Hello, I recently refinished original hardwood floors in my home. The contractor used Bona stain and applied four coats of Bona Traffic HD - all following manufacturer's instructions. We kept my dog away for 10 days until they were fully dry and then had his nails clipped before he could enter the house.

It's been two weeks and the floors are completely destroyed. They're so soft! I can scratch/dent them with my nails and there are dozens of dents where he lays down. The dents sometimes penetrate the stain and in those cases, I can peel or scratch off the finish. The contractor tells me they've never seen anything like it but aren't 100% sure what is causing it. The distributor says it's the dog. The manufacturer says it's the dog. I've had hardwood for my whole life and have never had wear and tear this terrible....especially where the dog sleeps. My last home (dark floors, two coats of poly, 8 years without refinishing) didn't have a fraction of this level of wear and tear.

The manufacturer suggests that my only option is to pay for a $600 third party inspection of the floors. But I would like some professional opinions first. Is this normal wear and tear? There are hundreds of dents on the floors and my dog does not run in the house. Many of them are in low traffic areas. I would really appreciate some feedback!

Sorry, apparently you did not wait until the floor finish was completely cured.
There is a thick layer of finish on the floor. With so many coats of finish it takes a while to cure thoroughly.
Water-based finish dries hard and cures to a hard flexible film.
Dog claws and fingernails can apply a lot of force to a small area.

Thank you for the reply. How long until it finally cures? It's been over a month and still dents very easily.

The finish should be cured by now. Water-base finishes are tough and will stretch into a dent if the underlying wood fibers are not torn. It only protects the wood from wear. The wood will dent depending on how much pressure is placed on it.

Sorry you have had problems with this finish. It usually holds up well to foot traffic.