How to Repair a High-Traffic Wood Floor Area
Every house has a high-traffic area, usually near a door or between two well-used rooms. If your house has wood floors, such high-traffic areas tend to look scuffed, dull and discolored, especially in comparison with surrounding areas. If the high-traffic area is not too worn, you can repair its surface. If the area is uniformly worn and dark, you may need to replace floorboards, a more challenging task. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Fine sandpaper
- Mineral spirits
- Soft cloths
- Wood epoxy, wood putty or wood floor scratch kit
- Narrow paintbrush
- Wood floor finish (to match your existing floor finish)
- Circular saw
- Chisel
- Vacuum
- Measuring tape
- Table saw or handsaw
- Razor knife
- Hammer or mallet
- Block plane
Instructions
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Repairing the Surface
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1
Use fine sandpaper to sand down the high-traffic areas. Do not rub against the grain of the wood; rub either with the grain or in circular motions. Sand until light-colored wood is exposed and the area is roughed up.
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2
Clean the area with mineral spirits and a damp cloth. Make sure to remove all dust.
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3
Fill in any deep scratches with a wood epoxy or wood putty. You can also use a scratch kit, found in any hardware store. Follow the package directions for drying, making sure the area is completely dry.
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4
Use a narrow paintbrush to apply a floor finish that matches the type and color of your existing floor. Do not saturate the brush; keep it as dry as possible using small amounts of finish at a time. Let the finish dry completely (follow the package directions). Sand very lightly and then reapply.
Replacing Boards
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5
Cut away the damaged wood. Using a circular saw set to a depth of 3/4 inch, make two cuts about 1 1/2 inches from the ends of each board you want to cut away (do not cut into the joints). Use the saw to make a third, diagonal cut from the outer edge of the first cut to the inner edge of the second cut. This cut will cut the board into two triangles.
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6
Use the chisel to remove the two pieces of cut, damaged wood. Scrape out any remaining wood debris, and vacuum the area to clean it. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 with any other boards in the high-traffic area that need to be removed.
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7
Measure each space where a board was removed. Using the table or handsaw, cut new boards to fit those measurements. The boards should fit snugly.
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8
Remove the bottom half of the groove under the new boards. Cut it with the circular saw or use a razor knife to scribe the bottom of the grooved piece, then hit it off with a hammer or mallet. Use a miter saw or a block plane to bevel the grooved side of the board.
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9
Place the new board. Apply wood epoxy to the groove of the new board and on the tongues of the old, surrounding boards. Follow the package directions for drying. Repeat with any remaining boards. Follow Steps 1 and 2 in Section 1 to sand and clean the area. Stain the area by following Step 4 in Section 1.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Always wear safety glasses when using power tools.
Always dry-fit the new boards into the old space before proceeding to glue them down.
Most wood floors are finished with polyurethane. If you can feel the grain when you run your hand over your floor, it probably has a penetrating finish such as wax. Consult your local hardware store about an appropriate finish for your repair.
Prevent problems in high-traffic areas by using area rugs, clipping animals' nails, vacuuming regularly and having people remove shoes inside the house. Most floor degradation is caused by everyday grit and sand.
When cutting the old boards away, be careful not to cut so deeply that the saw goes into the subfloor. Also be careful not to damage any surrounding boards.
