Engineered hardwood floors are sometimes preferred over traditional wood floors because of their incredible durability, but this doesn’t make them immune to scratches.
You can repair gouge in engineered wood floor by prepping the surface, covering the scratches, cleaning the floor and applying the sealant as you’ll most likely spot scratches and even gouge in high-traffic areas, such as the entryway.
Thankfully this unsightly marks and minor damages do not spell the end of your floors. You can still renew their look and keep them in good shape for decades.
You’ll need to invest some effort to minimize the appearance of scratches and repair gouge in engineered wood floor, especially since it is not recommended to sand an engineered wood.
Related: How to Get Rid of Termites in Hardwood Floor
How to Repair Gouge In Engineered Wood Floor
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Because engineered wood floors cannot be sanded like real wood in order to avoid sanding through the veneer, it makes removing scratches put up more trouble than it’s worth.
An excellent way to fix scratches and repair gouges on engineered wood floors is with a wax-based repair kit. You can get this at many hardware and home improvement stores.
Floor waxes come as a stick with a similar appearance to a crayon, marker, or block. Inspect the colors and shades of wax before purchasing, and ensure the wax you opt for closely matches your floor.
Apart from a wax kit, you will also need:
- Rubbing alcohol
- Cotton swabs
- Clean washcloths
- Plastic putty knife
- Varnish or polyurethane
- Natural bristle brush or lamb’s wool applicator
Directions to Repair Gouge in Engineered Wood Floor
Prep the Surface
Start by moving any furniture or rugs close to the scratched or indented area. Remove any item that could get in the way of the repair to avoid damage. If there are several areas with scratches and gouges on the wood floor, you can use painter’s tape to mark each spot so you can get to them quickly as you work.
Clean the entire floor thoroughly before applying the wax. You can either sweep or vacuum the floor, but be sure to pay careful attention to the gouged and damaged areas and ensure to get all of the dust out of the area.
To clean the damaged areas even further, dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and carefully rub it over the wood surface to remove any leftover debris. Then finally, with a clean washcloth that is slightly damp with rubbing alcohol, clean the area around the scratch.
Read: How to Fix Hollow Spots in Hardwood Floors
Covering the Scratches and Gouges
When your engineered hardwood floor has been cleaned up, it is time to cover the scratches and gouges with the floor wax repair kit.
Ensure to follow the product’s directions and mix in the colors thoroughly before you begin the application. Before using the wax, hold a sample next to the floor to make sure they match the floor before you begin to repair the scratches.
If you have a matching wax, scope up a small amount of the wax on your plastic putty knife and push the wax into the scratch and press down at a diagonal angle until the dent or scratch is filled. Remove excess wax on the floor with the flat end of the knife to make it flush against your floor.
Clean the Floor and Apply a Sealant
Use a clean cotton cloth to lightly wipe the floor and clean up wax residue after you have leveled up the scratches and indentations.
As you clean the floor, avoid pressing too hard to avoid accidentally removing too much wax than you would want from the floor, ensure the wax in your newly-repaired scratch remains intact. For a cleaner result, use fine-grit sandpaper to gently buff the area.
Then lastly, apply a seal of protection to the floor by coating it with varnish or polyurethane. It is recommended to use a natural bristle brush or a lamb’s wool applicator to prevent the formation of air bubbles.
Alternative Options
If you are not looking to repair a gouge in an engineered wood floor or the scratch is very light, you may only need fine steel wool to lightly buff off the scratch.
Use the sandpaper to gently rub the scratch following the direction of the grain until the scratches become less visible. Remember to apply a sealant afterward to protect the flooring after you’re done.
Cost to Repair Gouge In Engineered Wood Floor
There isn’t a specific set cost to repair gouge in hardwood floor; the actual cost of hardwood floor repair depends on the type of wood and extent of the damage you are dealing with; this determines the type of repair needed so you can tell the needed repair material and how labor intensive the job maybe.
Here are some cost estimates for common hardwood floor fixes:
- Spot repairing hardwood floors costs anywhere between $250 to $300 for a ½ day job. If the repairs require a full day of work, it might cost twice as much as that ($500 to $600).
- It costs between $3 to $6per square foot of hardwood floor repairs
- Refinishing hardwood floors costs quite some buck with an average price of $1,000 to $3,000.
- You can get do-it-yourself hardwood scratch repair kits from hardware stores that go for about $30 to $60.
Read: How to Restore Hardwood Floors Without Sanding
Conclusion
Hopefully, you have grasped the entire process involved in using wax to repair gouge in engineered wood floor; they also work to cover up scratches and serve as a quick fix to minor damages that otherwise leaves your floor looking dingy and worn out.
An engineered wood floor cannot be sanded because of their thin veneer, not to worry, as a scoop of matching color wax pressed over the dent on the floor levels it out and make them completely invisible.