is a recipe for disaster. Have your floors coated with one coat of traffic and you will notice a huge improvement in how your floor preforms

We are the owners of two dogs. Installed white oak floors in a newly built home a year ago. Bona Traffic Satin HD (3 coats) was used. The floors are light. Obviously dogs scratch the floors (nails trimmed). Any ideas why there is breaking away and peeling where the scratches are? Also the floor turns dark underneath the scratches . Any input is greatly appreciated.

The finish has an adhesion problem if finish is peeling where the dog's claws have stressed the finish.
If the sealer coats are exposed sometimes the sealer is not resistant to moisture and can be stained from water and contaminants.