Repairing Scratches On A Hardwood Floor

Prevention is the best cure, so first of all you place a ventilated floor mat at the exterior entryways, your family and guests can wipe their shoes and leave most of the grit, grime and water at the door. Mats can also protect your kitchen’s flooring from spills, however scratches can still occur and you will need to know how to deal with them:Despite your best efforts, your floors might still get some scratches. First you’ll need to determine whether the scratches are light or deep. If you have a light scratch, gently rub fine steel wool in the direction of the grain. For deeper scratches, use lightweight or fine sandpaper. After the scratch is removed, rub some mineral spirits over the buffed wood. This will smooth the wood and remove any residue from the sanding process. Next you’ll need a plastic putty knife and premixed wood filler that matches your wood’s color. Fill the scratch and allow it to thoroughly dry. Sand the excess filler with 180 grit lightweight sandpaper. The last step is to seal the sanded area with varnish polyurethane. Use a natural bristle brush or a lambswool applicator to seal the sanded area. If the scratches are many and vast, you may want to tackle the whole floor. To do so you will need a floor sander. You can rent this equipment from a home improvement or hardware store. They will also have the 20, 40 and 100 grit sandpaper you need to refinish the floor. Wear a safety mask and glasses to protect you from airborne dust. Seal the HVAC vents, close the door and open the windows. This will prevent the dust from traveling throughout the house. After you remove the baseboard and molding at the floor, remove any protruding nails.Use the 20 grit sandpaper for the first sanding. Guide the sander slowly over the entire floor in the direction of the grain. At the end of each pass, carefully lift the machine and overlap the previous pass by three inches. Repeat the process with the 40 and 100 grit paper. Remove all traces of dust by thoroughly vacuuming the room and walls. Use turpentine to prime an oak floor and a pine floor primer for pine floors. Allow an hour for the floor to dry and seal. You can now apply clear-finish polyurethane. Hardwood or real wood flooring is extremely durable, and with proper care can last a lifetime.With care and attention you can always ensure your floors look in fantastic condition. Just never let scratches remain too long as they will only get worse.