How Do I Get a Surface Scratch Away of a Wood Floor?
January 6, 2020
Most modern wood floors possess a polyurethane finish, and whether the finish was implemented in a factory or even on-site, it’s not indestructible. It can be inadvertently scratched when you move furniture or even if you have pets with sharp claws. More often than not, scratches stay on the surface and are simple to repair.
Surface Scratches
You can often make surface scratches evaporate by applying paste wax and buffing the area, but that’s a temporary solution at best, since wax finally wears off or discolors. To make a longlasting repair, clean the part of the floor around the scratch with a soft fabric and a 1-to-1 way of water and vinegar. After drying it with another cloth, rub the scratch with 220-grit sandpaper or 000 steel wool, going with the grain of the wood. Wipe on a coat of the same finish that’s on the floor — generally polyurethane — and you are done.
Deep Scratches
When a scratch has penetrated to the wood, the consequent discoloration makes it more evident, and you can generally take take care of this with wood stain. Wipe around the stain once you clean the floor, and then allow it to dry before rubbing down the surrounding finish with sandpaper or steel wool. Rubbing removes all the stain except what has penetrated the wood. It also scuffs the finish so the new touch-up finish you apply with a fabric will adhere better.