How to Eliminate Scratches from Wood Flooring

These professional insights will assist you in restoring your wood flooring, regardless of the extent of the impairment.

Properly maintained wooden floors enhance your home’s visual appeal. Nevertheless, scratches on wood flooring can detract from the immaculate ambiance of a space. With the presence of pets and young children, it becomes nearly unattainable to avoid minor abrasions; however, accidents involving furniture and significant foot traffic can lead to deeper gouges. Additionally, water damage, mold, and wood-destroying insects can leave unsightly marks.

The extent of the damage dictates which approach is most effective for addressing scratches in wood flooring. Designer Ashley Petrone of the home design blog Arrows & Bows offers her top recommendations for preserving and rejuvenating your wooden floors.

Table of Contents

Clean Wood Flooring

Nothing enhances the visibility of scratches quite like dust. Prior to addressing any scratches, carefully cleanse the wood flooring using a dust mop or vacuum.

Assess the Damage

Superficial Scratches

Superficial scratches solely impact the floor’s finish. To remedy these, Petrone advises, “utilize a walnut to fill in scratches. Rub a walnut over the wood, even on veneer. The oils from the walnut saturate the wood and, surprisingly, yield excellent results. Another natural at-home solution is coconut oil. Apply a modest amount and massage it into the scratch, allowing it to absorb into the wood. Remove any excess and repeat if necessary. If all else fails, your thirsty wood will be quite content.”

Additional remedies for superficial scratches:

Employ a DIY mixture of apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Combine the two and apply the blend to the scratch. Allow it to rest for several minutes before wiping it away.
Apply a wax stick over the scratch to fill it in. Polish the wax to achieve a smooth finish and restore the floor’s luster.

Minor Scratches

Minor scratches breach the protective coating and compromise the wood’s surface. “For surface marks, the reliable Magic Eraser is your most dependable ally. This is particularly effective on engineered wood,” however, Petrone recommends exercising caution. “If overused on stained hardwood, it may slightly strip your surface, so proceed carefully.”

Further alternatives for minor wood scratches:

Utilize a marker or blending pencils to conceal the scratches.
Apply wood stain over the affected area to penetrate raw wood, then promptly wipe away any excess.
Employ finish restorers, ideal for addressing minor scratches across a broad expanse of the floor.
Provide your floors with a fresh coat of finish to closely match the original appearance as much as possible.

Deep Scratches

Significant scratches and gouges in hardwood flooring necessitate a higher degree of precision for effective restoration. When dealing with hardwood surfaces, it is advisable to utilize wood filler in conjunction with wood stain (such as a stain pen), as recommended by Petrone. “To repair the scratch, simply apply the wood filler, sand it down to ensure it is flush with the surrounding surface, and then utilize your stain pen to achieve an exact color match with your flooring. Keep a cloth readily available to remove any excess material and to adjust the color to your satisfaction.”

An alternative method involves employing colored wood putty, applied using a plastic putty knife. Ensure to eliminate any surplus material. Allow it to set and dry, lightly sand, buff the area, and subsequently seal with a coat of polyurethane finish.

Heavy Wear and Tear

In scenarios where the entire floor is riddled with scratches and gouges, the most effective solution may be to refinish the entire surface. “Renting a sander from your local hardware outlet allows you to sand the floors independently. While it requires considerable effort, it can lead to substantial savings,” notes Petrone. An additional advantage of this DIY method is the opportunity to stain and seal the floors according to your personal preferences, rather than being confined to the original hue.

Preventing Damage to Wood Floors

After dedicating significant effort to eliminate scratches from hardwood surfaces, it is prudent to take measures to avert future imperfections. Here are several valuable suggestions:

Refrain from dragging items across the floor, particularly chairs and heavy furnishings.
Regularly trim pet nails and provide a scratching post for felines.
Avoid the use of abrasive cleaning agents.
Reapply wood finish as needed.
Utilize rugs, runners, and carpets in areas with high foot traffic.

It is essential to remember to reapply wood finish. This protective layer guards against daily wear and tear; however, it requires periodic refreshment. For those with newly installed hardwood floors, retain the brand and specifications for ease of maintenance with a comparable product in the future. If the previous finish is unknown, consult with a flooring professional to identify the optimal option among the various products available, including oil-based polyurethane, water-based polyurethane, wax coatings, varnish, stains, and aluminum oxide coatings.