How to remove scratches on laminate flooring at home

Anyone who chooses laminate flooring should be prepared for the fact that sooner or later scratches will appear on it that will have to be masked. For this purpose, a special putty is produced for the laminate, with the help of which its cosmetic repairs are carried out.

Putty for laminate

Whatever one may say, such a floor covering cannot be called absolutely reliable, since it is not completely resistant to mechanical influences, especially abrasive and scratching ones. Even minor damage can be clearly visible. Moreover, a violation of the integrity of the coating in one place can often lead to further serious damage to the material over time. Therefore, if scratches or chips appear, they must be repaired immediately. In addition, in order to preserve the original condition of the laminated coating, it is advisable to treat it with a special agent immediately after installation.

What are the dangers of damage to laminate flooring?

The main rule is that laminate flooring repairs should be carried out immediately after a defect is discovered. Otherwise you will have to change the board. Emergency measures are needed to prevent damage to the internal layers of the material.

This type of flooring consists of four layers:

• Nizhny.
• Carrier.
• Decorative.
• Protective.

Mechanical impacts most often damage only the top protective coating. It is this that is key in the system, because it protects other layers from negative influences.

Damage to the laminate is not only an aesthetic defect. This is a serious obstacle to the further exploitation of the material. Liquid can penetrate into scratches, causing the fabric to swell. The coating will no longer be beautiful and hygienic.

Laminate in the interior of the room

Features of using sealant

After laying the laminate, even by specialists, gaps may appear between the slats. In order to get rid of such a defect, a special sealant, presented in the form of putty, is usually used. Its popularity increases over time due to the qualities it exhibits that are better than those of the previously considered options. Among them:

• Elasticity.
• Durability.
• Moisture resistance.
• Perfection.
• Reliability.

The sealant contains silicone, which exhibits some of the qualities described above. During operation, this product is not afraid of elevated temperatures, and the sealing of seams and gaps of the laminate is performed at the highest level. The main thing is to choose the tone of the sealant to match the surface of the laminate. In this case, he will remain invisible and unnoticeable.

Why do scratches appear on laminate flooring?

To find a solution to a problem, you need to understand the reasons. Let's look at three classifications of damage.

What are the types of scratches on laminate flooring?

In addition to scratches, cracks may form on the laminate. This happens if you install the material on an uneven surface. Defects often appear after years of use and are difficult to disguise.

Minor defects on the laminate

Noticeable defects on the laminate

Severe deep defects on laminate

Advice! Don't forget that it is important to choose high-quality flooring. Questionable material will completely lose its appearance after the first minor damage.

Other defects and ways to eliminate them

The appearance of noise and squeaking when walking on laminate flooring may be due to wear of the substrate. This usually happens after several years of use. The only option to fix this problem is to replace the protective layer with a new one.

Some experts recommend using a mixture of gypsum and sawdust to seal large abrasions and gaps between panels. After this, you need to thoroughly wipe the resulting layer. However, in this case, the repair site will clearly contrast with the shade of the rest of the decorative surface. Removing such a repair composition will be problematic. Therefore, this method is not recommended for laminate flooring.

When answering the question - how to repair laminate flooring, you must first find out the reasons for the appearance of defects. Only after they have been eliminated can you begin restoration work directly.

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How to restore laminate flooring from minor scratches and abrasions

Restoring flooring is much easier than it seems. We offer proven methods for eliminating minor defects:

• Vegetable oil. This simple product is suitable for masking very minor scuffs. Wipe the floor with a damp cloth and wait until it dries completely. Apply a little oil to the sponge and rub it thoroughly into the scratches. Make sure there are no abrasive particles on the sponge.
• Furniture polish. You should use the product in the same way as vegetable oil - just apply a small amount of the substance to the scratch and rub thoroughly. The only negative is the strong smell of polish.
• Nail polish. You can cover up scratches on laminate flooring at home using a clear coat. If you can choose the exact shade, you should also use colored varnish. We recommend applying the product with a thin brush in several layers.
• Technical aerosol WD-40. The product acts on the principle of a polish. It must be carefully sprayed onto the defect, wait until it dries completely and repeat the procedure.
• Silicone mastic. The plastic product helps make damage virtually invisible. You need to take a little mastic with your fingers, knead it thoroughly and gently rub it into the coating. It is important to choose the right shade, otherwise you can make the situation worse. A universal option is a translucent product in a natural beige-brown color. For reliable fixation, you can coat the surface with a special protective varnish.
• Walnut. Remove the kernel from the shell and rub it firmly against the scratch. After the procedure, polish the coating with a soft cloth.
• Masking marker. Choose a marker of a suitable color. Shake it thoroughly and carefully paint over the defect on the board. If the shade is too pale, repeat the procedure several times.

Masking scratches on laminate flooring with nail polish

Important! Nail polish can be used to remove minor defects in cork flooring.

Instead of a resume

Cosmetic repairs of minor damage to laminate flooring are simple. To do this, you don’t need to invite any master. If you have any questions, you can find a suitable video on the Internet that shows all the stages of work.

There are many tools on sale for performing such work, but not all of them are universal. Repair materials should be selected depending on the degree of damage. For example, a deep scratch cannot be hidden with olive oil or WD-40; it will require putty or a special paste.

It is important to notice the defect in time and quickly eliminate it. If this is not done, further destruction of the laminate will occur, which will lead to expensive repairs.

How to remove deep scratches

Severe damage can be dealt with using special tools and available materials. We offer 12 effective ways.

Wax pencil

You can paint over scratches on the laminate with regular craft chalk. Procedure:

• Choose a pencil to match the color of the laminate. Please note that after some time the material will lighten a little.
• Grate the chalk on a fine grater.
• Thoroughly clean damaged areas of the flooring.
• Apply beeswax to the scratches and thoroughly rub the material into the indentations.

To make wax application easier, use a soft, natural cloth. You can preheat the fabric with an iron - the rubbing process will go faster.

Wax chalk for masking scratches on laminate flooring

Beeswax

Medium deep scratches can be treated with beeswax. The procedure is the same as in the case of wax chalk. The material must be grated on a fine grater and the damage must be polished.

Beeswax for masking scratches on laminate flooring

Advice! Instead of rubbing the wax, you can melt it. However, in this case, it is important to use it as soon as possible.

Paraffin

Paraffin is the most popular material for renewing wood flooring. To restore the laminate, you should finely grate the briquette and add a dye of the required shade. The resulting crumbs should be carefully rubbed into the scratch. It is most convenient to do this with your fingers. After the procedure, remove excess crumbs with a soft cloth.

Transparent paraffin to remove scratches on laminate flooring

Advice! The dye can be replaced with crushed colored pencil lead.

Repair kit for removing scratches on laminate flooring

Wood putty

To mask scratches on light-colored laminate, we recommend using putty. How to proceed:

• Thoroughly clean and degrease the floor covering.
• Prepare putty paste according to instructions.
• Cover the area around the scratches with masking tape.
• Using a syringe or a polymer spatula, fill the recesses with putty.
• Quickly remove excess material.
• Polish the surface with a dry cloth.
• Apply a protective varnish or clear liquid wax to the laminate.

Wood putty for masking deep scratches on laminate flooring

Advice! To avoid wasting time preparing the solution, use paste putty. It is sold at any hardware store.

Acrylic varnish

The material will help if you scratched the glossy laminate. It is necessary to fill the recesses with varnish and remove excess with a rag. Wait until completely dry. If necessary, repeat the procedure.

Acrylic varnish for removing scratches from glossy laminate

Advice! It is better to choose universal acrylic varnish. This material is compatible with any type of surface and has antiseptic properties.

Polish

You can restore laminate flooring from scuffs using a polish that contains silicone, wax and composite additives. An additional bonus is that the solution creates a protective film on the coating to prevent subsequent defects.

Most often, the liquid is sold in the form of a viscous concentrate. Before polishing the laminate from scratches, the material must be diluted with water according to the instructions. The resulting mass must be carefully applied to the damaged area.

Polish for masking scuffs on laminate flooring

Gypsum

Using plaster you can get rid of wide cracks on the board. The repair process will be labor-intensive, but the results will last a long time. To work you will need: a piece of wood the size of a crack in the laminate, plaster, water and wood shavings.

Step-by-step instruction:

• Clean the damaged area of ​​the coating.
• Mix gypsum powder with sawdust and dilute with water to the consistency of thick sour cream.
• Place a piece of wood into the recess on the floor and fill the structure with plaster mixture.
• Level the material with a spatula.
• Wait until the plaster is completely dry and polish the surface with sandpaper or a sharp knife.
• Wipe the repair area with a damp cloth and coat the floor with a protective varnish.

The disadvantage of this method is that the plaster takes a long time to dry. Therefore, use this method only in case of serious damage to the coating.

Gypsum for laminate repair

Retouching pencil

Retouching pencil with stain is a special tool for effectively masking medium scratches. To get the coating in order, it is important to choose the right shade.

The pencil does not contain toxic substances, so you can safely use it on the floors in your children's room. To mask defects, it is necessary to apply the product strictly according to the scratch pattern.

Pencil with stain to remove scratches on laminate flooring

Powder putty

Colored paste for masking scratches can be purchased at hardware stores. Sometimes it is sold in powder form, which must be diluted to the required consistency. There is a more convenient option - putty in special syringes. To decorate abrasions, you need to fill the recesses with paste, level the material with a staple and remove the excess.

Putty for masking defects on laminate

Enamel for wooden surfaces

The product will do an excellent job of removing scuffs on the flooring. For convenience, it is better to purchase the material in an aerosol. Operating procedure:

• Sand the edges of the scratches with sandpaper.
• Shake the can of enamel.
• Gently spray the product onto the damaged area and remove excess.
• Wait until completely dry.

Colored enamel for masking scratches on laminate flooring

Important! The aerosol smells quite strongly, so after treatment it is better to leave the room for a while.

Acrylic sealant

You just need to fill the scratch cavities with sealant. For the best effect, acrylic material should be mixed with paint of a suitable tone.

The sealant hardens very quickly, so it is necessary to apply it correctly to defects. To do this, use a plastic spatula.

Acrylic sealant for masking scratches on laminate flooring

Advice! This method is suitable for repairing light-colored floors, especially a striking gray floor.

Technology of use

The process of eliminating defects using special putty is quite simple, so you can easily do it yourself. You just need to understand the sequence of actions well.

Preliminary stage

Before starting the restoration you must:

• thoroughly clean the surface in the work area;
• degrease and dry the surface well;
• To avoid the composition getting on undamaged areas, they should be sealed with masking tape.

Next you need to prepare the putty. To achieve a perfect color match with the coating, a tint is used, which is added drop by drop to the composition until the required shade is obtained.

Applying putty

To apply the prepared composition to the defect area, you should use a thin spatula, preferably plastic or wooden. The process of restoring laminate flooring is reminiscent of working with putty, so those who have experience in putty work will not be difficult to cope with.

After applying the composition, excess is immediately removed. Then the putty is allowed to dry, this will take about an hour. This completes the restoration process. So, putty for laminate flooring is a means for restoring the coating. With its help, defects (scratches, chips, abrasions) can be eliminated. The application of the putty is simple, so the restoration work can be easily done on your own.

Replacing a damaged board

If the defect cannot be eliminated, the damaged element should be replaced. Find a board that is identical to the others in texture and shade. It is better to purchase exactly the same floor covering.

It is easier to replace if the damaged element is located close to the wall. Step-by-step algorithm:

• Use a screwdriver or pry bar to remove a piece of baseboard near the damaged area.
• Pry up the elements closest to the damaged board and carefully pull them out of the lock. It is important that the defective board is free on the left and front.
• Carefully remove the damaged board and place a new one in its place.
• Install adjacent boards, moving from right to left. The corner element should take its place last.
• Reinstall the baseboard.
• Check that the boards fit snugly against each other at the fastening points.

This method is suitable if the laminate is equipped with combination or twist locks. In this case, the work will require simple tools: a new block, a screwdriver or a pry bar.

If the damaged laminate board is located in the center of the room, it is easier to cut it out using a grinder. A new element must be installed into the resulting recess. To secure it thoroughly, use special glue.

Replacing scratched laminate boards

Important! Before installation, the new board must be kept for 1-3 days at room temperature.

Panel deformation

Professional laminate floor repairs should begin with a careful inspection of the damage site. This is especially true in situations where it has been exposed to water for a long time. A specific design feature of decorative floor panels is that the locks are not protected from moisture. If this part absorbs a large amount of water, it will inevitably change its shape. This may lead to the following consequences.

• The appearance of gaps between panels.
• Surface deformation.

Advice

To eliminate this drawback, it is necessary to determine whether this is really the effect of moisture, and not thermal expansion of the surface.

This can be done using ordinary toilet paper. A small piece of it is placed in the resulting gap. If it becomes wet, then the bloating problem is caused by water. Otherwise, it is necessary to check the presence of a thermal gap between the decorative layer and the wall.

This can be done using the following technology.

1. Remove the plinth on the wall to which the long side of the laminate adjoins.
2. Make sure there is a small distance between the decorative layer and the wall. Often installers may forget to remove the spacer wedges. They must be removed so that the laminate layer can “breathe”.

After this, you can remove the panel that popped out. Then you need to act very carefully. Many people wonder why laminate flooring comes apart? In most cases, this is due precisely to the lack of a temperature gap.

If the defect location is close to the wall, there is no need to disassemble the entire layer. By knocking out adjacent lamellas, space is freed up for installing the dismantled one. By installing it in the groove of a nearby board, the layer is tapped from the wall. To perform this procedure, you will need a special laminate installation kit.

But this technology is not applicable if the room area is large and the problem arose close to the center. In this case, you will have to disassemble part of the coating to eliminate this defect.

If a large amount of moisture gets on the laminate, you need to dismantle all the panels as quickly as possible. High temperatures should not be used to dry them. The maximum that is recommended is to thoroughly wipe the surface with a dry cloth. After this, each lamella is checked for correct geometry and integrity. If necessary, replacement is carried out.

The installation technology is no different from the standard one. The only feature is the removal of moisture from the surface of the subfloor.

Preventing floor damage

To avoid having to think about how to restore laminate flooring, follow simple preventive measures. Useful tips:

• To prevent scratches from falling objects, place a rug or carpet over your laminate flooring. It is not necessary to cover the entire area of ​​the room - it is enough to protect the central space. Try to choose an original carpet to match the style of the interior.
• Do not drag furniture or other heavy structures. If the process is unavoidable, first stick soft silicone pads on the legs of cabinets, sofas, tables and beds. They minimize the risk of damage to the coating.
• Try not to walk around rooms wearing high-heeled shoes. Almost always, after such fashion shows, micro-scratches remain on the laminate, which become more and more visible over time.
• Monitor your pets' behavior. Their sharp claws regularly damage laminate flooring, leaving it unattractive. If you have a cat, provide a scratching post. The pet will be busy and will not spoil the floor covering.
• Handle sharp and heavy objects more carefully. Try not to drop them on the floor. If this happens, immediately take measures to eliminate the defect.

If you've already scratched your laminate flooring, don't delay repairs. The longer you delay solving the problem, the less chance you have of getting your coverage restored.

Light laminate without scratches