How to fix a scrape in a hardwood floor?

Question

Although I put a blanket under a very heavy object to move it, it was so heavy that it gouged a very shallow 3-foot line in the floor.

Is there a DIY way to fill and or buff it out without having to call a floor service?

Answer 1

• First, clean the floor to remove the black marks and any dirt.

• Quick and dirty: Some wood floor waxes, without other preparation, might hide the scratch. Test in a hidden area and let dry before doing the whole floor.

• There are wood touch-up pens, such as these from Amazon, that can be used to make the scratch less apparent.

  • Carefully test a few of the pens in a hidden area.
  • The eye is good at seeing linear features, so use different pens to match the color of the wood on either side -- using one color will just leave a mark only slightly less apparent than the original.
  • Follow up with floor wax to restore gloss.

• If the finish is solvent based lacquer, then test, in an obscure area, if a common solvent such as acetone or xylene dissolves enough of the surrounding finish to smooth over the scratch. Use caution! These are flammable and somewhat toxic. Again, it may be difficult to blend the repair so as not to leave a streak.