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Repair wood floors and scratches

Reblogger Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Cornerstone Business Group Inc 0225086119

Some simple solutions to scratches and other floor issues.  This is great info for a seller getting a house ready to list.  Enjoy, and if you'd like to leave a comment, please leave it on Dale's blog.  He'll really appreciate it!!

Original content by Dale Taylor

Repair wood floors and scratches that make rooms look worn out. We’ll show you easy ways to put the luster back into your floors.

Camouflage scratches

Take some artistic license to hide minor scratches in wood floors by rubbing on stain-matching crayons and Sharpie pens. Wax sticks, such as Minwax Stain Markers, are great scratch busters because they include stain and urethane, which protects the floor’s finish.

Don’t be afraid to mix a couple of colors together to get a good match. And don’t sweat if the color is a little off. Real hardwoods mix several hues and tones. So long as you cover the contrasting “white” scratches, color imperfections will match perfectly.

Homemade polish

Mix equal parts olive oil and vinegar, which work together to remove dirt, moisturize, and shine wood. Pour a little directly onto the scratch. Let the polish soak in for 24 hours, then wipe off. Repeat until the scratch disappears.

Spot-sand deep scratches

It takes time to repair wood gouges: Sand, fill, sand again, stain, and seal. Here are some tips to make the job go faster.

  • Sand with fine-gauge steel wool or lightweight sandpaper.
  • Always sand with the grain.
  • Use wood filler, which takes stain better than wood putty.
  • Use a plastic putty knife to avoid more scratches.
  • Seal the area with polyurethane, or whatever product was used on the floor originally.

Fix gaps in floor

Old floorboards can separate over time. Fill the gaps with colored wood putty. Or, if you have some leftover planks, rip a narrow band and glue it into the gap.

Jane Hoback is a veteran business writer who has written for the Rocky Mountain News, Natural Foods Merchandiser magazine, and ColoradoBIZ Magazine

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Comments(2)

Debb Janes
Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

Thanks for the re-blog...I wouldn't have seen it otherwise.  Handy information to have on hand.

I'm sure glad we put in distressed wood floors in our house, hides a lot of the wear and tear of living. :)

Aug 24, 2011 01:22 PM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Smart, Debb.  Ironically, I'm glad I found this one too.  I'm getting ready to list an REO that has a few flooring needs.  Just in time.  Kudos to Dale.

Aug 24, 2011 01:32 PM