How to Repair Wood Laminate

Fix minor problems to keep your floors looking like new.

Wood laminate is becoming more popular not only because it is a durable and cost effective floor option, but because technology has helped give wood laminate the ability to mimic the look of different types of wood. Even with proper care, you may still find scratches and nicks in your laminate floor. You can easily fix minor scratches and scrapes yourself with basic products found at your local hardware or home improvement store.

Things You'll Need

• Laminate pens
• Laminate filler
• Putty knife
• Utility knife
• Sponge

Instructions

1. Look at the damaged area. Superficial scratches are caused by doing things like sliding furniture across the floor. More serious, but repairable damage may be caused by dropping a knife on the floor that takes a nick off the top layer. Determine the level of damage to your floor.

2. Color scratches with a laminate pen. These pens come in a variety of colors to match the many stain finishes laminate floors come in. These pens are as easy to use as permanent markers; take the cap off and color the scratch to blend the colors in. Allow a few minutes for the marker to dry.

3. Apply laminate filler to deeper nicks and cracks. Remove any uneven edges with a utility knife by slowly scraping away at the laminate. Use a putty knife to apply a smooth layer of filler over the area. Remove excess putty with a damp sponge. Allow this to dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Seriously damaged areas need to be replaced.

References

• Lamiante Flooring Repair
• Formica Corporation: Resurfacing Laminate