There’s nothing like a clean and shiny hardwood floor. It looks terrific and feels fabulous on our feet. But hardwood is a natural product and can be susceptible to scratches, dents and gouges.
You may be concerned about everyday scuffs or deeper gouges and dents from furniture and appliances. The good news is there are DIY and professional solutions for repairing and touching up your hardwood floors.
How Can I Repair Surface-Level Scratches on My Hardwood?
Superficial scratches are an easy fix. Options include:
- Try DIY waxing. Use a manufacturer-recommended wax and consider renting a buffing machine to work the wax into your floor. Most contemporary hardwood has a urethane finish, so avoid old-school paste waxes. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to preserve your floor’s life and sheen.
Touch up scratches with a furniture pen. Wood markers in various colors make covering up light damage a breeze.- Consider professional buffing and polishing. Buffing can remove minor scratches and scuffs and give your floor a long-lasting shine. Loudoun Valley Floors’ sister company Loudoun Carpet Care offers wood floor buffing to restore the luster to your hardwood floors.
How Can I Repair Deeper Gouges in My Hardwood?
You can fill deep gouges with various materials for minor repairs:
- For minor gouges, rub a wax filler stick in the gouge. Check for manufacturer-recommended brands, and make sure you have the right color.
- Try wood putty in a color that matches your hardwood for deeper gouges.
- Epoxy glue can also fill small holes and gouges. Look for wood floor repair kits with epoxy and applicators for an easy DIY project.
How Do I Repair Scratches on Engineered Hardwood?
Durability is one of the advantages of choosing engineered hardwood. The planks come with a pre-applied coating designed for extra protection. However, engineered hardwood can become scratched, especially in high-traffic areas. Gentle buffing with fine-grained sandpaper can remove light scratches from engineered hardwood. But remember, the coating is only ⅛-inch maximum, so this technique won’t work for deeper scratches. Floor wax from your local hardware store is a good solution for engineered hardwood. Fill the scratch with a putty knife, then wipe away excess wax with a cloth.
How Can I Prevent Scratches and Gouges on my Hardwood?
As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so take these simple steps to protect your hardwood from scratches and gouges.
- Use protective pads on the feet of chairs, couches, tables and other heavy furniture.
- Use rugs in high-traffic areas.
- Maintain a regular cleaning routine to keep the floor free of dust and debris that can cause scratching and scuffing.
When Is It Time to Refinish My Hardwood Flooring?
Minor repairs, buffing and touch-ups can go a long way in keeping our hardwood looking its best. However, when scratching and gouging become a bigger problem, it may be time for professional refinishing (usually every seven to ten years). Here are signs it may be time to refinish:
- Your hardwood has faded from sunlight and foot traffic.
- Your floor turns gray as its polyurethane coating wears off.
- Your wood planks are losing their luster and becoming dull and unattractive
- Your floorboards are scratched from pets and foot traffic or have begun to splinter.
- Your hardwood has water stains.
Protecting Your Hardwood with Loudoun Valley Floors
At Loudoun Valley Floors, we love hardwood. We start with high-quality installation and lustrous protective coatings to set our clients up for long-term protection. When your hardwood needs a pick-me-up to tackle minor scuffs and scratches, a professional buff and polish from Loudoun Carpet Care is the way to go. And when it’s time to refinish, our skilled team has it covered, eliminating heavy scratching, dents and gouges for a like-new hardwood floor.