The finish and color will be affected by this. Darker colors tend to show traffic quicker, where as natural wood colors of oak and maple do not. High traffic areas need special attention when it come to recoating. Make sure the finish being applied is compatible with what is there and is of the shine that will work well in that area. Satin or low shine urethanes tend to show less traffic patterns than do the higher gloss finishes.
Some species are harder than others.
Remember, the type of finish and number of coats can also determine how well your floor will fair in high traffic areas. Some darker colors make rooms look smaller, show traffic patterns quicker. Lighter, or natural color of wood floor species can give an open, airy feeling, making the room appear larger. With today's color trends this is of the most popular selections now being made by the consumer, in home and office alike. Builders tend to stay with they same product that has worked before for them, decorators tend to use color as the number one reason for choosing a particular product, which may not be suited for the area.