I cant tell you how excited I am about this hardwood floor fix. In some cases, all you need is a little elbow grease to get scratches out of your hardwood floors. This is a great tip! Then, use circular motions to rub the walnut into worn areas of the floor. For the steel wool, avoid soap-impregnated products such as Brillo. These are the types of scratches that may be caused by sliding boxes or chairs across the floor. Clean the area by gently using a tack cloth to remove any microscopic bits of debris. Some specialty woods, like maple, and engineered hardwood need more experience to be repaired properly without destroying the flooring. See if quartz is right for you. Then one day while digging through my utility drawer (aka the who knows whats in there drawer), I found a pack of DAP Wood Blend Sticks. If you have any hardwood floors that are in need of touching up, I recommend giving the DAP Blend Sticks and Paste Wax a try. Next, you apply a suitable stain and finally a polyurethane coat to finish. Apply the polyurethane coat with a lambs wool applicator, which avoids air bubbles in the finish. Use a plastic putty knife to avoid more scratches. For 1-2 small scratches: First, sand the floor in the direction of the grain. Home Topics Cleaning Cleaning Floors Hardwood. To treat tiny scratches on floors with a relatively new finish, you can whip up a DIY solution at home. If the top layer of your floors is wax, use a wax remover solution to clear it away as well. This can be complicated, expensive, and time-consuming and is sometimes best left to a hardwood restoration company. For a natural alternative for lighter-colored wood flooring, try rubbing a raw walnut into the scratches; the oils fill in very fine scratches. If your flooring is riddled with light, shallow scratches, screening could be a solution, but only if your floors have never been waxed. This option is best for small but deep holes or cracks in your hardwood. And it is so inexpensive (compared to refinishing! The views and opinions expressed by the author do not reflect the position of the Colgate-Palmolive Company. If the floor has been coated with wax, the existing finish will wipe off. Do you know whether you haveSolid Or Engineered Hardwood Floors? Like that annoying squeaky floor board. 
Fill deep scratches and holes using one of the wax crayons in the wood repair kit. Is your finish oil or water based? Old floorboards can separate over time. Leave it for the rest of the day, and rub it out. Erasing dings, dents, and scuffs is an easy fix. After I applied a lot of blend stick to the scratches, I let it sit for a couple of minutes. You CAN keep pipes from freezing, and avoid the costly damage that goes with. Simply rub the repair product into the scratched surface using a soft cloth, following any additional information on the product label. Light and subtle scratches can easily be filled in with matching floor markers and stains. If your floor has wax, it is possible to remove it and then screen the floor, but this is best left to a professional because any leftover wax will ruin your finish. Lightly rub fine-grade steel wool over the scratches when the colorant is dry. The last option, when all else fails, is replacement. You can also lightly sand down the knife's plastic corners to round them off if further scratches are a concern. Jessica Wrubel has an accomplished background as a writer and copy editor, working for various publications, newspapers and in public libraries assisting with reference, research and special projects. , Your email address will not be published. Use wood filler, which takes stain better than wood putty. Wax sticks, such as Minwax Stain Markers, are great scratch busters because they include stain and urethane, which protects the floors finish. Sometimes, wood becomes so damaged and warped that repair is simply not an option, and a partial or complete replacement becomes necessary. Sometimes, hardwood floor scratch repair is best left to the professionals. Mix equal parts olive oil and vinegar, which work together to remove dirt, moisturize, and shine wood. Leave it for the rest of the day, and rub it out. Make sure you pick the right color for your floor, and try this often-successful treatment for minor scratches. For especially dirty hardwood flooring, choose an oxygenated floor cleaner that will simply bubble the grime up and away from the surface. If the scratches are numerous and the floor coating around the scratches is still in good condition, try rubbing wood stain over the area and then quickly wiping it clean. ;.+7[v3,o.FZ&R9&,$BpwXyAs&>bK2q`FqpPn?Nx!AmddmLoXV0:Ab'3ttrR@k 0fqXc F Scratches that run parallel to the wood grain can be color-blended more effectively than cross-grain scratches. Treat light scratches along the surface of your hardwood with a finish restorer. Sooner or later youll repair walls that make rooms look worn out. This little trick for fixing scratched hardwood floors without sanding has made a big difference in the look of my floors. Also, if you have engineered wood floors, the top layer of hardwood veneer is so thin that deep sanding often is not possible. Finish restorers are designed to help treat faded finishes or light scratches distributed across a wide area of your hardwood floors. It takes about 20 minutes and costs hardly anything to fix. Be sure to start with a marker that is a couple of shades lighter than your floor. Washington State University. But before you get out your sander, figure out if your flooring is traditional hardwood or engineered hardwood. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), takes at least this much wood off the surface, Do Not Sell My Personal Information CA Residents. But, more extensive damage will need to be treated by a combination of screening, sanding and resurfacing or even replacing the flooring. Or, if you have some leftover planks, rip a narrow band and glue it into the gap. Know what the surface is made of so you know how to start your wood floor scratch repair. Since they are shallow, these scratches can often be sanded by hand to minimize their depth, while supplementing with color-blending techniques. Is there an aluminum oxide coating? Repeat until the scratch disappears. Use a plastic putty knife to scrape off any excess filler. Use the included markers to fix scuff marks and superficial scratches. Press the wood filler into the scratch with the putty knife, carefully staying within the damaged area. A professional floor refinisher will charge $1 to $4 per square foot to apply a new coat of finish. The stain should penetrate the raw wood only. For more detailed information on this process, take a look atThis Old House'sguide to refinishing wood floors. Pre-finished wood flooring's multiple urethane and aluminum oxide layers form a tough skin that can defeat sanding and blending efforts. Lastly, if you have small nicks, holes or gouges a wood filler product will do the trick. Now if you can find a way to fix the big scratch one of them just put on the stainless steel dishwasher that would be awesome :). Take the time to clean your hardwood floors using a soft mop or vacuum before you begin any of the methods below. Heres how to sand down your floor. Choose a small, discreet area of the floor and wipe the area with the cloth. With kids and hardwood floors, we get scratches a lot. How to Paint a Door to Look Like Wood (Its Easier Than You Think!). Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. To resurface wood flooring, you begin by using a drum sander to sand the existing floor down to the bare wood while maintaining an even level of the floor surface. Your best bet is to sand these down to flatten your floor and avoid headaches in the future. In addition to her journalism experience, she has been educating on health and wellness topics for over 15 years in and outside of the classroom. If the wood was stained but has no finish, you may be able to get similar wood floor scratch repair results by re-applying the stain to help hide the scratch. Once you have determined there is no wax finish, use a floor polish as a sander to remove the top polyurethane finish, and then the floor is refinished with a fresh coat of polyurethane. They (plus the Paste Wax) have made SUCH a difference for my floors! 
If your floor has noticeable scratches throughout, your best option is to sand down the floor and refinish it. If your floorboards are showing signs of heavy damage, they may have ridges and other uneven spots. For a natural solution for lighter colored wood floors, try raw walnut and rubbing the walnut meal into the scratches. Once it had been on there for about twenty minutes, I buffed the excess off and was SO EXCITED to see that the scratches on my hardwood floors were virtually invisible now! This article was brought to you by Colgate-Palmolive Company, the makers of MurphyOil Soap. If left exposed for too long, they can trap moisture and lead to further damage (and more expensive repairs). Nonetheless, consider the degree of repair and the material before proceeding with any DIY job. Heres our guide on how to properly use wood filler. Sand with fine-gauge steel wool or lightweight sandpaper. There are many types of hardwood flooring damage, and each requires a different strategy. If your scratch has penetrated the finish and damaged the wood itself, youll need to refinish your hardwood flooring completely by sanding the area and restaining it. Then move on to the following steps to fix either fine or deeper scratches. Hardwood floors are a gorgeous addition to any home, but now and then, they need a little maintenance. (My three-year-old was watching me the whole time, and I just know that Im going to find Crayola crayon drawings on the floor sometime soon.). Its important to start by knowing what kind of finish is on your floor. Looking to buy or sell a home? My floors are starting to show some wear and tear, especially in the kitchen. If you have an engineered wood floor with a real wood surface, make sure the real wood surface is more than 1mm thicksanding usually takes at least this much wood off the surface, so a thicker layer is required for a complete sanding. This can cost anywhere between $1,070 to $2,490. Before beginning any scratch repair, the wood floor must be thoroughly cleaned on and around the area of the scratches. Here are a few options to choose from: Oil-based stains: Provide the richest color and best longevity, but dry slowly, Water-based stains: Widely available and easy to use, but not as long-lasting, Combination stains: Designed for polyurethane finishes, including previously painted wood, Blending pencil: Easy to use, but may require multiple pencils and color combinations for a perfect match. Take some artistic license to hide minor scratches in wood floors by rubbing on stain-matching crayons and Sharpie pens. #5XPAf0j5#YiV1`gW86eW`9LQy9\
DK"7$w f6e~0*%N#mwC|=@BJg31uKMu;::XoN.bs'awR8(1`z|F_Bj8#n2X.MS5'eNMsC-`OIw' a1'*8#mF0EW}^Bf0!p9gA8oJ Visit the Solution Center to Explore Articles, Photo: Catherine Delahaye / DigitalVision / Getty Images. After you find the right one, patch-test a urethane finish.
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8`n'9W #0000-grade Super-fine non-soap steel wool (for fine scratches), Multi-pack floor color marker paste (resin-based) or stain markers, Fine-grit sandpaper (for deeper scratches), Solvent-based wood filler (pre-colored or one that accepts stain; for deeper scratches), Matching wood stain (optional; for both types of scratches). To use, warm up the natural oils in the nut by rubbing it between your hands. Deane is a member of The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board. Divine theme by Restored 316, Furniture Repair Wood Repair Markers Touch Up Repair pen-17PC-Markers and Wax Sticks,for Stains,Scratches,Wood Floors,Tables,Carpenters,Bedposts-8 Felt Tip Wood Markers,8 Wax Sticks with Sharpener Kit, Red Devil 4718 3-Piece Plastic Knife Set, 1-Pack, How to Completely Transform an Ugly Light Fixture, 30 Creative and Useful Trash to Treasure Projects . And dont sweat if the color is a little off. Choose a floor color marker or stain pen that is similar to the floor color. Calling a professional is often better than taking a "crack" at it without the proper expertise. If you feel uncomfortable tackling this project on your own or are worried about further damaging your flooring, you should contact a professional restoration company near you. Remove scratch marks and bring your hardwood back to life. Try any or all of these nine scratch repair solutions and enjoy your newer-looking floors. Depending on the severity of the scratches, you may be able to do patchwork sanding and staining, or you may need to sand and completely refinish your flooring. Isolating and repairing scratches in wood flooring is also a simpler, lower-cost option than sanding the entire floor, and it will help preserve the health of your hardwood floors for years to come. To read my full disclosure policy, please click here. Of course if you put your face right up to the scratches you can see them because there are still the scratch indentations there (I didnt sand anything down after all), but to a person who isnt checking the floor out with a microscope, they look beautiful once again. Remember to only use the Paste Wax if your floors have a finish of a subtle sheen (as opposed to gloss or matte). If the deep scratches are numerous and you have solid hardwood flooring, the best avenue is often to sand the entire floor. If you have a wax layer, use a wax remover solution to clear away the wax before you begin the repair. Buff out the walnut oil so it does not affect anyone with nut allergies. Walnuts: The brown dyes found naturally in these nuts can help camouflage scratches and revive worn wood. After the wood filler has dried, sand it down by hand. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. After replacing some furniture in my living room, scratches left on the floor from the old furniture were really starting to bother me. Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. Minor scratches and small gouges can be resolved by simple hardwood scratch repair tactics. Combine equal parts apple cider vinegar and olive oil in a small cup, and dab the mixture into the scratch. OH NO! For major wood floor scratch repair you may have to rent a floor sander. Once you find the right stain or pencil formula for your woods finish, fill in the scratch completely with the color. Enter a zip below and get matched to top-rated pros near you. If you cant find matching floorboards, you can at least patch the affected area. Your email address will not be published. Jane Hoback is a veteran business writer who has written for the Rocky Mountain News, Natural Foods Merchandiser magazine, and ColoradoBIZ Magazine. Seal the area with polyurethane, or whatever product was used on the floor originally. Once you know what kind of flooring material you're dealing with, it's time to examine the damage you need to repair. Tint the cured filler with wood stain or a stain pen to match the flooring's color. For fine scratches, opt for a resin-based colorant or a stain marker specified for flooring; waxy markers are best reserved for furniture fixes. If the scratches in your wood floor are really more like gouges, your first step should be to use a wood filler to fill in the gaps before applying stain and finish. Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 12 years. But for more localized scratches, the preferred technique is still to fill in and color-blend the deeper scratch, this time using wood filler. This product is an effective solution when treating minor scuffs on the surface that havent damaged the wood. z FSP' ZO Iit*5`&Suxa@%2-/_ WKXVOhPin@3sdS R8BDZMuk,NRk8+6>r`&> Mf.2hrOfhH_X=0 It can hide surface-level scuff marks and thin scratches without much work on your part. Coconut oil: Use coconut oil to minimize the appearance of scratches on unfinished or sanded flooring. Mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and olive oil in a small cup, and dab the mixture into the scratch. This repair is not typically recommended for engineered wood; if you sand engineered wood too much, you can damage the boards, making them irreparable. I cleaned up the section of the floor where I needed to work, and then I started rubbing the wood blend sticks over the scratches kind of like I was coloring on the floor. Repairs short of deep sanding involve a selective toolkit of methods that fade, blend, and color the scratches to reduce their contrast against the rest of the flooring. But I digress. A"%O9\c^\@4KPgIfM\4I|HSbND Deeper hardwood scratches are more difficult and require more experience and understanding of flooring repair concepts. Craft a home you love. Here are some tips to make the job go faster. Scratched hardwood floors in historic properties possess character and richness. And the price cannot be beat! If you have hardwood floors, you know how frustrating it is to see scratches marring their beauty. Scratches in hardwood arent only unsightly; they can be risky too. You are viewing the US English site. It takes time to repair wood gouges: Sand, fill, sand again, stain, and seal. 
All Rights Reserved. Lightly color over the scratched area and immediately wipe it clean. Everything blended together so nicely and the floor looked beautiful once again! Need professional help with your project? Read our, How to Protect Hardwood Floors From Damage, Easy Ways to Hide Nail Holes in Wood Trim Molding, 3 Ways to Fill Gaps Between Wood Floorboards, The Best Wood Fillers a Home Improvement Expert Recommends, How to Use a Drum Sander on Hardwood Floors, How to Refurbish Particleboard Furniture With Paint, How Much It Costs to Refinish Hardwood Floors, How to Get Cat Urine Odor out of Wood Floors, Flooring Options for Wet Areas: Best to Worst, Learn How to Clean Wood Floors to Keep Them Looking Great, How to Remove Water Stains From Wood Furniture and Floors, Refurbish Your Table Top so It Looks Like New. Simply brush on a thin coat of oil and let it sit for five minutes. Dont be afraid to mix a couple of colors together to get a good match. Avoid sanding the flooring around the scratch repair. Real hardwoods mix several hues and tones. The key difference is solid hardwood will have one solid layer, whereas engineered hardwood involves sandwiched layers of plywood and manufactured wood topped with a thin sheet of hardwood. A complete sanding removes scratches, but beware: This only works on real wood floors, not bamboo. Minor hardwood floor scratch repair is fairly easy for avid do-it-yourselfers; it's those bigger gouges that can be difficult without the right experience. Site-finished wood flooring's protective coating is relatively easy to sand. Dogs chase kids, pans drop, chairs scrape, and soon you must repair wood floors and erase scratches that make a mess of your red oak or Brazilian cherry. I am so happy with this fix it really helped cover an eyesore. If needed, floor colorants can be mixed to achieve the perfect hue. While deep sanding with an electric floor sander will bring down many of those scratches, sanding is messy and invasive. 
If you face medium scratches that show only slight damage, you may be apply to apply a new coat of finish to the area without having to refinish the floor entirely. Although some maintenance projects are best left to the pros, these three easy DIY fixes will give you bragging rights. If not, you will need to find an area of exposed hardwood. Youll need to reapply the stain youve buffed away in the process, so choose a hidden area (under the bed, in a closet) to patch-test a wood stain that matches your floor color. Certain nuts, including whole walnuts and coconut oil, can actually help restore your hardwood floors. This post contains affiliate links. 
We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. I had to use a lot of elbow grease to get all of the excess wax stick off of the floor. If this proves successful, continue on to the rest of the scratches. He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. Smooth down the wet filler. v88~jrLPau}{}(InU ArN$P(bex{0/_Yk^Gqcig,k:dn=PA6x0nX3J{~ZYZ'? *5sZ,sI?Kqe1sdSuudAi6(q\SKo0e3>afsG(n6"YfYrQ?87w3z.nouVx,Jljk~gmrc".wm3}]uy% $HDI#]Kx This only works on real wood floors, not bamboo or laminate. Use a cotton swab or corner of a cloth to remove any excess stain and let the color dry thoroughly according to package directions. 
Use a putty knife to apply wood filler to the gouge, using shallow layers to fill the hole. They are easy to use and can be stained to match the flooring as well. There were large sections of white marks that stuck out like a sore thumb all over the place. Easy as tossing a ball to fix! You can always go over it with a darker marker if needed. Blending pencils are specifically designed to fill in wood scratches that appear as lighter colored marks on the floor. Wipe off excess while the wood filler is still wet. Prepare wood filler for the scratch. Let the filler dry for at least two hours. Should You Repair or Replace Your Hardwood Floors? A plastic putty knife is softer than a metal putty knife and won't do any further damage to your wood floors. DIY and craft tutorials. These restorers can be effective treating minor scuffs, especially if the wood itself has not been damaged. Photo: Roman Budnyi / iStock / Getty Images Plus. Then, buff with a soft cloth. You will want to remove all traces of dust and grime on the floor before you begin any other steps. Green Cleaning. Pour a little directly onto the scratch. Weve got inexpensive ways to remove wood scratches and repair deep gouges in a few easy steps. Fix your scratches aesthetically with a wood stain or a blending pencil. Remove as much debris as possible with a soft-bristled broom and a dustpan. 
I have no idea where these things came from. Other notable solutions include equal parts lemon juice and vegetable oil or vinegar and olive oil to mask scratches. Is the wood varnished or stained? Related: Great-Looking, Low-Maintenance Floors. Yet when your hardwood floors are scratched, you might find yourself less enamored with the look. Thats a pretty great result, Bre! So long as you cover the contrasting white scratches, color imperfections will match perfectly. Fine scratches in wood flooring are both thin and shallow, measuring less than 1/16-inch deep. Realtor.com, Copyright 2022 National Association of Realtors, 12 Simple Home Repair Jobs to Lift You Out of Winters Funk, How to Fix Common Wall and Floor Problems, The Everything Guide to Selling Your First Home, 7 Home Improvement Ideas That Stretch Your Dollars the Most, What You Need to Know About Quartz Countertops, 5 Ways to Keep Severe Weather from Doing a Number on Your Yard. It's always nice to have a few tricks up your sleeve when facing those small scratches left behind from everyday living. Let the oil sit for a few minutes, then buff with a soft cloth. They have fixed my floors many times. Fill the gaps with colored wood putty. It may seem dumb, but I lived with unsightly white scratches on my hardwood floors for years before finding this solution. Prominent dog claw marks, gouges from furniture legs, and hairline scratches can stand out against otherwise flawless wood. Murphy Original Formula Oil Soap is the one Mom and Grandma used to clean wood floors and other surfaces, to restore a bright, natural shine. Let the polish soak in for 24 hours, then wipe off. Do not use cleaners that use waxes, pastes, or polishes that protect, shine, or coat the flooring; the intent is only to clean the flooring, not to seal it. The idea here is to fill in the scratch, so that the exposed wood doesn't stand out. Ive got nothing on the stainless steel but I hope you find a solution! After lots of trial and error, I have figured out the easiest hardwood floor scratch repair technique, and it doesnt involve ANY sanding at all! Scratches from pets, furniture, and kids are some of the most common problems with wood flooring, but that doesnt mean youre stuck with the unsightly marks forever. Once youve filled it, let the area dry completely and sand until flush with the surface. Start by cleaning the entire area around the scratch. The scratches looked much less pronounced after Id done that, but it wasnt totally perfect yet. For multiple large scratches: If youre dealing with several scratches throughout your living space, your best bet is to sand down the flooring and refinish it. I love blend sticks. Thanks, Seana! Then, apply the stain. If you have a small, single scratch thats only noticeable when you get close (like a scratch caused by an excited pet) and your floor has a relatively new finish, try a DIY home solution first. We recommend our users to update the browser. Test the colorant in a non-visible area to determine the closest color. Your email address will not be published. Pay close attention to the inside of the crack itself, which should be totally free of dirt, if possible. This is especially true if you do not know the history of your flooring or if it has been resurfaced in the past. How to Keep Your Shower Curtain from Falling Down, Save your Couch: How to Clean a Microfiber Couch. Might have to give this a try. A new way to look at landscaping can protect your yard from severe weather patterns. Do you have a wax coating? My house is a banged up, scratched up mess if it makes you feel any better! ), and easy! Get your crayons out for the coolest solution of all. Deep scratches more than 1/16-inch deep in wood flooring are the type of gouging that occurs from dog claws or by sliding heavy furniture or appliances across the floor. Depending on the depth and number of scratches, you can pursue a variety of removal methods, ranging from easy to complex. Theres a really long scratch in my foyer where one of my kids pushed something across the floor and it drives me nuts. Markers and stains, natural solutions and fillers are some of the easiest solutions for hardwood floor scratch repair. ]DC`#n8ioJAG`x@#C PbS>qSMy%d> `.A$J{6KU 9 -s>1uUf[QyrP~`]&R{fC,1scoTtX;-u@:ran>S0fk9ILo3. This often is the case with severely damaged engineered wood, wherein the thin layer of wood is too thin for resurfacing. Warm the wax crayons first to soften the wax with a hair dryer and then fill in the scratches. 6 Things to Know Before Refinishing Your Hardwood Floors. I then grabbed the S.C. Johnson Paste Wax that I love to use on my furniture refinishing projects, and I applied a thin layer over the scratched areas. For deeper scratches in your flooring, use a wood filler instead. Limewash Stone Fireplace Makeover: Bye Bye Orange Stone Fireplace, Hello Neutral Stone Beauty. 
Make sure the finish matches the original as closely as possible. Anyway, I decided to see if they would fix my scratched wood floors problem. Engineered hardwood is thinner and cant be sanded and refinished indefinitely like traditional hardwood flooring, so youll want to take extra precautions with your repairs. If screening is not an option, resurfacing is the next possible solution. We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. How can you tell if your floor has a waxed finish? It is important to know what type of flooring you have when it comes to DIY repair, particularly with intensive fixes. Common methods include screening, resurfacing and replacing. With wood filler, you can choose from a variety of stains to find a perfect match for your floors. If you didnt install the floor and arent sure what type of finish it has, you can check here for more details on identifying it.
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