customers are constantly asking me if a harder species or finish options actually keep wood from "characterization" (scratching). I tell them that it may make them more resistant but that nothing is invulnerable. I prefer to stay as honest as possible, opposed to telling them something they want to hear to get the sale. my question is how should I be answering these types of questions?

I get it all the time as well, "I have a 75lb dog what is not going to scratch?" No one wants a floor that is going to scratch and dent easily. I tell them quite frankly "nothing". No one wants a floor that is going to scratch and dent easily. Floors are made to be lived on by humans they are not designed to handle large dogs claws. I get a few odd looks but I put it out there that no real wood floor will not scratch and dent as long as you have a farm animal in the house. I might loose a sale here and there but I never have had a client come to me screaming I sold them an inferior product either. I then explain to them it's more about hiding and camouflaging the wear and tear. Dark, high gloss, fine grain and clear grade products are what you dont want if you are trying to maximize the performance of your floor.

My experience is growing up in a home with 50 year old solid oak. When it had its original finish (something like gunstock?) nothing showed at all -- not drag marks from furniture, not cat marks, not high heels,nothing.

Then my mother had it refinished dark. Still nothing from heels (although we were past the pointy heel period at that point!) but an occassional drag mark or scratch did show. However the refinishers did it though, the color remained the same and it still looked elegant and smooth 20 years later.

The only negative with HW was in the kitchen and by the front door (snow). Every danged drop of water, spattered grease etc seemed to mar the floor. Same with some engineered oak the kitchen of a home from the 80s. (I will never put HW in a kitchen again! Nor by a front door!)

Only posting this so you can add one customer's experience. HTH