Hardwood floors need to be treated gently. To avoid scratches and damage to them put small mats or carpets near the entranceways. This will give people a place to wipe or remove their shoes and to cut down on the wear and tear on your carpet. You can get a collection of them for all of the seasons and holidays to be more creative.
To help extend the life and durability of your hardwood floors you should put protective felt on the bottoms of all of your chairs and furniture. This will avoid scraping and cutting of the floor. They will also help to keep your chairs ant tables from sliding too much as well.