I Have Scratches On My Hardwood Floors

In a perfect world, you don’t have this problem because you take great care of your floors. But life happens, right? We don’t often give DIY advice, but there are some things that don’t require a professional. If you have light hairline scratches, here’s how to fix scratches on hardwood floors.   





First get a set of wood or furniture repair markers. These are like “magic markers” and Sharpies. You may need to blend a couple of markers to get the color you need. This takes some experimentation. Since wood has variation, what matches one area may not work on another area.



 

For deeper scratches or gouges you will need wax sticks or crayon type sticks, again in several colors so that you can custom blend. 

 

A color matched wood filler and wood putty are other options. Some dry hard, some don’t. These tend to be for holes in the wood and cracks between planks.



If you have a prefinished floor, the manufacturer may make a touch up kit that is blended to the color of the floor. If you know the floor that you have (manufacturer, style, and color) we can check if there is a touch up kit available.



 

Step 1: Prepare Area 

Sweep the area with a soft broom and dustpan and clean it with a gentle soap and water solution. (Avoid waxes or pastes and cleaners that leave protective coats and shines.) 



Step 2: Fix Scratches 

Light scratches and deep scratches require different repair approaches.