Depends which Bona finish they used. There are different quality levels. Just like buying a car. Find out which product line they used and their finishing process.

As G&S suggests, Bona makes high end stuff and they make budget products. Bona Mega is going to have a different wear life then Bona Traffic HD. And the amount of coats used (did they cheap out and use 2 coats?). I would also ask how OLD the finish is (is it 2 weeks old or is it 1-4 months old). And I would ask if the AC was on when the floor was curing? A fresh finish is delicate. It can take a few weeks to 'toughen up'.

And then the COVERAGE of the product is also a clear concern. Again, did they cheap out and try to push 600sf per gallon or did they work the product properly = 400-450sf per gallon (this depends on the product they used.

Photos of the floor would also be useful.

Thank you both so much for your input. I would not be surprised if they used the cheaper version. The builder said they did 3 coats. Luckily it is light colored, so it’s hard to get the scratches to show well in pictures. But they are everywhere. If it’s this badly scratched in 2 weeks I hate to see it in 6 months. :(

Were your old floors prefinished? They can have a harder finish than site finished, depending on product and methods used. Even then, I would be surprised if any oak floor withstood scratches with animals running around. Our new floors have held up well to our dog and cats but they are hickory (very hard wood) with three coats of traffic HD.

Have the pups nails been trimmed recently ?

I haven’t talked to them yet about it. I wanted to get a better idea as to what I was dealing with first. :)

I just got her nails trimmed, so she was running around on them for like a week with nails in need of attention. Our old floors weren’t prefinished, red oak, and were very sturdy so I didn’t expect it to be a problem. :(

The species of wood has nothing to do with 'scratches'. The hardness rating has to do with DENTS...not scratches. The finish (the polyurethane) is what takes scratches. It is what shows scratches. This type of issue would show up on pine, fir, red oak, white oak, IPE, etc. Why? Because it isn't the WOOD that is taking the damage...it is the FINISH.

So...it comes down to which Bona product was it? What can be done to toughen this up? Probably a nice buffing and an additional coating (or two) of the high-end Traffic HD. And then stay off the floors for 2 weeks before moving back in. Let the finish 'harden' properly.

Again, how long ago was the LAST coat applied? How long after that did you move in? And how old is the finish?

The finish was probably 2 weeks old when we moved in. It was a big rush to finish things in time. So it’s probably a little over a month old. I haven’t asked yet, but knowing our builder, he didn’t spring for the high traffic finish.

My best guess is it was still 'fresh' when you moved in. It should be at its toughest by now. Even though these finishes SAY they are fully cured in 10 days (10 days=95% cure = 'full cure' to the manufacturer) they still need another 2 weeks to get the last 5% over and done with. Again, this is HIGHLY dependent on the ACTUAL product used. And the 'cure times' are greatly affected by the humidity and heating/cooling going on IN the home before during and after the finish was applied.

Traditionally the finish is applied over 2-3 days (day 1 = primer + 1 coat finish; day 2 = 2nd coat finish + light sanding + 3rd coat). The primer and first coat of finish *can be applied on the first day...but they don't have to be. But these coats need to go down sooner rather than later (too long between coats means more abrading). Once these coats have been applied the house is left in a livable state (heating/cooling system on as if someone were living there). After the first two weeks of cure, the floor could then be 'covered' with ram board to protect it from the rest of the trades people moving in and doing 'finishing' work. Once the ram board is taken off then the floor is 'babied' for another couple of weeks just to be sure.

My 'finish' senses are telling me this was a fresh, delicate floor finish that may not have been fully 'hardened'. A rush to move into the space may have lead to a soft floor at a time when you needed it to be super tough. It needed to be babied for the first two weeks that you moved in. I'm going the 'worst is over' when it comes to scratching...but the damage is done.

Talk to your builder and get the name of the product and the application schedule. At the same time ask if there is anything that can be done to add more finish (buff and coat) in the Traffic HD (offer some financial incentive to get this moving faster).

But it will mean you will need to move everything off the floors, and then allow the final coat to 'toughen up' for another few weeks. You will have to be SUPER careful while you wait for the Traffic HD to harden.

If you were in a hurry to get into the home in the first place, I'm going to guess the 'buff and coat' is not going to be easy to manage.

Thank you for your advice SJ McCarthy! Yes, probably not very easy to manage getting out long enough to have it fixed at this point. It’s good to know it probably will not get worse at least! Thanks again to everyone for your responses. :)

Just keep the dog's nails as trim as possible. And remember: HIGH ENERGY dogs (small or not) do MORE DAMAGE than a low-energy Great Dane. A 'sofa-lump' won't do anything but snooze. A rampaging Shiatsu will do plenty of damage. Boxers are mid-sized dogs with PLENTY of power/muscle. They have plenty of strength in their feet and they often have a bit of energy to burn. A powerful dog with a bit of momentum will slice the bejisus out of a wood floor.

And kittens have a tendency to use their claws to corner...which means learning to trim their claws as well. I've seen many a wooden floor loose the entire finish in a corner because kittens/cats have used the floor like a dirt race track. They love to slide and grab through a corner! It is SUPER FUN (for them)!

Thank you SJ McCarthy! Got my kitten nail trimming initiation yesterday, and a few bites to the finger to prove it, lol. Getting the dog on schedule for nail grinding every 3 weeks. Hopefully we can keep things looking halfway decent for a bit. :)

Hi Jennifer - any update on your situation? We just finished our white oak floors with 1 coat Bona NordicSeal and 2 coats of Mega HD Clear. We waited 2 weeks before we moved in the house and we have probably 40 scratches all over. No pets. We have pads on every piece of furniture and have only moved in 1 couch and 1 dining table so far.

@amander97 We have just resigned ourselves to living with it since having it fixed is too overwhelming and impractical right now. You can only see most of them when the light hits it right, but the finish is pretty much covered in little surface scratches. :(

Wow. Yeah same - only can see in certain light. But so annoying. I can't fathom moving our stuff back out and in again.

Yes, it’s a bit depressing to invest in wood floors just to have them immediately look worn. :/

Be sure to get a price comparison between the product lines from your contractor. The prep work and sealers are the same. Traffic HD doesn't cost that much more than Mega HD, but the durability is significantly better.

Depending on your contractor, don't be deterrent from $.50-.75 psf differentiations. Hardwood floor finishes are not a commodity, rather an investment. Make sure you're selecting based on needs and not price. Select the proper finish that best fit or exceeds your lifestyle for the best performance. Traffic HD and Supra AT is recommended most on this forum for a reason.

If, the mfg's instructions are followed. The product is very easy to lay down. So if, your contractor fears the name Traffic HD. S/He is probably not following the instructions properly and you should be contracting someone else for your project.