Laminate Floor Repair

Set damaged laminate floor

Introduction

Laminate flooring get a ding? Whether information technology's a pocket-size scrap or a big divot, you can repair information technology with simple, DIY techniques that make the floor look every bit skilful equally new.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Cleaning solvent
  • Extra flooring
  • Laminate floor patching material
  • Wood glue

Assess the laminate floor damage

You can ready small chips and scratches in a laminate floor with filler products.

But if the damage is severe, you accept to supersede the plank (you did salve a few from the installation, right?). It's a chore you can practise yourself in about two hours. In improver to a spare plank, yous'll need a circular saw, hammer and chisel, router or table saw, drill and wood glue.

Some flooring experts recommend removing the base molding and unsnapping and numbering every plank until yous get to the damaged portion. That works if the damaged plank is shut to the wall. But trust us, if the damaged section is more than than a few rows out from the wall, it's actually faster to just cut it out.

If your laminate flooring is glued together, the unsnapping routine won't work at all. Run across "Replacing Glued Planks," below. Plus, check out our expert guide for installing laminate floor.

Projection step-past-step (seven)

Step 1

Supersede 'snap-together' planks:

laminate floor repair

Remove the center section.Get-go by drawing a cutting line one-i/2 in. in from all 4 edges of the plank. Drill a 3/8-in. relief hole at each corner of the cutting line and once again 1/4 in. in from each corner of the plank.

Cut out the center department with a circular saw, cutting from pigsty to pigsty. Set the depth of your circular saw a tad deeper than the floor thickness. Then elevator the blade guard and dip the bract into the cut line.

Step 2

Cut to the corners

replace laminate floor damage

Next, cut from the centre section into each corner, stopping at the drilled hole. Don't go any farther! Finally, cut a relief cut from the center department out toward the seam of each plank. Tap a chisel into each relief cut to interruption out the uncut portion. Then remove all the cut pieces.

Stride 3

Remove the bottom lip

remove bottom lip laminate floor plank

The new plank has a groove at ane finish and 1 side, as well as a tongue at the contrary end and side. But you can't install information technology until you cut off the bottom lip of both grooves and the side natural language. Score the natural language several times with a utility knife. Then snap information technology off with pliers. Shave off any remaining scraps with your knife.

Here's a tip for cutting the groove: Stick the blade inside the groove and cut off the bottom from the inside (or use a table saw).

Utilize a bead of wood mucilage to all four edges of the new plank. Insert the glued natural language of the new plank into the groove on the existing flooring and drop the plank into identify. Wipe off any excess gum and load books on the plank until it's dry.

Step 4

Replace glued planks:

replace glued laminate planks

Raise the floor to gain leverage.Most of the early laminate floors were fastened with glue. But that doesn't mean you tin't do an 'in-place' patch on those floors too. Follow all the cutting directions shown for a snap-together floor.

Skid a dowel or scrap piece of flooring under the seam. Grab the department with pliers and tilt it down until the glued seam cracks apart. Then snap it upward to break any remaining mucilage.

Pace 5

The quondam glue has to become

remove glue from planks

Employ a flat-blade screwdriver or small chisel to chip out the old gum. Go the surfaces every bit polish equally possible for a affluent fit and a good mucilage bail. Lay the new plank when done.

Step half-dozen

Repair minor impairment in laminate flooring:

Repair minor damage in laminate flooring

Scratches on Laminate Flooring or Chips?

Driblet a knife or other sharp-edged particular and yous'll get an instant scrap in your laminate flooring. But you don't need to telephone call in a pro, because this repair is strictly DIY. If you have the chip or an extra plank, have it to a home heart or floor supplier and match it up with a tube of laminate floor patching material. You may have to purchase the two closest colors and mix them to friction match. While you lot're in that location, buy a matching brand of cleaning solvent.

Clean the flooring with the solvent and let it dry out. Next, squeeze a dollop of laminate repair paste onto a scrap piece of flooring or a mixing board and mix information technology with a putty knife until it begins to dry. Then press a shallow layer into the chip. Don't try to fill the entire flake in one application. Make clean off any excess with solvent. Let the beginning coat set up for one hour before applying the next.

Originally Published: September thirty, 2022