How to Care for Bamboo Flooring Scratches

Bamboo flooring does not age the way that regular hard wood floors do, and they can withstand just as much wear and tear as any other type of floor covering. Bamboo can be resurfaced, sanded, stained, and repaired by a professional flooring technician or a do-it-yourself homeowner with the right tools. Bamboo is not only harder than the average hard wood, but it is more stable once laid than any other type of flooring on the market today.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bamboo flooring Surface filler the same color as your flooring Soft buffing cloth Fine sandpaper Polyurethane in spray form Newspaper

1. Gauge the depth of your scratch. If less than 1/8 inch deep, begin by opening the surface filler. Place the nozzle directly down into the scratch and squeeze gently. Move down the length of the scratch until the entire scratch is covered. Use your finger to smooth the top of the surface filler with the surface of the floor. That will help make sure that there are no overfilling or lumps. Allow to dry for the specified time on the tube.

2. Wipe the entire area of the scratch in a circular motion with the soft buffing cloth to a high shine. This will work only on light surface scratches, and it shouldn't be attempted for deep scratches or gouges.

3. Rub the scratched area gently with the fine sandpaper if your scratch is deeper than 1/8 inch. Do not lean too hard on the sandpaper or you may take off more surface than is required to rid the scratch's unsightliness.

4. Rub the area with a soft buffing cloth to rid the floor of sawdust or dirt that may be in the scratch.

5. Place the nozzle of the surface filler at one end of the scratch. Move down the entire length, squeezing the tub gently as you go. Use your finger to smooth out the entire area and make it even with the surface of the floor again. Allow to dry for one to two hours, but make sure to read the manufactures specified time.

6. Shake the can of polyurethane gently before spraying. Point the nozzle directly in a straight line with the scratch, and hold at least 10 inches away. This will help keep the chances of running down, when the drying is complete. Allow to dry for a minimum of 2 hours before allowing that section of the floor to be walked on.

Tips & Warnings

• Bamboo flooring is very easy to care for and can maintain its luster for years. Reapplying polyurethane as needed over the scratched area may be required, depending on how often that area is used.

Resources

• Bamboo Flooring 6 - Making Repairs