You always take great care in maintaining your hardwood floor, but sometimes accidents happen.  How do you deal with a scratch or gouge in your hardwood floor?  Read on

Follow these easy steps to repair scratches in your hardwood floor:

• Light Scratches – For light scratches, rub fine steel wool over the scratch.  Make sure you rub with the grain and not across the grain; otherwise you will create more scratches.
• Deep Scratches – For deep scratches, rub sandpaper over the scratch.  Again, be sure to rub with the grain, not against the grain.
• Mineral Spirits – Dampen a cloth with mineral spirits and rub the spirits over the affected area, removing any dust or wood particles.  Allow the area time to dry completely.  Depending on the size of the scratch and amount of mineral spirits used, this can take a few minutes or a few hours.
• For a Surface Scratch – If you only have a surface scratch then you are almost done, otherwise move onto the next step. Using a small paint brush, apply some floor finish (preferably the same product as your original floor finish) to the scratch.  Use just enough finish so that the affected area is the same shade as the original.  Wipe the area with a soft cloth.  Allow the area to dry (usually a couple of hours).  You are done!  For deeper scratches, move to the next step.
• Wood Filler – Choose wood filler that matches the color of your floor.  Using a plastic putty knife, apply wood filler to the scratch.  Remove excess filler with the plastic putty knife.  Allow the wood filler to dry completely.
• Sandpaper – Once the filler is dry, use light sandpaper to smooth the wood filler and remove any excess.
• Seal – Refinish the area with a product (polyurethane, vinyl, etc.) to match the color of your floor.  Use a natural bristle brush for the best finish.

This may look complicated if you have never repaired a floor, but it is actually quite easy to do.  Just give it a try, and you can always call a professional later if things don’t work out.

Outer Banks Custom Flooring is the professional team to call if you have a flooring problem or wish to install new flooring.  We have decades of experience installing and repairing every kind of flooring imaginable.

About author:

All entries by CKKitchens