Scratches on hardwood floors are very difficult to prevent, even if you are very careful. These scratches are mostly caused by furniture, pets, and gravel from outside the home. The appearance of a scratched hardwood floor can be restored easily. Depends on the severity of the scratch. Using a few simple steps, you can repair and disguise nicks and scratches on your hardwood floor so it looks like new.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Masking Minor Scratches with a Wooden Marker
Step 1. Wipe the scratched area
Use a soft damp cloth to clean the wood floor surface from debris and dirt.
Step 2. Moisten the washcloth with a wooden marker
Find a wood marker color that matches your hardwood floor. Fold a clean washcloth or paper towel into a square so that your cloth or paper is in several layers. Shake the wooden marker before opening, and stick the tip to the corner of the fabric or paper fold. Pat the marker 10-15 times until your washcloth is damp.
Wooden markers come in a variety of colors, and can be purchased at supermarkets, home improvement stores, and paint stores
Step 3. Rub the cloth into the scratch on the floor
Gently press the cloth against the hardwood floor and center it on the scratched area. Rub the area of the cloth dampened with the marker on the scratch following the groove of the wood.
- This is the best method for removing scratches on the floor (rather than scribbling a wooden marker directly on the floor) because the color of the marker ink can be applied gradually.
- If you scribble the marker directly on the scratch, your wood floor may be streaked with color from using too much marker. In this way, the scratches will be more obvious.
Method 2 of 4: Treating Minor Scratches
Step 1. Clean the scratched area
If the protective layer of your hardwood floor is scratched, use a soft cloth (such as a microfiber cloth) and a small amount of wood floor cleaner to remove any contaminants in the scratched area.
All dust and dirt particles must be removed from the scratched area so that they do not settle on the floor when you apply the sealant
Step 2. Rinse off any remaining cleaning agent
After cleaning the hardwood floor area, dampen another washcloth with water, and wipe the scratched area to dry any remaining cleaning agent.
Allow the scratched area to dry before continuing
Step 3. Apply a protective layer
If the scratch area is dry, use a small-tipped brush to apply a thin layer of protective paint to the scratch area on the floor. This protective layer can be a sealant, lacquer, or some other type of polyurethane varnish. We recommend that you match the type of wood coating to the layer that is already on the floor.
- Ask the home improvement store staff for advice on what type of coating to use on the floor.
- If you have no experience repairing wooden objects, or if your wood flooring has a special coating (such as a high gloss polyurethane coating), we recommend that you hire a professional to repair and coat your floor.
- Using professional services costs a lot, so it's best to just let the scratches add up. That way, you don't waste money repairing minor scratches.
Method 3 of 4: Repairing Scratches with Sandpaper
Step 1. Clean the scratch area using a soft cloth and apply a small amount of wood floor cleaner to clean the scratch area on the floor
This will remove dust and dirt particles and you can work on a clean floor surface.
Step 2. Rinse the scratched area
Wipe the scratched area with a cloth dampened with water. Thus the cleaning fluid on your floor will be lifted and the floor will be cleaner.
Allow the damp area to dry completely before continuing
Step 3. Smooth the scratched area
Rub the steel wool on the scratched floor. Make sure you scrub along the grooves of the wood. Smooth the strokes lightly until they blend into the surrounding wood. After that, you can focus on smoothing the edges so that the appearance of the wood floor looks even and uniform.
Use a clean cloth to wipe the floor and clean it from the remaining sanding powder
Step 4. Fill in the floor strokes
Rub a stick of solid wax over the scratched area and smooth the area to fill in the scratch on the hardwood floor. Wood candles should be clear, but you can also use a wood color, such as honey chocolate or a variety of other shades of chocolate. Allow the wood wax to dry and harden for 10 minutes.
Solid wax sticks for wood can be purchased at a home supply store, paint store, or supermarket
Step 5. Allow the wax layer to dry and set
Leave the area for a day or two before polishing or adding another layer of protection there.
Step 6. Polish the scratch area
Use a clean, soft cloth to scrub the scratched area, and buff off the wax. Shining wax on the floor will smooth out the scratched area, remove excess wax, and restore the shine of your floor.
Method 4 of 4: Repairing Deep Scratches and Cuts
Step 1. Clean the scratched area
Use a rag slightly dampened with wood floor cleaner to clean the scratched area of the floor.
Step 2. Rinse the wood cleaner from the floor
Wet a new washcloth with water, and wipe the scratched area of the floor. This way, your workplace will be clean and free of dust, debris and dirt.
Allow the scratched area of the floor to dry completely before proceeding
Step 3. Rub Mineral Spirit on the scratches on the floor
Your hardwood floors are protected by a layer of polyurethane, this layer must be peeled off before repairing scratches on the floor. If your floor doesn't have a coating, you can skip this step. Moisten your scouring pad or cloth with Mineral Spirit, and gently rub it over the scratched area on the floor. Wipe the scratched area with a clean cloth, and allow the floor to dry completely.
If you are not experienced in dealing with wood and its protective coating, it is best to hire a professional to repair the floor
Step 4. Patch your scratches
Apply a small amount of wood plombir the same color or similar to the color of your hardwood flooring, to the tip of your index finger. Rub this wood plombir into the scratches on the floor. Spread plombir wood in all directions to remove air bubbles. You can use as much plombir as you want, because the excess plombir can be taken later.
- Make sure you use wood filler instead of wood putty. These two materials are different, and wood putty can make matching the color of the putty to the floor ineffective, and affect the color of the wood marker on the plombir (if used).
- After that, let the patch dry for one day.
Step 5. Take the excess plombir
Slide a putty knife across the plombir-filled scratch to even out the surface, and push the wood plombir deeper into the scratch. Slide the knife in various directions to make sure all the edges of the scratches and plombir are smooth and even.
Step 6. Smooth out the excess plombir
Use a small, coarse-grit sandpaper, approximately 180-grit and sand the area around the scratch where the excess plombir has spread.
You can sand along the grooves of the wood or scrub in small circular motions. Make sure you do it very gently
Step 7. Wipe off the excess plombir
Moisten the cloth with water and wring it out. Your cloth should be slightly damp. Use your finger to rub the excess plombir around the scratch.
Make sure you wipe the area where the plombir has spread, and avoid rubbing over the plombir in the scratch
Step 8. Coat the patched area
Apply a thin coat of sealer on the patched area. Instead, use the same sealer that is already on your hardwood floors. Use a small brush or sheep's wool roller to apply the polyurethane, varnish, or sealer. Allow the sealer to dry for 24 hours before touching the floor surface.
- Do not use a cork roller because it can leave air bubbles on the sealer surface.
- For best results, apply two coats of sealer to the wood floor.
