Everyone knows the list of things to do to keep your hardwood floor in pristine condition, from not dragging furniture across it to instituting a ‘no shoes’ policy. No matter how careful you try to be, eventually something will happen to scratch your hardwood floors. However, this doesn’t have to be the end the world. In most cases these types of scratches are barely noticeable to anyone but the homeowner.
Superficial surface scratches on hardwood, where only the top protective coating of the flooring is scratched, can be easily repaired. In this scenario you should clean the scratched area with a soft cloth and cleaner designed especially for hardwood floors. When completely dry, apply a new layer of protective coating to the scratched area. This can be shellac, sealant or other finish.
If the scratch penetrates the protective coating of the floor as well as the wood, after cleaning you will need to carefully rub steel wool over the area. Always rub with the grain of the wood, continuing until the area with the scratch is smooth and level. To blend this area you will also need to buff the surrounding areas with the steel wool, blending into the edges. You can then fill in the area using a wax wood repair stick that most closely matches the color of your hardwood floor.
For deeper gouges and scratches in your hardwood flooring, the floor will need to be stripped, repaired and refinished. Refinishing hardwood floors is a much more in depth process, and one that is best left to the professionals, like those at Cardoza Flooring.