Treating Minor Scratches In Polyurethane Hardwood Floor Finish

Floors that have been finished with polyurethane are resistant to moisture and stains but as with any surface finish they can be scratched.

Treating minor scratches in polyurethane hardwood floor finish.

I would never suggest a homeowner rent a sander and do this. This can be done in one of two ways. Seal the sanded area. A complete sanding removes scratches but keep in mind that this will only work on real wood floors.

Floors like these will need to be sanded repaired and refinished. Brush up on the basics of 8 popular options before choosing yours. Put a few drops of lacquer thinner on an inconspicuous part of the floor then feel the finish if it s sticky it s lacquer or shellac. Fortunately any clever dog owning diyer can make minor floor repairs without the help of a pro just follow our guide on how to get scratches and stains out of hardwood floors.

These restorers can be effective treating minor scuffs especially if the wood itself has not been damaged. Evaporative finishes such as lacquer and shellac aren t as common as reactive finishes such as alkyd varnish or polyurethane but you handle them differently. Rub the area where you applied the stain to remove any residual following the grain of the wood. This application method works best rather than directly drawing the stain marker over the scratch because it allows for a gradual addition of stain.

It s a big job and one best left to hardwood floor pros who will charge about 1 50 to 4 per square foot to refinish the floor. Any wood surface with a polyurethane wood finish can develop scratches with normal wear and tear. The blend of water or petroleum bases with synthetic resins plasticizers and other film forming ingredients harden over the wood to protect the wood but when the polyurethane is scratched it breaks the protective barrier. How to repair scratched wood.

Hardwood floor finishes have varying levels of ease durability even glossiness. Refinish the whole floor. Lightly press a clean rag soaked in a bit of mineral spirits onto the wood focusing on the scratched area. Rub the stain into the scratch.

Don t use a foam roller or brush to apply the polyurethane you ll end up with air bubbles in the finish go with a lambswool applicator or natural bristle brush instead. Finish restorers are designed to help treat faded finishes or light scratches distributed across a wide area of your hardwood floors. This is a wise decision if your whole floor is covered in scratches and gouges. Additionally once the protective finish has been broken by a scratch the wood underneath can be irreparably damaged by moisture or deepening of the scratch in the wood.

Scratches conceal surface scratches with a simple stain filled marker minwax wood finish stain marker 8 49.