Eric Foley
Scratches and stains can ruin the look of timber flooring, especially if left unrepaired for a long time. The appropriate way to get rid of stains and scratches will vary depending on the extent of damages.
For instance, deep scratches will require a different repair approach as compared to light, superficial scratches.
Below are different degrees of scratch and stain damages and how to fix them:
Clean the affected areas thoroughly
Cleaning is the first step to repairing timber floorboards that have been affected by scratches.
It is crucial to remove all traces of dirt before you start with your repair procedure. Also, take enough time to get rid of all the accumulated dirt buried deep inside the cracks. Generally, the affected areas should be free from as much dirt as possible before you attempt repairing. Be sure to use a wax remover solution to get rid of wax if some of the areas have a wax layer.
Floor sanding services
Sanding is an effective way of evenly removing the finish of a timber flooring that is suffering from scratches. However, you have to use the right sandpaper grade for the job.
Besides, ensure to use the sandpaper correctly. You will need three sandpaper grades to sand your wood flooring effectively. These grades include medium, coarse and fine. If you are in Australia, you will find all the three sandpaper grades at various hardware stores.
If sanding seems like hard work look for companies offering floor sanding service in Newcastle or your surrounding area. It is worth calling in the experts to ensure a quality finish.
A DIY solution for small scratches
Pets such as cats are likely to cause mild scratches on timber floorings. Most homeowners might be hesitant to repair slight scratches as they are not noticeable from a distance.
But, if not fixed promptly, mild scratches can quickly turn into ugly severe scratches. Try to fix the mild scratches on your wooden floor with a DIY solution before contacting professionals. Mix equal proportions of cider vinegar and olive oil and dab the solution on the affected areas of your hardwood floorings. However, this solution will only work on minor scratches.
Covering up
Sometimes it might be easier to cover up the scratched areas than repairing them, depending on the nature of the damage.
To do the covering up effectively, you will need to find a wax crayon that matches the finish of your timber floors.
Carefully colour the scratched areas. Use your finger to evenly spread out the colour, leaving a perfectly blended finish.
Also, you can choose to use an artist’s paint instead of a wax crayon. The colour that you use should have a darker shade compared to the finishing of your floorings.
Lemon juice to get rid of minor scratches
Minor scratches can be effectively fixed using citric acid. This explains why most furniture polishes have an orange or lemon-like smell.
However, this DIY solution will work on minor scratches that have only affected the finishing and not the actual wood. Mix lemon juice with olive oil and cover the scratches with the solution. Rub in the solution in the affected areas until the scratches disappear.
Wood filler to fix wide gouges on timber floorings
Staining and finishing might not be an effective solution if the scratches on your wood flooring are more like wide gouges.
Instead, you should use wood fillers before considering using stain and finishing solutions.
Replacing severely damaged wooden floors
Some severe scratches might be beyond repair. In such a case, there is no repair solution for your wood floors, but a replacement.
Alternatively, you can decide to patch the affected areas other than replacing the flooring of an entire room.
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