How to eliminate scratches on laminate flooring in an apartment?

Are there sloppy scratches on the laminate from furniture, the fall of something heavy or sharp, or for some other reason? No problem! As a rule, at home they can be easily eliminated or at least made much less noticeable.

Prevention

The best way to deal with laminate flooring damage is to prevent it from occurring. Scratches on laminate flooring appear from the mechanical impact of sharp objects, be it hard shoes, furniture legs, a knife falling from a table, or something similar. Accordingly, it is important to prevent or at least minimize this impact.

1. It is recommended not to walk on laminate flooring in dirty shoes and to regularly vacuum and wash the floors (since it is scratched not only by sharp objects, but even by fine sand-like dirt).
2. Ladies should stop walking on the floor in sharp thin heels. If you really need to wear elegant shoes, you can always choose something less harmful to the floor covering and, moreover, more sustainable.
3. It is better to make soft linings from felt, felt or a similar material for the legs of furniture (especially massive ones). In inconspicuous places, you can even limit yourself to laying pieces of linoleum or, for example, an old rug.
4. If the room is heavily trafficked (frequently walked by a large number of people), it is worth choosing a laminate that is resistant to such intense impact and, if possible, additionally protecting it by laying carpet.
5. Do not use abrasive detergents or excessively hard brushes when cleaning.
6. Under frequently moved furniture (light cabinets, office chairs, etc.) it is worth placing almost invisible transparent polymer mats or using soft rubber casters.
7. You should always keep a wax pencil on hand to remove scratches immediately and prevent them from getting bigger.

Remember that preventing damage to the laminate is easier than later thinking about how to restore it.

How to remove scratches on laminate flooring?

Technologies for manufacturing a laminated coating and applying a color pattern to it can be different. But in the matter of repair work, this almost never plays a role: how and with what to cover up scratches on the laminate depends mainly only on the size of the damage.

Advice

Tiny abrasions that have not yet turned into full-fledged scratches and are hardly noticeable to the eye, but are felt to the touch, can be tinted with a colored marker, as well as varnish or wood enamel of a suitable shade. The varnish is also useful as a final protective layer for more serious repairs.

Wax pencil

This method is well suited for damage to the floor covering that is small in both depth and length. Ordinary wax pencils (or crayons) can be found in almost any stationery and creative supply store, specialized compounds for woodworking can be found in specialized stores.The color range of such products is quite extensive, so you will definitely be able to find something suitable even for an exotic version of laminate.

All that should be done before removing a scratch in this way is to wipe off dust and degrease the area of ​​the floor being repaired (for example, with alcohol). Next, you need to generously rub the scratch itself with a wax pencil and polish the area with a soft, dense cloth.

Advice

Haven't found a wax crayon that matches the shade and are still deciding how to cover up scratches on laminate flooring? Not a problem, as an alternative method, regular shoe polish with a high wax content in the composition will do. They can either completely replace a pencil or mix it with it to obtain the optimal color.

Wood putty

This option will have to be resorted to if the damage to the floor covering is large and deep enough.

Putty is produced in three forms:

• solid (in the form of a bar);
• pasty;
• powdery.

Which option to choose from to restore the laminate does not matter. It is only important that the putty is intended specifically for woodwork and matches the color of the floor covering. By the way, mixing different shades of the same putty mixture to obtain the optimal tone is quite acceptable. But it is advisable to do this immediately before removing scratches on the laminate. Then the mixture will not have time to harden or separate and will have a uniform color and optimal consistency.

Scratches on laminate flooring - how to remove putty correctly:

1. The area near the scratch is cleaned of dust, debris and dirt, and degreased (with alcohol, acetone or something similar).
2. The putty is diluted in the proportions indicated on the package (if it is not purchased ready-made).
3. Cover the area around the scratch with masking tape or tape to protect the floor from getting the mixture.
4. The scratch is filled with putty using a flexible polymer spatula (under no circumstances do this with a hard plastic or metal tool, it will scratch the floor even more). If this is not the case, a piece of thick rubber or even a finger will do.
5. The floor around is cleaned of excess putty.
6. Wait for the filler to dry completely and polish this area with a dry soft cloth. If necessary, you can additionally apply a thin layer of matte varnish or transparent wax.

Repair kits

Such kits are a convenient comprehensive solution for restoring laminate flooring, but not all manufacturers of this flooring produce them. A typical kit contains: one or more wax crayons, a package of putty and a rubber spatula for applying it. Perhaps, in terms of price, such a kit will cost a little more than buying all its components separately, but it is guaranteed to match the color and texture of a certain type of laminate.

Advice

Wax crayons and putty should be chosen in a slightly darker shade than the floor itself. Applied to the laminate in a small amount in a thin layer, they will be exactly the same color as it.

Replacing the top layer

This option is suitable exclusively for flooring made using the caching method - in other words, by gluing tarred paper onto a chipboard base. This material is not particularly durable, but it is easier to repair.

In order not to make a mistake and not spoil the floor even more, you need to make sure that the floor covering is really cached. To do this, before removing scratches from the laminate, it should be carefully inspected. It would be good if there was a small scrap of coating left somewhere in the closet, on which you can first experiment.

Repair procedure:

1. The old layer of paper is carefully removed (from the entire board or only from a small area - depends on the size of the damage).
2. If the scratch is deep and has touched the chipboard, it is filled with putty (not necessarily the right color).
3. A piece of wallpaper or decorative film suitable in color and thickness is glued on top of wood glue (PVA or analogues).
4. After the glue has dried, it is advisable to apply a layer of transparent varnish; this will significantly extend the service life of the homemade coating and strengthen it.

Replacing individual boards

In particularly advanced cases, when it is not possible to remove scratches, all that remains is to replace the damaged strip of laminate. If quite a lot of time has passed since its installation, then there is a high chance that you will no longer find the desired type of coating on sale. Therefore, in order not to suffer and not try to find something similar, you should initially purchase the flooring with a small reserve and not throw away the excess immediately after installation.

But if there are no spare boards left, and you can’t find the right laminate color on sale, then you can resort to a trick. A scratched board or a replacement that is not entirely identical in color can be moved, for example, under a massive wardrobe or bed, where it will not be visible at all, and in its place can be placed a whole intact strip that was previously lying under the furniture.

Laminate replacement occurs according to the following algorithm:

1. dismantling the baseboard;
2. dismantling the floor covering to the desired location;
3. reassembly and installation of the plinth.

If for some reason it is impossible to disassemble the entire floor covering, then there is a way to replace it locally - cut out the damaged area and put a new board in its place. This is done as follows:

• At a distance of 1-2 cm from the edge of the board to be dismantled, holes are marked and drilled at intervals of 20-25 cm.
• Lines are drawn along the holes.
• According to the markings, the old board is cut out with a circular saw.
• All sawdust and other debris are carefully removed.
• The lower part of the lock is cut off from the new board.
• Wood glue is applied around the perimeter of this new strip of laminate.
• The board is fixed, pressed down with weight, and excess glue protruding above the floor surface is removed.
• For at least a day, try not to step on the board or move it.

Let's sum it up

A scratch on laminate flooring is not a reason to bashfully hide the floor under a large carpet, put furniture in this place, or plan to replace the entire floor covering. Typically, such damage can be repaired using wax crayons or specialized putty for woodwork. And in order for the need for repairs to arise as rarely as possible, you should be careful, minimize mechanical impacts on the laminate and know how to care for the laminate to preserve its original appearance.