How to fix a hardwood floor scratch
Few things stand out more than a long white scratch in a medium or dark prefinished wood floor.
Many prefinished floors are coated with a urethane finish that contains a mineral called Aluminum Oxide. Although Aluminum Oxide makes the finish incredibly durable and long lasting, if it’s scratched, it will appear white. Which is quite alarming on a dark floor!
When this happens, many people think that the floor needs to be torn up and replaced. While board repairs are the best way to get rid of an obvious scratch, it is not an easy DIY project and can be costly to hire a pro.
If you’re looking for an easier, DIY approach, we recommend repairing the scratch with some simple tools. Using stain and colored markers, along with clear wax can take the white out of the scratch and fill it in to be virtually invisible.
Watch the video above to see the steps for repairing a bright white scratch. See our Amazon list for all the products we used.
Want to learn more about using a hardwood floor repair kit?
Read our guide to wood floor touch ups, and download a checklist of all the things you need to build your own wood floor touch up kit. Using a repair kit is the easiest way to hide a hardwood floor scratch without replacing the board.
Wood Floor Repair Kit
Other Videos in this Series:
How To Make A Wood Floor Touch-up Kit
Fill An Open Knot In Wood Flooring
Repair A Deep Scratch With Wax Without Refinishing
hello,,i have some pr finished IPE that I m guessing is finished with A O,,the product claims to be super tough and scratch resistance but I am seeing just the opposite,,the finish scratches super easily,,just the slightest movement of say a chair leg without a pad will leave the annoying highly visible white scratch . is this normal fo A O ? or is it possible i just have a bad batch of pr finished material?
thanks for your help
Bill
Hi Bill, Aluminum Oxide (A.O.) is an additive or special layer within the finish that is harder than other finish layers to help prevent things that scratch a floor from scratching the wood beneath. Unfortunately, Aluminum Oxide – when it does scratch – is known to leave more of a bright white mark. So, while it is harder, the scratches are more noticeable. Because of this, flooring manufacturers usually put multiple layers of finish on a floor and the layer that has A.O. is best when it is layered somewhere in the middle. If it is one of the top layers of finish, the bright white scratches (especially on a dark floor like Ipe) are more noticeable. This may be why your floor seems to scratch easily, and the scratches are very noticeable.