Repairing solid wood flooring

adonis10 · 4 July 2017 at 11:44AM

So, the inevitable has happened and there are a few minor dents and scratches on our wood flooring and I wonder if anyone has any good tips to repair/minimise the issue. I am taking really minor, such as the odd knife being dropped in the kitchen to cause a slight dent, tiny pieces chipped off as a result of day to day living, the odd cat claw scratch etc. - nothing major and totally expected but annoying, all the same.

When I was laying the flooring I had a chippie in doing other work and he gave some advice about repairing such issues - I can't remember exactly what he said but he mentioned using wd40 as a possible fix; I can't think how this would work but, being a chippie, I am sure there was merit behind it. Anyone hear of it? Any tips appreciated.

Also, the floor is lifting ever so slightly in about 5% of the area it is laid so not a great deal, but enough to be concerned. Frustratingly, it is lifting slightly where we have doors through from lounge to dining room and so catches every time the door is opened. I left expansion gaps as advised and followed the instructions to a tee so am a tad confused as to why this is occurring. I fully expected expansion in the warmer months but the fact it is lifting concerns me. Any ideas/tips?

Kiran · 4 July 2017 at 12:19PM

What's underneath the floor? Is it concrete or timber? Have you got the right underlay for your substrate?

If the flooring is only lightly damaged you could wax it, if the damage is more sever hard wax/colourfil is what I use normally

adonis10 · 4 July 2017 at 1:12PM

Kiran wrote: »

What's underneath the floor? Is it concrete or timber? Have you got the right underlay for your substrate?

If the flooring is only lightly damaged you could wax it, if the damage is more sever hard wax/colourfil is what I use normally

Mostly timber, but concrete in the kitchen. Yes, used the correct underlay for both.

Thanks, I'll look into that.

Artytarty · 4 July 2017 at 1:42PM

The best advice I can give you is to accept the small signs of constant use you have described.
Let's call it character! It is a reflection of your life and all the happens in your home.
It has taken me years to become more pragmatic in this way, I recognise the old me in your post! I used t fret about every scratch and dent, now I try to see them as a normal consequence of actually living in my home, not just inhabiting it.

adonis10 · 7 July 2017 at 10:02AM

Artytarty wrote: »

The best advice I can give you is to accept the small signs of constant use you have described.
Let's call it character! It is a reflection of your life and all the happens in your home.
It has taken me years to become more pragmatic in this way, I recognise the old me in your post! I used t fret about every scratch and dent, now I try to see them as a normal consequence of actually living in my home, not just inhabiting it.

True. At first I was worried about every blemish, but I think that was due to the fact that I put a lot of hard graft and money into the flooring so any blemish was frustrating. I now am used to it and it is a part of every day life!

Any thoughts on the lifting aspect? There are a few planks starting to lift which is not obvious to the naked eye but it is there. Again, probably overthinking and worrying but having done everything I was supposed to, I am a tad concerned. That said, not all of the subfloor is the same or perfect so I imagine that this has had an impact.

What can I say? I am a perfectionist.

adonis10 · 10 July 2017 at 11:11AM

Anyone have any tips on how to deal with the slight lifting in some areas?

Wookey · 10 July 2017 at 4:59PM

Wood usually expands when it is damp not when it gets warm as that is when it starts to shrink, the lifting at doorways will probably be down to what way it runs, it sounds like the wood is running lengthways with the ends of the boards at the offending door? If that is the case then the first place to look is at the skirting boards and make sure there is still a gap below the skirting between the floorboard and the wall.

Aylesbury_Duck · 10 July 2017 at 5:40PM

Small dents can be ironed out. Apply bit of a damp tea towel to the dent and circle a hot iron over it. The wood swells slightly and reduces the dent.

Repairing solid wood flooring

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