Use the hardwood flooring repair set to repair scratches, holes etc.

Even the most robust parquet is not immune to damage.

Daily wear and tear or minor mishaps can quickly cause scratches, holes or dents in the parquet. Learn in this article how to best repair various damage in the parquet.

One of the great advantages of parquet is its durability and durability.

Nevertheless parquet is not indestructible. However, minor damage to hardwood flooring is usually relatively easy to repair without having to renovate the entire floor. How best to repair defects in hardwood flooring, depends on the type of damage.

Remove scratches in the parquet

Scratches in hardwood flooring are only an optical defect with waxed or oiled floors.

With lacquered parquet, on the other hand, the damaged surface sealant can cause damage in the long term if dirt or moisture penetrates under the protective layer.

To eliminate scratches in the parquet, there are various possibilities that achieve very good results depending on the depth of the scratches.

Superficial scratches or sanding marks in the parquet can be removed in most cases by polishing.

This method works for oiled or waxed parquet as well as for painted parquet.

For this purpose, furniture polish or repair wax or oil is applied to a soft, lint-free cloth and the scratch is rubbed in until it has disappeared.

However, it is important to note the material compatibility with the parquet, as the damaged areas can otherwise discolor when the agent penetrates into the wood.

Especially with painted parquet, the damaged area can also be easily sanded and then provided with a new layer of diluted lacquer. However, it will hardly be possible to repair the paint without transitions, which can be seen more or less depending on the light incidence.

Even with a walnut slight scratches in the parquet can be treated well. By rubbing the nut kernel into the surface, the scratch does not disappear completely, but it becomes much less visible. Suitable parquet maintenance also helps against small scratches in the floor.

In addition, there are also special Retouching pins in different colours, with which the scratches in the parquet can be concealed.

Repairing deep scratches and holes in the parquet

Major damage in the parquet, such as deep scratches or holes, can be easily filled with wooden putty.

To do this, the parquet must first be thoroughly cleaned with a parquet vacuum cleaner and a damp cloth.

In particular, the damaged site must be clean and completely dry before repair can begin. Subsequently, the wood putty is mixed accordingly, applied to the scratch or hole with a plastic spatula in several layers and smooth coated.

For an optimal colour result, sawdust matched to the parquet floor can be added to the wood putty. Once the wood putty is completely dried – the drying time is between 12 and 24 hours, depending on the product – the repaired area is sanded with sandpaper until the surface is as much as possible aligned with the rest of the parquet.

Eliminate damage in the parquet with repair kit

For deeper scratches, cracks or holes in the parquet, special parquet repair kits are also a good alternative.

These are available in different versions and price categories in DIY stores or specialist retailers.

The most significant difference with repair sets is the melting wax contained in them.

While the cheaper variants usually contain relatively soft melting wax, which deforms even at low temperatures – such as sunlight – , more expensive repair kits contain high-quality hard wax and are also available in numerous colour shades.

For such a professional parquet repair set, you can expect costs of about 100,- Euro. An investment that is, however, definitely worthwhile in view of the result.

To repair the damage in the parquet, the hard wax of the parquet repair set is heated and the scratch or hole is filled with it.

In order to get as close as possible to the wood structure, hard wax should be used in various shades of colour.

With some repair kits, the wax can also be mixed with a wood paste until the colour tone corresponds as closely as possible to that of the parquet. Scratches, cracks or holes in the parquet can then be filled with this compound. However, the wax is not suitable for filling joints in hardwood flooring. This is because the material is brittle and therefore unsuitable.

Remaining wax residues can then be removed with a plastic spatula or a plastic card. Finally, the repaired area is cleaned with a dry, soft cloth and re-treated with care products suitable for the respective parquet (polish, oil, sealing varnish).

Repair kits for parquet only achieve an optimal result if the damage in the floor is deep enough.

Because only if the macke in the parquet is correspondingly large, the filling with the hard wax gets the necessary support.

If the damage is too slight, it should therefore be extended accordingly with a cutter or similar tool if a repair set is used.

Remove dents in the parquet

If the parquet has a dent, it is sometimes sufficient to moisten it.

Due to the moisture, the parquet swells slightly and the dent is removed.

With more stubborn dents, the iron can also help: Simply place a damp cloth on the appropriate place and gently slide over it with the hot iron.

Thus, the moisture from the hot water vapor can penetrate even better into the wood, the parquet expands and the dent disappears again.

However, this method requires very careful handling to prevent the parquet from swelling too much due to excessive moisture.

In addition, especially in the case of lacquered hardwood flooring, you should test in advance on an inconspicuous spot whether the lacquer can withstand the high temperatures of the iron without damage.

If the dents have been caused by water damage, the dents are Repair, however, is not so easy. In this case, the special procedures for the elimination of water damage.

Partially replace the parquet

If a damage cannot be repaired by the various repair methods, hardwood flooring also offers the possibility of replacing individual elements. To do this, the damaged parquet is either cut out with a chisel, for example, or a single plank is removed and replaced with a suitably adapted, new element.

Partial replacement of parquet is particularly advantageous if there is loose parquet, for example because the parquet adhesive has come loose or the click system is damaged.

Grinding the parquet

In the case of extensive or more serious damage, it may be necessary to sand down the parquet in the course of repair.

With the exception of untreated parquet, this is also partially possible in most cases. However, it should be borne in mind that the sanded area will always differ from the rest of the floor, as the parquet changes its color over time.

Corresponding color differences between repaired and original parquet should therefore be compensated so that the repair is as little visible as possible.

This is often possible by treating the surface with polish, oil or sealing wax. However, if this is not the case, the entire parquet floor must ultimately be sanded down. In places subject to heavy loads, e.g. in offices under the desk, you should always use a floor protection mat.

* Last updated on  2024-03-19 / We are using affiliate links / All images are served from the Amazon Product Advertising API.

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