Fixing Scratched Hardwood Floors

A hardwood floor is beautiful, and you might be very protective of your floors. But no matter how careful you are, there will eventually be scratches on your floor. Moving furniture, accidents, pets and a number of common actions can mar your otherwise perfect floor. There is no need to panic. The scratches can be fixed, and with ease. Light, shallow scratches can be fixed by sanding with steel wool and application of mineral spirits. Here is how to fix deeper scratches without refinishing the entire floor.

1. Sand along the scratched area with fine to lightweight sandpaper. I suggest doing an entire board or set of boards, depending on the size and direction of the damage. That will make the finished repair blend in even better with the rest of the floor.

2. Use a premixed wood filler to fill the grooves of the scratch. The fillers come in a wide variety of colors, so choose one that matches the floor. I do not suggest using wood putty, that is unless you stain it yourself. Wood putty does not color evenly with stain once it is dry, so the repair will stand out if you try to stain it.

3. Sand the filler so it flows smoothly with the floor. An even board is as important to the look of the board, since higher areas will wear faster and need more work in the future.

4. Refinish the area with polyurethane, varnish or a similar product of choice. Make sure the area is well ventilated while you work and while the finish is drying.

5. Wax the repaired area so it matches the rest of your floor.