Much in the way that toothpaste will remove small particles from your teeth, it can do the same for scratches. Your email address will not be published. The top layer is a tough plastic meant to stand up to daily wear and tear. How much does it cost to rent a storage unit?
The nice thing about these manufacturer-made repair kits is that they will be matched to the flooring. Remember, always try to add darker melted burn-in sticks after lighter shade melted burn-in sticks. floor image by Einar Bog from Fotolia.com. Unless you are planning to refinish the entire floor, this will only make the problem worse.
Add to the mix two wily cats with talons for claws and you could say Ive dealt with my fair share of nicked-up floors and furniture. This is because theyre playful and ignorant of human concerns. Laura believes that moving should be as stress-free of an experience as possible, and is always working on new tips and shortcuts that she can share with readers on Moving.com.View all posts by Laura Mueller, How to Repair Dog Scratches on Your Floor or Furniture, 30700 Russell Ranch Rd, Westlake Village, CA, 91362 |. If it is unavoidable, do your best to cushion them any way you can.
Some scratches barely affect the finish and are very easy to remove, others (like the oncecaused by catkneading or a dog who loves to run and slide in a particular section of a hallway) are deeper, and require a more focused approach. Since it is less expensive than genuine hardwood flooring to purchase, install and maintain, laminate flooring has become an affordable alternative since Pergo introduced it decades ago. Softly scrape the putty knife over the scratch so its filled in, but the surface is flush with the surrounding finish. Use wax pencils to fill the scratches, carefully matching the color of the floor. The popularity of laminate flooring rests on its affordability and durability. Try mixing cups of olive oil with cup of vinegar. Pro Tip: Buy an extra box of laminate for replacing damaged planks that cannot be repaired. Pick out the color thats closest to your finish. Taking care to stop scratches before they occur is much easier than trying to remove them. Your email address will not be published. You can use so many applications to fix or prevent scratches and keep your laminate floor clean and tidy. If the scratches are fairly minimal, and you dont have things like wood-stain on hand, you can try a simple fix or two using basic household products: Once youve cleaned the floor or furniture, inspect it for minor scratches. Reinstall the other removed planks and put back the baseboard. If this isn't possible, your best option may be to get a repair kit that allows you to mix up a custom color of putty at home. If the damage to the laminate is too great to repair, you may have to replace the entire plank. Required fields are marked *.
Simply apply the toothpaste to the affected area and rub it down with a soft cloth. Do not fret if this happens to you because there are some fairly simple ways to remove dog scratches from laminate floors. Some of the most effective ones include: Perhaps the best way to keep your laminate flooring looking nice is to prevent scratches in the first place. If you prefer to go the DIY route, there are a couple of creative ways that you can tackle dog scratches on your wood floors or furniture (at least the shallow ones). Before we show you how to fix the scratches, theres a prerequisite thats essential to acquire. If you are following our step by step instructions above then you will need some or all of these supplies to fix scratches on laminate flooring. Filling a few minor scratches on a laminate floor can be done with a wax pencil that matches the color of the floor. Because the knife can further deepen the scratch if applied with little more force. The process is simple take crayons and melt them. Then, adding a new piece of furniture, preparing for a spring cleaning, orgetting ready to move shines a spotlight on all those scratches on the floor and furnishings. Continue the process of applying putty on all the dog scratches on your laminate floor. Your email address will not be published. This repair kit will come with all the tools you need to fix minor scratches and gouges. It might seem odd, but toothpaste is a great material for buffing out minor scratches. If you have a high traffic area, place the rug there to reduce damage., Excessive moisture on laminate flooring can cause laminate planks to swell and expand. Pull floorboards up until the damaged floorboard is exposed. They can also be caused by heavy machinery. Its easy to get used to the daily wear-and-tear caused by our pets. Our goal is to deliver high-quality information to help homeowners decide which type of flooring to install in their homes. What Not to Pack Inside Your Moving Container. Your email address will not be published. We work closely with qualified flooring contractors throughout the USA to provide installation and repair services for home flooring products. Then, use water and vinegar solution to remove the toothpaste residue and let it dry. It is always best to, Laminate Flooring and Dogs: What You Need to Consider, How to Repair Scratches on Luxury Vinyl Flooring, How to Stain Laminate Floors (Painting Laminate Floors), Installing Laminate Floor on Concrete - A Complete Guide. Before starting laminate flooring repair, vacuum, sweep, and mop the floor with warm water and mild detergent. Choosing a New Mattress A Complete Buying Guide, Stain-filled wood marker or other type of pigmented wood polish, Shellac or polyurethane (if wood is glossy), Brush for applying shellac or polyurethane. Powered by Mai Theme. Use a putty knife and take some colored putty. If the finish is glossy, use a brush to apply a coat or two of shellac. A member in good standing with the National Kitchen and Bath Association, Asaff has working knowledge of all areas of home design. If you have a leather chair or couch and a four-legged friend who is allowed to snooze there, chances are high that youve got some scratches to take care of. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Home Flooring Pros is a consumer website that specializes in providing professional advice on different types of home flooring.
Once the area is dry, apply the wood finish repair pen or use another rag to apply the pigmented polish. Dab the toothpaste on floor scrape marks and continue doing till the scuff marks disappear from the laminate floor. that says its fresh) with cooking oil of your choice. Keep the windows open too, to disperse any chemical odors. Deep scratches are caused by furniture ends or something dropping on the surface. Investing in furniture pads or anti-scratch laminate pads is worth the benefit.. When the filler is completely dry, use the sandpaper to gently smooth the wood filler at the surface of the scratch. Matching the laminate color is very important, be it a wax pencil or some wood filling. Your email address will not be published. Are you looking for a quick fix or an in-depth guide? When it is fully melted down, place a few drops into the scratches and rub it in with a cloth. Note that if you use any chemical-based cleaners and/or stains when repairing scratches in wood or leather youll want to keep your dog away from the product completely until its set. The causes can range anywhere from your furniture to your pets. Read our Terms of Use and Disclosures page for more information. To be sure all scratches are entirely filled, rub the tip of the wax pencil across the scratch at different angles; short strokes along the scratches also work well. While it takes quite a bit to scratch up the laminate, when it happens, it can be very obvious. Use short strokes to fill in the scratch from one end to the next. If there is not an exact match available, the employee should offer you a repair kit that can be mixed with color to match your floor. Let the stain product dry (set) as per the directions. For example, it could have been a dropped item, grazing, furniture ends, moving furniture, etc. Its possible that your laminate flooring came with this repair kit. If your family is hard on flooring, you may want to go with vinyl. However, just like any high-touch surface in a home, it is susceptible to damage. If there is not an exact match available, the employee should offer you a repair kit that can be mixed with color to match your floor. Once you find a color that seems close, melt it down in the microwave 30 seconds at a time. And there you have it. Most require about an hour to set.
Also, using a plastic rug can avoid damages from a moving chair or table.. For example, a graze or high heels can cause these. Laminate flooring repair kits commonly include wax pencils, colored putty, a putty knife or similar tool, and detailed color-matching instructions.
Then, remove the surrounding planks till you get to the desired one. Write down the style and color of your laminate floors and visit the store where you purchased them. Scrape a clean edge of the putty knife across the flooring repair and the area around it to remove excess putty and create an even repair. A graduate of Sonoma States Creative Writing program, he spent many years as a contractor and carpet layer, learning the ins and outs of flooring and general contracting. If you are not able to get matching repair wax from the manufacturer, a melted crayon could do the trick. You should be able to find a color that matches your laminate flooring just right. Removing Scratch Marks on Laminate: Basic Idea, How to Prevent Scratch Marks on Laminate Flooring, What this also means is that if water gets under the flooring, this could cause problems like mold or rot. Remember, you should place the knife at 45 degrees. Laura Mueller is a professional writer with nearly five years of experience writing about moving. Wax pencils dont contain enough material to repair scrapes, so floor repair putty is used. kneading or a dog who loves to run and slide in a particular section of a hallway) are deeper, and require a more focused approach. Replace it with a new board and put the other boards back in place to the wall. Because the surface cannot be sanded, these scratches have to be repaired with wax or putty. Conceal the scrape using the melted crayons. These kinds of scratches can be fixed by walnut rubbing, olive oil rubbing, or a wax/stain pen. Using a prybar, remove the baseboard at the wall closest to the floorboard being replaced. Once the paste is dry, clean it off with a wet towel. How to Fix One Hardwood Floor Board That Is Splitting, How to Fix Scratches on a Dark Wood Laminate Shiny Floor, How to Repair Minor SOS Scratches in Formica Counter Tops, How to Fix Scratches & Chips on Wooden Furniture, Home Remodeling Tips: Laminate Flooring: How to Repair Scratches, Laminatefloorings.net: Repair Laminate Floors, How to clean a showerhead, according to an expert, How to Deal With Scratches on Prefinished Floors, How to Hide Vinyl Tile Scratches With Shoe Polish. The good news about this is that laminate is fairly easy to repair once it has been scratched. Required fields are marked *. Match the color of the putty to the color of the laminate flooring according to repair kit instructions. Then wipe up the excess beyond the edges of the repair. Follow the directions on the marker and gently draw a line over the area where the scratch exists to blend it into the rest of the flooring. Make sure to put it in a microwave-safe bowl and dont leave it in too long. Sometimes that works. You can easily remove them when theyre damaged and instantly install a new plank in place without having to call a professional. Moving and using heavy machinery can cause damage to laminate planks. Use a soft cloth to gently buff the edges of the repair and smooth out the wax filler. Pro Tip: Number or photograph the baseboard pieces for easy and accurate replacement. The scratch is filled in with the wax, blending it into the rest of the laminate's surface. When hes not typing away at his desk, he enjoys hiking with his dogs, woodworking and collecting rare books. They come in different colors, and its effortless to use them., Paste wax is often used to repair scratches or dents on hardwood flooring, but it also works well on laminate flooring. Plastic flooring pads go on your floor if you have an office setting. Do you happen to have any scratches on your laminate wood flooring? Otherwise, youll need to use a dry rag and apply a matching stain. When used with laminate flooring, it is better as it protects the floor from damage. If you have a broad and deep scrape, you likely need a new plank (See Major Scrape Repair below). Allow time for the marker to dry before walking on the area where the scratch is located. If your floor or furniture is glossy, use the brush to add a coat of shellac and let it dry. Win the Ultimate Pet Friendly Flooring with LL Floorings Floof Proof Pet Sweepstakes! Like almonds, dampening cotton in some olive oil and rubbing it on the scrape mark can make it less noticeable. Large boxes of crayons will have a wide variety of pigments for you to choose from. If you need another coat, add it. With a few simple techniques, you may be able to get rid of unsightly scratches in your kitchen or living room. Remember to sweep and mop at least twice a week, if not every day.
Remember keeping your floors healthy is not only beneficial to the environment, but to you as well. Scoop a small amount of putty onto the area where the scratch is and spread it onto the floor with a putty knife until it is smooth. Firstly, cut the wood splinters if present with the help of a knife. You can try to go over the wood filler/scratch with a wood finish pen if you have one. Depending on how deep the scratches are, you may want to try a couple of different techniques. How to Repair Swollen Laminate Flooring Like a Pro! How to Clean Sticky Film From Laminate Flooring, How to Repair Laminate Flooring With Wood Fill Products, How to Remove Carpet Padding Stuck on Hardwood Floors, Copyright 2022 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Lifestyle, All Rights Reserved. She has written numerous articles on art, interior design and home improvements, specializing in kitchen and bathroom design. Laminate floors, in general, are pretty scrape-resistant, and adding anti-scratch laminate pads to it makes it immune to further scratches., From using a wax pencil to repair scratches to using almonds to hide scratches, weve got you covered when it comes to the best tips to deal with scratches. Prevent recurring dog scratches on your laminate floor by keeping your dogs toe nails trim and limiting activities such as fetch while your dog is on the laminate floor. Its easier to add morestain if neededthan it is to removetoo much stain. Repairs should be unnoticeable, so an important part of any laminate flooring scratch repair is to match the color of the laminate floor with the repair material. Rub the walnut onto the surface back and forth for 3-5 minutes. A laminate floor repair kit is made for the sole purpose of managing your laminate floor scratches in case anything were to happen to it. Its easy to get used to the daily wear-and-tear caused by our pets. Once youve finished refilling the scratches on the floor and furniture, things will look like new. When you are initially installing it, make sure to save a few extra planks for just such an occasion. The planks may be screwed beneath the baseboard to the underlayment. Those screws need to be removed before we can pull the planks out.. This is a great alternative to floor repair putty method described below. To get stains out of laminate, cover it with a paste of baking soda and water. After the wax has cooled, use toothpaste to smooth it out and clean it with a small amount of water. This will take the dust and debris away from causing any scratches to the floor. You can also attach felt pads to the bottom of any furniture that stays on the laminate. The surface of laminate flooring cannot be sanded, so scratched or scraped laminate flooring has to be repaired with wax or putty. Stroke in the opposite direction of scratched laminate, rub it back and forth, and then wipe with a dry soft cloth to hide the mark of the buff.. The key to a successful repair of a scratch or scrape on laminate flooring is matching the color of the floor. Be sure to add putty dye just a few drops at a time. Additionally, you can create lines of darker fillers over the base filler to match the laminate pattern. A Vacuum, broom, dustpan, mop/bucket/detergent, How to Remove Laminate Flooring The Home Flooring Pros Guide, How to Cut Laminate Flooring Tools, Step by Step Guide and Tips & Tricks. Therefore, it is advisable not to bring heavy machinery inside without any padding to use., Anti-scratch laminate pads are a good purchase if youre worried about scratches. If none of the above methods work or the scratches are irreparable, such as plastic laminate, you can replace the plank instead of fixing it.
Rub the stain pen on the scrapes area; if needed, you can apply a layer of varnish after. You can add another coat if needed in order to match the original finish. There may be more dog scratches than you are initially aware, so be sure and do a full walk around the room so that you are able to address all the scratches at one time. Laminate planks are very easy to install and remove; thats one of the major benefits of laminate planks. Use the putty knife to apply the wood filler to the scratch, working gently with the putty knife tip.
You can mix up multiple crayon colors to match the laminate color. You will notice that the scratches have turned lighter in color and are not very noticeable. Repair colored putty is used for major/deeper scratches. There are some applications to avoiding scratches/scrapes on your laminate flooring. This solution should lift stains out of the laminate material fairly easily. You can also coat it with acetone for a protective layer..
Ask an employee if the store carries a repair kit that goes with your particular color and style of floor. Required fields are marked *. Professionals Movers or Moving Containers? Use the felt tip marker on any minor scratches you notice. Apply with a microfiber rag and wipe excess from around the scratch.
Finally, If the kit has a varnish or clear lacquer, get proper ventilation and apply it. Nearly all laminate manufacturers sell repair kits that consist of wax pencils, colored putty and a putty knife to help repair minor damage. Minor scratches are the scratches that arent hard to fill; they generally require a quick touch-up to look like usual again. Remember to leave a gap at the wall for expansion and replace the baseboard back over it to finish the repair. Most manufacturers of laminate or hardwood flooring will offer a repair kit to customers. If youre worried the scratch is too deep, consider using a scratch repair putty to seal it. In this article, we have laid them out for you and provided tips on effectively removing damage to laminate flooring. You can also use a small, dull putty knife to smooth it out. On the downside, laminate flooring can scratch and scrape easily, especially compared to flooring made of material like tile or hardwood. It may even need to be replaced. In this case, the board should be removed and replace. Pro Tip: Dry the floor with the clean cloth under your foot to save wear and tear on your back. Items that require climate controlled storage, Preparing Your Vehicle for Auto Transport, Before You Rent a Car Trailer: Cost and Tips, How to Make the Home Selling Process Easier on Pets, How to Transfer Your Pet to a New Veterinarian After a Move, Moving with Pets: How to Help Your Dog Adjust to Your New Home, 8 Charities That Offer Free Donation Pick Up, Ultimate Guide to Moving Internationally With Pets. Our website is supported by advertising. Pro Tip: Wax pencils and floor repair putty are often used on wood and laminate.
Then, adding a new piece of furniture, preparing for a spring cleaning, or. If the scratches or dings caused byyour beloved furry friend(s) are more drastic, youll need all of the items listed above, as well as: All of the above are available at your local hardware store.
Identify the type of damage on the surface of your laminate floor and then follow the relevant guide below: Minor scratches characteristically are shallow, cover little surface area and are few in number. This method is less commonly used and should be only used for minor scratches. Wait for the floor to dry or dry it with a clean cloth for a faster start. Regular cleaning and maintenance of the place are essential to having a good environment in general. Also, by implementing a few rules and precautions, you can avoid having to make these repairs at all. First, well show you how you can fix the scratches on your laminate floor, but before that, lets find out what causes scratches. Hold the knife at a 45-degree angle to the floor and press the putty across the scrape from multiple angles to ensure it gets filled completely.
If you had to purchase a non-specific repair kit, mix the putty in your kit with the paint color recommended at the store until you achieve the right color to match your floor. If a plastic laminate is scratched, it cannot be fixed. The putty will harden within a day to become a permanent repair.
. Whenever possible, contact the manufacturer of the flooring to get your repair kit directly from them. Michael J. OConnor is a writer and marketing specialist from the Bay Area of California. If you cant find the right tools with the color, consider buying two colors, mixing them to get as close to your floor color as possible, or calling your laminate floor supplier, he might have a remedy or a fix.. If you live with your laminate flooring for long enough, chances are you will scratch it eventually. Rub the tip of the wax pencil back and forth across the scratch in the opposite direction that the scratch is moving. Were ready to get into the specifics now, but remember that these fixing solutions may not work on your laminate if its a plastic laminate. Its a good opportunity to go play fetch in the backyard (or head to the groomer for that much-needed nail trim).