Laminate Flooring Repair

Fix damaged laminate floor

Introduction

Laminate floor get a ding? Whether it's a small scrap or a big divot, you can repair it with unproblematic, DIY techniques that make the floor wait every bit good as new.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Cleaning solvent
  • Extra flooring
  • Laminate floor patching fabric
  • Wood gum

Assess the laminate floor damage

You lot tin fix minor chips and scratches in a laminate floor with filler products.

Merely if the damage is astringent, you take to replace the plank (you did save a few from the installation, correct?). Information technology's a job you can practice yourself in about 2 hours. In add-on to a spare plank, y'all'll need a circular saw, hammer and chisel, router or table saw, drill and woods gum.

Some floor experts recommend removing the base molding and unsnapping and numbering every plank until you become to the damaged portion. That works if the damaged plank is close to the wall. Only trust united states, 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 floor is glued together, the unsnapping routine won't work at all. See "Replacing Glued Planks," beneath. Plus, check out our skilful guide for installing laminate flooring.

Project pace-by-stride (seven)

Footstep 1

Replace 'snap-together' planks:

laminate floor repair

Remove the middle department.Start by drawing a cutting line 1-i/ii in. in from all 4 edges of the plank. Drill a 3/eight-in. relief hole at each corner of the cut line and again i/4 in. in from each corner of the plank.

Cut out the center section with a circular saw, cutting from hole to hole. Set the depth of your circular saw a tad deeper than the floor thickness. Then lift the blade guard and dip the blade into the cutting line.

Step 2

Cut to the corners

replace laminate floor damage

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

Step 3

Remove the lesser lip

remove bottom lip laminate floor plank

The new plank has a groove at i end and one side, also as a tongue at the opposite cease and side. But you lot can't install it until you lot cut off the bottom lip of both grooves and the side tongue. Score the tongue several times with a utility pocketknife. And then snap it off with pliers. Shave off any remaining scraps with your pocketknife.

Here's a tip for cutting the groove: Stick the bract inside the groove and cut off the lesser from the within (or utilise a tabular array saw).

Use a bead of wood glue to all iv edges of the new plank. Insert the glued tongue of the new plank into the groove on the existing flooring and drop the plank into place. Wipe off any excess mucilage and load books on the plank until information technology'south dry.

Step 4

Replace glued planks:

replace glued laminate planks

Raise the floor to gain leverage.Nigh of the early on laminate floors were fastened with mucilage. But that doesn't mean yous tin't practise an 'in-place' patch on those floors also. Follow all the cutting directions shown for a snap-together floor.

Slip a dowel or scrap piece of flooring under the seam. Take hold of the section with pliers and tilt it downwardly until the glued seam cracks apart. Then snap it upward to break whatsoever remaining mucilage.

Footstep 5

The old mucilage has to go

remove glue from planks

Use a flat-blade screwdriver or small chisel to bit out the onetime glue. Get the surfaces every bit smoothen as possible for a affluent fit and a good mucilage bond. 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?

Drib a pocketknife or other sharp-edged item and you'll get an instant chip in your laminate floor. Just you don't need to call in a pro, because this repair is strictly DIY. If you have the chip or an extra plank, take it to a abode eye or flooring supplier and match it up with a tube of laminate floor patching material. Yous may accept to buy the two closest colors and mix them to match. While yous're there, buy a matching brand of cleaning solvent.

Clean the flooring with the solvent and permit it dry out. Next, squeeze a dollop of laminate repair paste onto a scrap piece of flooring or a mixing board and mix it with a putty pocketknife until it begins to dry out. So press a shallow layer into the scrap. Don't endeavour to fill the entire chip in one awarding. Clean off any excess with solvent. Let the first glaze set for i 60 minutes before applying the adjacent.

Originally Published: September 30, 2022