Wood tough enough for a dog

[The Pistoleer]

I have a couple of dogs, 62 lb 5 yr old and a 72 lb puppy. They like to jump up on the window sills to see out. Their claws make a mess of the sills. Part of their job is security, so I don't want to prohibit them from checking out sounds from outside. What is a good wood choice and/or finish that can stand up to their claws? I prefer a natural wood finish.

Pete

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[Kevin P. Fleming]

Stainless steel with a wood-look photoprinted finish ought to do the job. Oh, you said natural. Sorry :-)

[js]

Ironwood.

[stoutman]

Petrified wood. I hear it's difficult to cut though. :)

[George M. Kazaka]

Well Pete did you actually think you would get a straight answer to that question on this group,

[Mike Coonrod]

[dave]

I'd agree with JS about the ironwood, but if you hav a connection out in Guam, have them send you some Ifit. Nice grain and color and VERY hard. It doesn't float and you'll burn up a lot of saw blades, but the dogs won't bother it. Dave in Fairfax

[Jeremy Brown]

Maybe one of those epoxy finishes? I haven't actually used one, but they sound durable and pretty easy to use.

The Pistoleer wrote:

[Andy Dingley]

Most hardwoods will stand up to this, with the right finish. Tropicals will be OK, as would oak, maple or beech.

I've had this problem a few times. My solution is Rustin's Floorcoat, an acid-catalysed formaldehyde that's sold for stripped wooden floors. They also sell a similar finish as "Bartop" and there's a similar product called "Liquid Plastic". These finishes are mixed before use (they're _not_ epoxies) and smell awful during use, but they cure and lose the smell within a few hours. Abotu 3 coats should do it, and pot-life of a mixture is adequate to do this in one mixing, if you close the tin. The finish is water-white.

-- Smert' spamionam

[Rob V]

Come one people - isnt it obvious - Dogwood ;)

[Tom]

Someday, it'll all be over....

[Phisherman]

[David Babcock]

They got this new wood.........some call it Granite

[Mark Jerde]

Sounds to me similar to a backer board on a jig... Can you come up with a replaceable face solution?

BTW, our dog's claws have scratched: - The patio sliding glass door. :-( - Windows and windowsills. - The wall by the back door (hole now covered with an unattractive piece of painted hardboard) - In his "den" under the coffee table -- the carpet, carpet pad and linoleum -- all the way to the concrete!

He's housebroken in two senses of the word. ;-)

-- Mark

[Yitah]

Someone else mentioned Ironwood, which is also known as Hop Hornbeam.

Hickory or white oak are probably the best other common hardwoods.

Y

[Don Sforza]

Brazilian cherry... tough as nails and even worse to work with. DAMHIKT.

[Silvan]

Stands up to their claws, and natural wood finish? You have a *puppy* that weighs 72 pounds?

It ain't gonna happen.

Yup. Badly. It's an old one too, with a wooden frame. I'm going to have to replace that RSN.

Yup. Plus they've destroyed umpty window treatments.

Fortunately not. You have me beat on that one.

When my wife's long-lost step brother came to visit, she didn't want to risk offending him in any way. One of my dogs was freaking out at having strangers in the house, so SWMBO made me shut him in our bedroom.

Bubby didn't like that. He tried to dig out. He damn near made it. So much for putting off replacing the bedroom carpeting for last. :(

Didja know dogs can dig through particle board?

(They're all diggers too. I had to dig down about two feet under the fence gate and fill it up with concrete. Fortunately they have never been that determined to dig anywhere else, or I would have to lay one hell of a lot of concrete. :)

[Dave Balderstone]

My brother had a shepherd cross that dug through two plaster & lathe walls.

djb

[Mark Jerde]

No, not by personal experience. I have a deplorable lack of curosity on finding out. Drywall, linoleum, chair legs, rocking chairs, ... I'll just take your word for it.

"They"?? How many? (Any why? )

-- Mark

[Mark & Juanita]

I know this is not wood, but our house has marble window sills. It looks good and seems like it would solve your problem, unless you have dogs with really, really sharp claws. :-)

I believe the reason marble was used in our house was to prevent sun damage that would occur with wood.