Hardwood Floor Finishes?

Why don't you just talk to the super and ask which would be best with 2 dogs and a child? They might be able to make a good suggestion, or call a Home Depot, or a flooring store. Ask them what would hold up best to the dogs and daughter over the years, and take less work, and not show as much scratches etc... Always best to get some advice from a professional in that type of business! Good Luck!

Our floors are a semi gloss finish, and I love the looks of them, but I'm constantly wiping up drips from the dog when it drinks, and they show more dirt and dog hair than our satin floors did in our old house. We have a chocolate lab, who weighs about 85 pounds and gets very excited when company comes. We put a large rug (8x10) in the entry way to help keep the scratches to a minimum. There are still some scratches but it really helped to cut it down. We also have a "shoes off" policy for inside, so small stones in our shoes don't damage the floors as well.

The higher the gloss, the more it will show scratches. Glossy also reflects light so it makes a room seem brighter but it probably takes more work to keep it clean and shiny. The satin finish will look more like natural wood, will show less scratches and will absorb light. I think its really just a matter of preference depending on your priorities. Eeny Meeny Miney Mo?

Definitely go with the lowest shine possible (I suggest satin from your list of choices). Even with low shine you tend to see the scratches, but it is much, much worse with more gloss.

Just to add another option to the mix, our floor guys (Goodman & Stoltz Hardwoods-- Awesome!!) did 2 coats of satin and one coat of semi- or gloss (can't remember) on top and that gave an amazing depth to it. Not TOO shiny, but a gorgeous sheen. It doesn't seem to show scratches, and we have 2 small children (though no dogs).

We used a satin on our floors. I like it better than the glosses, they are easier to keep clean looking. Our dog (60 lbs) has scratched the floors but, i'm not sure there is much you can do about that.
Good luck!

The last time I re-did my floors I used a matte stain and then put a layer of shiny polyurethene over it. It looked awesome (like glass!) and also held up to kids and dogs and spilled juice!

We have a satin finish on ours. Our dog has still scratched them up by the door, but even after 5 years of wear and tear, I think the floor looks great. Satin is the least "shiny" of the finishes. Insist on at least 3 coats of polyurathane - they will probably only do 2. If so, it would be worth the upcharge. Good luck!

I don't know myself, I do not have hardwood floors, but I do plan to have them in my next house. I usually find the people at the home improvement stores or even at a paint/stain store to be pretty knowledgeable about what is best for this or that. Maybe try a Home Depot or even a Sherman Williams type store... could probably ask it over the phone.