How To Fix Scratches on Hardwood Floors
Most hardwood flooring is made from either oak or maple and then stained to achieve the preferred tone or finish. If you have a beautiful hardwood floor, you want it to stay that way for decades. A hard, polyurethane protective coat on top of the wood finish can help. This layer tends to minimize deep scratches into the surface. However, despite your best efforts wood floors will eventually become scratched.
Fortunately, fixing these scratches is relatively easy
First assess the extent of the damage. Minor blemishes can be sanded smooth with steel wool or extremely fine sandpaper. More extensive ones will require heavier duty sandpaper. Always sand with the grain of the wood and do so slightly on either side of the scratch as well as directly over the damaged area itself.
Finish with 0000 steel wool (or very fine paper if you starting with a heavier grade). Wipe the area clean with a rag dipped in water for water based finishes and mineral spirits for oil or polyurethane based ones.
The repair area needs to match the rest of the wood finish. With minor scratches, the sanding may not have even reached the bare wood. For deeper scratches you may need to apply premixed wood filler or perform a subsequent stain touchup.
Dry Brush Finishing Method
Refinish the surface using the dry brush technique. Dip the very tip of a dry paint brush in varnish or polyurethane. The bristles should be almost completely dry before you touch them to your hardwood flooring. Brush lightly over the repair area with long strokes in the direction of the grain of the wood.
If you need more varnish, you can always brush on additional coats later. The idea is to not overdo it; this would create a puddle on the floor. Let the top coat dry over night; don’t let anyone walk on the repair site while it dries.
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- Real Wood vs. Laminate
- What You Need To Know About Bamboo Flooring
- Staining Windows
Tags: Flooring
