Hardwood Floor Scratch Repair: 5 Easy DIY Methods

by John Griffith Feb 3, 2023 @ 08:43

A well-maintained wooden floor adds beauty to your home aesthetic. However, that aesthetic can easily be tarnished if your floor is filled with scratches. Even just a few pesky scratches will stick out and distract you from even the most polished of rooms. While scratches are nearly impossible to prevent, especially if you have pets and small children, they are fixable. But even just moving some heavy furniture can result in a big scratch. So, what to do then? From small to big scratches there are plenty of ways to deal with them. That’s why today we will show you some of our favorite hardwood floor scratch repair methods.

Scratches are nearly impossible to prevent

A well-maintained wooden floor adds beauty to your home aesthetic

In this article

Hardwood Floor Scratch Repair Methods
How To Prevent Damage on Wooden Floors?
Related Articles

Hardwood Floor Scratch Repair Methods

Wooden floors are a real beauty and add value to your home. Well, as long as they are well maintained. If they are dirty, stained, and all scratched up, they are more of an eyesore. That’s why it’s important to do plenty of prevention and regular maintenance. Before you start working on a scratch it’s important to find out what type of finish is on your floor. Is it water-based, oil, or wax-based. This will help guide some of your treatment of the imperfections. When it comes to the scratch the severity of the damage will determine the best method to tackle it. But the first step is always the same – clean the trouble spot thoroughly.

Wooden floors are a real beauty and add value to your home

If they are dirty, stained, and all scratched up, they are more of an eyesore

#Minor Scratches

If the scratch seems very surface level, has only affected the finish and is superficial, then the fix is super easy. Just get a walnut and fill in the scratches. Rub the walnut on the scratch. The oils in the nut will fill the wood nicely and the scratch will vanish. Sounds too good to be true, but it works. You can also use some coconut oil and rub a small amount into the scratch allowing it to penetrate into the wood. Then just wipe away any excess amount and repeat if needed.

If the scratch seems very surface level, then the fix is super easy

#Medium Scratches

Medium scratches mean that they have been able to penetrate the protective coating and managed to damage the surface of the wood. When it comes to such scratches a good old Magic Eraser will get the job done. Especially for engineered wood. But make sure to use it sparingly as too much can strip the surface. You can also use a marker or blending pencils, finish restorers, or give your floor a new coat.

When it comes to such scratches a good old Magic Eraser will do the job

@Apartment Therapy

#Deep Scratches

Deep scratches will need a bit more precision to repair than the previous two types. For this type of damage you can use wood filler and a wood stain pen. Just fill in the scratch with the wood filler, then sand the spot, and use the pen stain to match the color of your floors. Make sure to have a cloth on hand to wipe away any excess. You can also use colored wood putty and a plastic putty knife to fill it in. Let it set and dry, then sand it and buff it out, finishing it with a coat of polyurethane finish.

Deep scratches will need a bit more precision to repair

#Wear and Tear

If your whole entire floors are covered with gouges and scratches, then you may need to refinish the whole floor. It will take you less time than tackling everything individually. You can rent a sander and sand your floors by yourself, then stain and seal to your liking. But you can also hire a professional to do this.

You can rent a sander and sand your floors

How To Prevent Damage on Wooden Floors?

After you’ve removed all the scratches on your floor, it would be really annoying to get new ones. That’s why it’s important to work on preventing future damage. There are a couple of ways you can do that.

It’s important to work on preventing future damage

Do not drag heavy furniture across the floor. There are many ways to move heavy items without dragging them and not breaking your back.
Make sure to regularly trim your pet’s nails or get them trimmed at the vet/groomers and get a scratching post for your cats.
Make sure to avoid any abrasive cleaning products such as bleach.
It’s a good idea to reapply wood finish when it is necessary.
Use rugs, carpets, runners, furniture foot pads and other types of physical protection in high traffic areas.

Use rugs, carpets, runners, furniture foot pads and others for protection

These were the best DIY methods when it comes to hardwood floor scratch repair. We hope you found this article useful. Now you can fix up any scratches that have been bothering you on your beautiful wooden floors.

These were the best DIY methods when it comes to hardwood floor scratch repair

Sources:

John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.