To help protect your hardwood floor starts with people entering your home for outside and bring the grit and dirt imbedded on the soles of their foot-ware, the use of Coir Matting encourages the removal of heavier deposits of dirt/grit and can be built in to the hardwood floor entrance as an insert.
The other option is to have an entrance floor mat on the inside of the front or rear door which are rubber backed with a textile top and developed to clean and trap dirt as well as being great for capturing moisture from wet shoes and can be found in heavy and light duty styles.
If you really want to go full hog then go for a heavy-duty brush or coir doormat from the outside of the door and have an entrance mat on the inside of the door, this not only increases the capture of dirt and grit but also psychologically encourages people to wipe their feet as they enter your home.
The risk of damage to your hardwood floor from furnishings is always high and the need to protect your wooden floor is essential, damage is normally caused by the feet which are dragged across the floor.
The application of felt pads to the feet of furniture prior to it being placed on the wood floor is the best way to provide protection to your wooden floor and for the feet of large pieces of furniture, you could consider castor cups with felt pads that can be cut to size and shape.
Another type of damage is in work or home offices with hardwood floors rolling office chairs moving back and forth over time that will mark your hardwood floor. Maintenance will go a long way by keeping your wood floors clean from debris along with the chair’s rollers or casters.