How to remove scratches on laminate flooring?

Getting rid of small scratches

The appearance of the smallest scratches over time is inevitable - they appear due to the influence of abrasive substances: dirt and sand, which are brought into the house on street shoes or fly through the window. In addition, damage may appear during repairs. Small scratches can be easily removed.

Polish

A special tool is easy to find in a hardware or hardware store: in order not to spoil the flooring, you should look for a label that says "for laminate".

Read also

Bloated laminate: what to do and how to fix it

There are three types of polish:

• liquid,
• thick (in the form of mastic),
• spray can.

Liquid remedy it is necessary to dilute in water according to the instructions on the package, and wash the floor with the resulting solution. This will renew the laminate and protect it from future mechanical stress.

Silicone mastic is considered even more effective due to its thick consistency. The composition must be rubbed into the floor, wait for the time indicated on the label, then walk over the surface with a dry cloth.

Sprays applied by spraying, avoiding drips, and then rubbed with a rag. After application and polishing, a thin protective film forms on the laminate boards, which prevents new defects from appearing on the surface.

Olive oil

Suitable for masking shallow abrasions. Before polishing, thoroughly wash the floor with water and shampoo, and wipe dry areas requiring restoration with a cloth.

To remove scratches, rub the oil vigorously into the coating for several minutes. The result will be noticeable only after polishing. Remove excess oil with an absorbent cloth.

Walnut

Another effective folk remedy that will help cover up scratches on the laminate at home. Before use, you need to wash the damaged area, removing all dirt. Then you should peel the walnut, making sure that there are no shells left on the kernel: it is very hard and sharp, therefore it can cause additional damage to the floor covering.

The kernel contains a large amount of oil, which makes defects less noticeable. It is recommended to rub the floor after polishing.

Nail polish

This is a handy tool that will help remove single scratches on the laminate. You need to work with this tool as carefully as possible so as not to completely spoil the coating. It is necessary to clean the scratch and drip it with varnish of a suitable shade. Then gently wipe off the excess with a cotton swab and let dry. As a result, small chips will no longer be conspicuous.

WD-40 grease

The WD-40 multipurpose grease, familiar to every car owner, helps remove scratches on dark laminate flooring. The process is as simple as applying polish: the defective area should be washed, dried, sprayed with grease, wait 5 minutes and cleaned with a brush. This method will hide small scratches, but more effective techniques will be required to repair deep damage.

You can verify the effectiveness of the method by watching the video:

Removing deep scratches

If the defects are significant, it is not necessary to dismantle and replace the entire floor covering. In order to close up large damage, you will need special tools that will reliably mask areas that have become unusable.

Wax candle

Beeswax can be used in a briquette to remove minor scratches by melting or grinding it, then polishing the scratch with a thick cloth. Wax candles that are closest to the shade of the laminate are also suitable.

You can rub the wax with a heated cloth. Paraffin, which has long been used in wood restoration, will also work. It should be crushed by adding crumbs of a slate pencil, and rubbed over the damage.

As a replacement for the candle, wax crayons will serve: they can be used to paint over minor defects on your own.

Pencil

A wax crayon is a budget-friendly way to remove scratches on your laminate flooring without the need for complex repairs. To do this, you should purchase a product of a suitable shade in a furniture store, clean the defective area by wiping it with a damp cloth, and carefully apply parquet wax to the coating. Then you need to carefully polish the damage. The composition will protect the laminate from moisture and abrasion, leaving a thin film.

Pencils do not take up much space and have a long shelf life, so they can be used several times.

Special paste for laminate restoration

The paste (or sealant) is produced in solid form and is sold in hardware stores. It has a slightly less variety of shades than wax crayons, therefore, in order to get the perfect color, it is sometimes necessary to mix two compositions.

It is applied with a spatula or plastic stack, leveled and wiped off with a soft cloth. There is also a paste in tubes. After processing, the scratch can be covered with a layer of colorless nail polish.

Acrylic lacquer

Only glossy flooring can be restored with this product. Working with it requires some experience and skill. The composition is applied exclusively to damage - you cannot go beyond its boundaries. If this happens, wipe off the excess with a damp cloth. After an hour and a half, the floor can be used.

Putty

An excellent tool, available in a wide range of colors, allowing you to completely remove scratches. It is important to clean and degrease the gap before processing, then protect the edges of the intact area with masking tape.

Furniture putty is applied with a spatula, and its excess is immediately removed with a rag. With this compound, you can restore dents on furniture and parquet. After the filler is dry, the treated area must be sanded.

Quick wax

The most effective and even professional result can be achieved with "quick wax", which comes in the form of a convenient swivel tube. This video shows you how to renovate a light-colored floor using two shades of wax and a varnishing felt-tip brush.

Special repair kit

The set, which includes wax pencils, a battery-powered wax melter, a special spatula and a soft cloth, will remove damage from the lamellas practically without a trace. The procedure is as follows:

1. We clean and degrease the surface to be repaired.
2. We melt the pencil, which is close in color to the main tone.
3. Apply with a spatula to the defect and wait for it to dry.
4. We level the surface to a smooth state with a spatula. We polish.
5. With a darker shade, we form strokes to imitate the drawing of a woody material.
6. We wait for solidification again, remove excess, polish.
7. We apply varnish for protection.

Preventing scratches

In order for the laminate to invariably please with its appearance and serve longer, it is important to observe the following recommendations:

• Do not use abrasive substances to clean the floor.
• At the entrance to the apartment, a rug should be laid to prevent the spread of sand brought from the street.
• Having spilled liquid on the laminate, you must immediately get rid of the stains, otherwise you will then have to rub them with effort.
• Furniture should be moved with care using special pads on the legs.
• It is not recommended to walk on laminate flooring with denting heels.

These simple rules will help prevent scratches and help save your family budget.