How To Repair Minor Scratches In Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring is a popular flooring choice for residential homes, largely because of its durability, natural appearance, and the luxurious connotation attached to it. However, no flooring material is invincible, and hardwood is no exception. Scratches and nicks can quickly mar the surface of your floor, creating an uneven and unattractive appearance. Fortunately, minor scratches in your hardwood floors can be easily fixed with a few simple steps.

What You'll Need

Before you start working, be sure to gather all of the materials and tools that you'll need to speed the process up.

You'll need fine grained sandpaper, mineral spirits, a clean rag or paper towels, wood putty, a plastic putty knife (metal putty knives will work as well, but take care to avoid scratching the wood further), stain that matches the color of the floor, and a paint roller or brush to apply it with. All of these items can be found at most hardware and construction supply stores if you don't already have them in your home.

Repairing Hardwood Flooring Scratches

First, sand down the scratched area of your floorboards, taking care to sand along the grain of the wood. You'll want to sand for a few minutes, until the scratches are shallower and less visible (but still noticeable – too much sanding can cause damage to the floorboard's structural integrity).

Next, soak a rag or paper towels in mineral spirits and rub down the sanded area. This will remove any dust and debris, and allow for the putty and stain to be easily and properly applied.

Then apply the wood putty using the putty knife, smoothing it over several times to ensure that it is perfectly level with the rest of your flooring. Check the container to determine how long you should let it set for: you don't want to apply stain to wet putty, which can ruin the level and leave a streaked appearance.

Once the putty has dried, you may want to go over the edges with sandpaper once again if any putty has overflowed from the scratch. It's all right if you end up sanding parts of the actual flooring, but avoid it as much as possible.

Finally, apply the stain either using a paint roller (for larger areas) or a paint brush. For best results, you want to apply the stain in multiple thin layers, giving it time to dry in-between. Multiple layers will be more durable and create an even coloring.

For professional help, contact a company like Kenton Carpet Care.


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