Good Questions: Descratching a Patch of Hardwood Floor?

Hi AT,

I have hard wood floors and they are scratched in one 2 foot by 2 foot area. Short of hiring someone to refinish the floors are there other solutions?

Thanks,
Brad

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Hi Brad,

If the scratches aren't too deep you can cover them with color-matched putty sticks, which you can get at hardware stores. This method is kind of like coloring in your gray hairs without dying the whole head.

Start by cleaning the area with a solution of 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in 1 gallon of water, and then rub the putty stick over the damaged spot. Let it dry and then burnish it with a clean cloth.

Anyone else?

Image: ca_dimples

Comments (6)

If the gouge in the floor is deep, I use wood filler and then sand it flush with the hardwood floor and apply one of those markers that match the color close enough to where it's unnoticeable unless you've passed out from a great Napa cab and your head is looking straight at it!

posted by DinSF on 2007-03-20 17:35:46

I've used this trick on wood furniture before and it would probably be okay for floors, too. Mix some spackle with artist watercolors or pastels until you get a good color match with the wood, then just fill it in and smooth it out with a credit card. It may not have the same sheen as the floor, but the color should be pretty good.

And if that doesn't work, throw a cool rug over it!

posted by paintchipdiaries on 2007-03-20 22:02:16

Use some almond stick, works like a charm!

posted by Steve on 2007-03-21 05:29:53

or even that "scratch cover" stuff you can buy at the market near the polishing products. it works magic.

posted by alyssa on 2007-03-21 05:36:43

rub a beeswax candle into the scratch- it should hide the imprefection well

posted by Julian (v1.0) on 2007-03-21 06:41:43

What I do on my bamboo flor:
hold a steem iron above the stratch for a few minutes and then let it dry for itself.

If it is very deep should be repeated several times

posted by maja on 2007-03-22 05:28:42