How to Remove Hardwood Floor Scratches Almost Instantly
Like most homeowners, you probably take great pride in your hardwood floors. Not only are they a reflection of your good taste— but you enjoy having them in pristine condition, whether they came with the home or you had them installed yourself.
But, what do you know about how to fix scratches on hardwood floors? It is almost inevitable that, at some point in time, your beautiful hardwood floors are going to be scratched, and knowing how to fix them is information you’ll need to know.
How To Remove Scratches From Hardwood Floors
The Quick Fix for Scratched Hardwood Floors
Before we examine more traditional ways to deal with hardwood floor scratches from superficial to serious, here’s an almost instant fix for the everyday shallow scratches common to all wood floors. While it’s certainly not a traditional method, it works – and that’s what counts.
All you have to do is crack open a walnut, making sure the meat of the walnut is not darker than the scratched wood surface area, and rub over it as if it were a wood repair crayon. Voilá – instant fix! File this hack away with other proven methods, mentioned below, for hardwood floor scratch repair.
Hardwood Floor Repair 101
For the variety of what might be considered minor scratches to your hardwood flooring, there are a variety of proven methods that render hardwood scratches virtually invisible to the naked eye. Here are a few of them that are good to know:
Floor or furniture crayons: All you need to do is match one up with the color and shade of your floors and rub them into the scratched surface so it no longer stands out.
Matching stain: Rubbing lightly over minor scratches and allowing adequate time for the stain to dry produce good results that, if the scratches are shallow enough, may not require a top coat of finish.
Natural methods: We’ve already looked at the almost instant fix found using walnuts, however, a concoction of equal parts of either vegetable or olive oil, combined with the same measurement of vinegar and lemon juice, has been known to successfully cover up very shallow minor scratches.
Wood filler: If you have small holes, gouges or nicks, you can purchase wood filler at your local hardware store. Once you fill them, be sure and apply a dab of matching stain and it will look as if they were never there in the first place.
Hardwood Floor Repair 102
First off, to tackle these types of repairs you’re going to need to have a deeper understanding of wood repair and wood finishes than does the common layperson. Let’s take a look at some possible problems and solutions to hardwood floor scratches if you feel qualified to take them on.
Floor Screening: Also called buffing, because the screening is performed with a buffer, this method is often better left to professionals. If your floors are full of light scratches, and only if they have never been waxed, use floor polish to remove any top finish, and then apply a fresh coat of polyurethane. Be forewarned that if the floors have ever been waxed and you don’t thoroughly understand what you’re doing, your floor finish may be permanently damaged.
Floor resurfacing: This requires some skill, so be certain you understand the process. Sand the existing surface of your floors with a drum sander all the way to the bare wood beneath, making certain that you are leaving the sanded surfaces level. Next, you’ll need to apply stain and, after it dries, a top coating of polyurethane.
Floor replacement. If damage to your hardwood floors is so severe the only remedy is in replacing it, make absolutely certain your woodworking skills are suitable. Not only are you going to have to accurately measure the floor area and then purchase replacement wood flooring, you’re going to need to know how to cut it and possibly how to work with tongue and groove sides during installation.
Knowing When to Call in a Professional
When it comes to removing scratches from hardwood floors, you’ll be fine doing the work yourself if you stick to the recommendations listed for minor hardwood floor repair. Beyond that, unless you have experience and knowledge in working with hardwood floors, it’s best to consult with a professional who has the expertise and skills to offer you the quality work you need.
Contact Us
For the past two decades, Carpet To Go has been the go-to-source for flooring needs throughout the Puget Sound area. Not only do they have a staff of professionals who are knowledgeable in each and every aspect of the flooring business, but they can deliver the results you seek at a price you can afford.
If you have determined that the scratches, gouges, nicks, and holes in your hardwood floors require repair or replacement, contact Carpet To Go today!
