Hardwood Floor Repair
Scratches normally happen when moving furniture or pets scratching their claws. In order to reduce scratches there are a couple of things that can be done. Using pads or caps on furniture or even pets (with soft paw caps) or de-clawing pets can be options. Basic hardwood floor repair skills are necessary for being a cost effective way to replace a floor each time it wears out. Damage can happen as a floor is something regularly used; people walking in and out, scratching claws from pets or just inevitable debris/spills/dust accumulating between the gaps. When faced with minor floor damage, it may be easier and more effective to make small repairs than to refinish the entire floor. Some common damages to hardwood floor are like:
Floor Scratches
Depending on the scratches on the floor, you can use repair kits but if they are large and deep then a sander may be needed. When repairing small nicks and scratches, some colour putty will be needed. Clean the hardwood floor and apply a colour putty stuck to the damaged area. Clean the nicked/scratched area thoroughly and rub the putty stick over the damaged spot. Let the colour dry for a few minutes and then wipe it with a clean cloth. The putty can also be used to fill nail holes in a patched floor after the top coat has been applied. If a nick or scratch is deep, a wood filler and stain that matches the hard floor colour tones is required. If the floor is showing its age it may require the entire surface to be refinished.
Replacing a strip or plank of flooring
Replacement will be needed if a strip or plank of flooring is damaged and is beyond being saved by sanding and filling. Most floors use a tongue-and-groove design for connecting adjacent strips.
Look for any nails in the damaged board and drive as far through the board as possible by using a hammer and nail set by striking a pointed tool that is placed on the head of the nail and then striking with a hammer, driving the nail into the wood. Clear the nails and remove the damaged board. Make perpendicular mark line across the section of the board to be removed with a carpenter’s square. (If an entire strip if being removed, skip this step) Then use 1/2 or 3/8 inch diameter spade bit and power drill to drill holes along the marks. Split the damaged board into two pieces with a wood chisel (This makes makes removal easier). Pry out the damaged board. The remaining pieces should be pried away from the adjacent boards (if the middle board has been removed). Make sure to cut them so that the end joints are staggered. Square up the drilled ends with a very sharp wood chisel, and use a nail puller to remove any exposed nails or drive them in out of the way with a nail set. The ends of the good sections should be smooth and square for easier re-installation. Cut a replacement strip to the same length as the one you removed and cut off the bottom side of the groove on the board so that a board between two others can be installed by inserting its tongue side first and then lowering its groove side into place. If it is not removed, the board cannot be placed past the tongue of the adjacent board. Test-fit the strip to make sure that it fits. Re-cut the board if it doesn’t fit. Remove the replacement strip and apply construction adhesive to the backside of the strip. Install the strip and gently tap it into place. Use a scrap piece of wood to protect the strip’s surface while tapping it into place. Nail the board with 2-inch-long ring-shank flooring nails and drive the heads just below the surface with a nail set. Matching the finish of the new strip to the existing flooring may be difficult, but give it a shot before you refinish the entire floor. Apply stain and sealer or whatever finish the strip needs to match the existing floor.
Replacing the whole floor
When small repairs are not possible then replacing the entire hardwood floor may be required. Some of the materials needed are tack cloth, lint free cloth, wood stain, kneepads, polyurethane sealer (water based), paint brush, rosen paper, baseboard stock, stud finder, spackling compound, painters caulking, painters multi tool, TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) cleaner, medium grit sand paper, paint roller, paint roller extension pole, semi-gloss paint, paintbrush cleaner, empty quart cans, latex gloves, safety glasses, ear protection, 80 grit sand paper/disc, floor sander (commercial) and edge sander (commercial) .
Pry one of the old boards with a pry bar and take the piece to the lumberyard to find new hardwood flooring planks that match in size and wood type. Remove damaged floor boards down to the solid material underneath in a staggered pattern (and be sure to install in a staggered pattern to hide the seams). Prepare sub-floor by removing any nails or debris left behind and secure a layer of rosen paper/vapour barrier (staple and flatten with hammer) to the floor to provide a “friction layer” that will minimize squeaks. Cut the new floor boards at random lengths to re-create the staggered pattern of the original floor. Try to match the original lengths to better conceal the repair. Use a cordless nail gun to nail the floorboards into the new pieces of flooring. Nail guns drive nails deeper into the wood, recessing the heads and making them more easily covered by wood putty or filler. Fill the holes with wood filler and fill any larger cracks. Sand, stain and seal the floor to finish.
Buckling Boards
High humidity or water damage can cause the floor boards to push into each other and buckle. This has to be fixed for two reasons: to avoid further damage to the floor and to get rid of a tripping hazard. You would need to access the floor from below for this. A heavy, complete flat weight will need to be placed on these buckling boards. Then install a 1 1/4 inch screw in the buckled flooring from below, allowing the screw to penetrate only half way into the flooring This drives the screw through the sub-floor and into the flooring and pulls the flooring down against the sub-floor thus getting rid of the buckled spot.
Dealing with stains
Clean the floor well to remove any dirt on it. Use a drum based sander than a disc sander that may cause more damage to the floor. These can be purchased or even rented from a hardware store. Sand to remove the old finish from the floor and clean it again before re-finishing. If the floor is not cleaned after sanding there will be dust build-up which make the finish look as bad.
Wear protective eye gear when removing a stain with a sander. Start by sanding off the old finish. Then mix oxalic acid crystals (available at home centers and paint and hardware stores) in water, carefully following the package directions. Be sure to wear acid-resistant rubber gloves to prevent injury. Soak a clean white cloth in the mixture and press the cloth on the stained area. Let it set for about an hour. Lift the cloth and check to see if the stain has been bleached away. Repeat the process if it hasn’t. Several applications may be required, but eventually the stain will be bleached away. After the stain is gone, use household vinegar to rinse the acid (to neutralize the acid). Wipe any excess moisture and let the area dry completely. Apply matching oil-based stain lightly on the bleaches area. Match the area with several coats, not just one application. Darken the area with additional coats, instead of trying to lighten it after it’s gotten too dark. If the stain is too dark, wipe the area immediately with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits. Doing so will remove some of the stain and lighten the area. After achieving the desired colour, allow the area to dry overnight. Apply the topcoat finish and blend into the adjacent areas. Thoroughly apply the finish and make sure it is spread out evenly as if it is not it can cause some of the floor to be darker or lighter in areas. Remember to use gloves and goggles. It is also a good idea to make sure the room is well ventilated.
Recommended reading :
Hardwood Floors: Laying, Sanding and Finishing (Paperback) by Don Bollinger (ISBN-10: 0942391624; ISBN-13: 978-0942391626 )
Related posts:
