High heels and hardwood floors have never been a good combination, especially with softer hardwood species such as Pine, American Walnut, and Cherry. It's a scientific fact that a woman of average weight wearing high heels actually exerts 2,000 pounds per square inch of force! This is 20 to 40 times that of an elephant, and almost 100 times greater than an average pickup truck.

So... the dilemma. What to do if a lot of formal entertaining is done in your home? Choosing a harder type of hardwood can minimize the damage high heels do, but it will not eliminate it. Some have success with asking friends to remove shoes upon entering the home, but do you really want to go that far? Large area rugs are an option, but you would be covering up that beautiful floor in the meantime.

Our suggestion is to expect it or you could choose a hand scraped distressed floor. You could limit your guests to a particular area if shoe removal is not an option. We're often asked; are more durable hardwood finishes the answer? Or how about that fancy aluminum oxide stuff? Sorry folks, no finish is strong enough to withstand the punishment heels can cause.

For yourself and other close friends that may visit often, a quick check on heel condition can prevent some of the more uglier dings and dents. Some heels are fastened with micro nails that can loosen over time and become exposed.