Wearing heels and hardwood floors...

ilovehouses · November 2009

My boyfriend griped at me when I wore heels in his house. I've always worn heels in my house with hardwood floors and see no issue with this. He says he once had a roommate and she ruined the floors because she was always dancing in heels on the floors.

I think this is ridiculous, and I want to wear my heels damn it! He also gave me the guilt trip telling me I should be respectful and not wear heels in others homes. Well, if I'm invited to a dinner party, I always see women in heels and I want to wear them as well. Thoughts?

kermiefrg · November 2009

Never thought about it until now! I'm going to be nervous about it all the time after reading this!

vw2181 · November 2009

My DH tried that on me when we first moved in our house. For the first few months I took my shoes off until I realized he's being ridiculous. Maybe dancing might be worse on them, but walking normally is fine. They're called "hardwood" for a reason. Atleast that's what I tell him.

vw2181 · November 2009

Jennybeeb:

I'm unsure...It depends on what the flooring really is I guess.

There are different variations of Hardwood - Pine being softer than Oak. I do think there is potential for putting little marks in the floor depending on how you're walking or what you're doing. Also if the floor is an Engineered vs. actual Hardwood Floor...

Does he ask you to take off other shoes when you're walking around on his floors, or is he okay with it?

Good point! Ours are Oak. If they were Maple...then I'd take off my heels.

jpfeifer · November 2009

Walking in heels can make little dents on the floor so if he doesn't want you to wear them, don't.

Don't assume you can wear shoes in everyone's house. The polite thing to do is ask the host/ess.

ghowlett · November 2009

ilovehouses:
she was always dancing in heels on the floors.

haha WHAT? That's incredibly random.

I agree, it is ridiculous. I had hardwoods in my apt. & we're in the process of installing them in our house & I would never even think of this.

molisar · November 2009

Funny you post this... My parents had a get together the other weekend and one of their guests wore high heels and did not take them off. After the party was over the floors looked reaaally scratched (oak floors). However I've worn high heels on the floor and it never has scratched.

It also might depend on how hard you walk, if you happen to slip or something and dig into the floor etc. We are just installing our hardwoods in our home and since we're doing it ourselves and it's soooo much work I will make sure EVERYONE takes off their shoes even if they are dressed up and looking cute in heels Smile

TXsun · November 2009

i wear heels on my maple floors all the time and never had issues. Ive never had issues wearing heels on any wood floors.

I also don't walk around in them all day... if I'm home and staying home I take them off.

but at a party where someone invites you to be in their home, you have no reason to feel awk. I'm sure they don't care, I sure wouldnt.

If anything it might give a scuff, but that is easily fixed, not like its scratched... and you arent dancing...

ilovehouses · November 2009

vw2181:
Jennybeeb:

I'm unsure...It depends on what the flooring really is I guess.

There are different variations of Hardwood - Pine being softer than Oak. I do think there is potential for putting little marks in the floor depending on how you're walking or what you're doing. Also if the floor is an Engineered vs. actual Hardwood Floor...

Does he ask you to take off other shoes when you're walking around on his floors, or is he okay with it?

Good point! Ours are Oak. If they were Maple...then I'd take off my heels.

I've got both in my house. If you go to a dinner party though, should you be expected to walk around barefoot? That's a little uncomfortable if you aren't familar with all the guests.

LisainNC · November 2009

I have heard that if you're not careful you can dent or scratch certain hardwoods with heels. I don't often wear shoes in the house, especially heels. That said, if I invite people into my house I do not expect them to take off their shoes.

Elaine25 · November 2009

We have relatively new Brazilian cherry hardwood floors, and I walk on them in heels constantly - it hasn't caused any damage at all. I guess it depends on the type of wood, but I'm not sure why someone would put a material on the floor that could get damaged so easily.

ditzydi_2000 · November 2009

Maybe his ex-roommate didn't keep up her shoes properly. I can see if you let the tip on the heel fall off, leaving the stud underneath exposed, that it could ruin your floor. I've also managed to crack the little dividers between rooms with hw and tile floor at the IL's house once when I was wearing my heels. I felt horrible.

alicat32908 · November 2009

We have hardwoods and I've never really thought about this! I'm the type who kicks my shoes off as soon as I get home and I don't wear shoes when I am home. But I guess heels could cause some damage, especially a very thin or stilleto type heel.

UGADawg8 · November 2009

We have hardwoods and I wear heels on them all the time. Ours aren't in great shape though so I really don't care.

CarrieBrad · November 2009

I agree that it doesn't matter what shoe you're wearing if someone doesn't want you wearing shoes in their house - you take them off!

We don't make people take their shoes off upon entering the house but it does make me nervous to have people walking on our hardwood kitchen floor because it's hard to fix scratches! And they can happen from all types of shoes - a little rock stuck in the bottom of a tennis shoe can be detrimental!

married_eg · November 2009

Part of this depends on if you take care of your heels or not. I have seen so many women who don't replace their heel caps once they wear them down. If you are walking around on hardwood with worn out heel caps it would be akin to walking around on the floor with nail heads. If your shoes have good heel caps it shouldn't damage a floor.

Meggybear · November 2009

i tend to wear shoes with a thicker heel so they don't really cause any damage, but I have had friends over who have worn very thin heels and it left little circular dents in my brazilian cherry floors. But i would never ask a guest to remove their shoes, i figure the dents just add character Smile

*Mrs.Pal* · November 2009

My FIL's house has dents in the NEW hardwood floors from his wife's heels and all of us kids wearing heels. I have actually gotten into a no shoe policy in my home and it's carried over to when i visit people in their home. If you don't see dents now in the hardwood floors you should be ok.

Wearing heels and hardwood floors...

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