I would recommend hardwood in at least the living room and dining room. We also have hardwood in our kitchen, but many people prefer tile (ceramic, porcelain, slate). Vinyl is an affordable option for the kitchen, but I wouldn't recommend it for a dining room or living room.

If you afford it I would do hardwood throughout the whole house. As long as there isn't a massive leak you should be fine with it in the kitchen. Plus, you can always get hardwood refinished if there are scratches. Be sure to buy extra wood though, so that you can replace any flooring if there are issues down the line. People always forget to do this and then run into trouble.

There is no need for a seven inch width board. The wider the board, the more instability and movement. Anything over five inches is totally unnecessary. This is true, whether you will sand on site, or go pre finished. And yes, put it everywhere.

Hardwood is always best. But please remember to apply proper protection as well.

Osmo is great for job.

Hi Dana, it’s very wise of you to consider how you and your family (and future dog) will live in the space when deciding what flooring is best for you. For your interest in white oak plank hardwood, we would recommend taking a look at our Castlewood Oak collection. This engineered hardwood has a lot of natural charm and visually rich colors. Castlewood Oak has 7 1/2” widths and a very low gloss finish, giving this flooring a vintage look. Below are some examples from this collection, Arrow and Chatelaine:

You also mentioned luxury vinyl floors, which have become increasingly popular in recent years because of their durability. Since this is such a big decision for your family and you home, we would recommend you check out a nearby flooring retailer so you can see and feel our LVP products like the Floorté Collection to see if it’s something you’ll want in your home. The styles are on trend and feature realistic wood looks. Since you mentioned having high traffic with kids and a pet, you’ll like hearing that Floorté is waterproof, meaning that spills or the drips are no worry. At the end of the day, if you prefer hardwood, we recommend going with your instincts.

Let us know if you have specific questions and best of luck with your remodel!

Almost every house I've lived in has had hardwood floors, and I've never had any reason to worry about the wear-and-tear caused by pet and kid traffic. You sweep, vacuum, dust mop, and make judicious use of wet products to keep everything clean. You put down area rugs because they look beautiful on hardwood. Then you live.

After ten years or so, you might/might not think about refinishing. I personally wouldn't want wood floors in the kitchen or bathroom, but for the main rooms, there's nothing more lovely, even when they're a bit dull and scratched.

Of course, if every little scratch is going to cause you to lose sleep, you might as well go with tile or vinyl.

As stunning as the 7" wide oak is...it is a budget KILLER! That wide planks is more expensive to INSTALL (there are technical reasons for the expensive install) and they will be DOUBLE the price of a traditional 3 3/4" plank. If you want a wider plank, then look at something a little bit more reasonable like 4" - 5". The extra cost will be minimal and the installation will be "normal" = same price of install as for 3" planks.

The other beauty when working with more conventional widths = easier to REPAIR/replace/add to should you want to do it. Right now the wide planks are SUPER trendy. But, like all trends, it will die. And Murphy's Law tells us it will die RIGHT BEFORE you need a MASSIVE repair. Which means the cost of custom milling 7" planks will be MORE than the full removal/replacement with new wood flooring. Yikes.

If you are running into budget concerns then the super wide/hyper trendy 7" planks might not be the best fit for you. Feel free to look at narrower/cheaper versions so that you can get everything you want, where you want it, for the price that keeps you sane.

Dana, I 'd recommend engineered wide planks with Ultra Matte finish if you afford it. A matte finish does not reflect as much light as a glossy floor does, and also does not show as much dirt, debris, and damage as high-gloss finishes. Wide planks make a contemporary statement as well as enhance the natural beauty of any wood type. You can take a look at Aayers Rocky Ridge Collection.

Find out more info about the flooring on www.aayersfloors.com

We are based in Seattle/WA and our Display Dealers are located all over the US . You can ask your retailer for samples to view in your home, or order them yourself on our website.

Any help you need please let us know. E-mail: marketing@aayersfloors.com

Good luck with your project!