How to remove or hide a long scratch in 'hardwood' laminate

Question

A renter moved out and left about an 8 ft scratch in the laminate dragging something. The laminate is pretty soft (came with the house) and in most of the length it's just a depression and then maybe a 2 foot section is an actual scratch. The laminate is very pretty, imitation Brazilian cherry wood.
This is a high end rental so we haven't had any issues with tenants beating it up beyond this so I'd rather fix it than replace the entire floor or try to find some matching laminate to replace the damaged areas.

So far I've tried putty, Old English scratch dye (liquid), filler crayons, and an iron and damp rag (for the dent). The result is the deep scratch is filled with putty and semi-camouflaged with dye but I can't do a thing for the dented area because I can't get the putty to stick.

Anyone ever managed to successfully fix this? Or at least camouflage?

Gerald David · Answer

@Becky Davis your solutions are limited. A deep scratch in laminate is hard to fix. IF you have any of the original laminate left over, have a licensed flooring contractor remove and replace the affected boards.If you don't have any available boards, perhaps you can harvest some laminate from a closet or other area that is not in plain sight.Finally, if neither of those options are viable, perhaps you can call to your local flooring dealers. If you didn't buy the laminate, perhaps the stores will have your address on file. They may be able to find the original invoice and see if more of this laminate exists. Then you'd only have to purchase a carton instead of an entire floor.Good luck!JD

Luke Arol · Answer

hi :-)have a look on http://laminatefloorrepairkit.com/I repaired my laminate floor with such a repair kit. really easy!!!br

Rod F. · Answer

I scratched one with a couch. the little plastic tab on the leg was busted and a nail head protruded. I used the color match putty. No one has ever said anything else about it. But I see it. Now the rented decided to as the said "MOP THE HELL OUT OF IT" Now I have a ruined floor. Going Back to Carpet. I think TILE or stained concrete, is the answer to all problems

Becky Davis · Answer

Thank!@Gary F. I may give sanding the dent a try, the putty worked well in the scratched area though matching the color was a headache.@Edwards Debbs I tried using stream, no luck and I was worried about the laminate so I didn't try too much further.We got a quote to replace the boards, but it was really just not worth the money to us, we'd rather just patch as we can then replace everything in one go with some locking laminate that is way easier to fix. The cherry wood looks great, but it's really impractical.

Edward Debbs · Answer

a dent in wood can sometimes be lifted by steam. This is typically performed to restore finish wood products like furniture and gun stocks. Basically you lay damp cloth on the area and heat it with an iron.I've never tried this on laminate wood. On solid hardwood I'd try it in a heartbeat. With laminate flooring I'd be somewhat concerned with delaminating the piece. Maybe you could try it on a test board first.To learn the technique you can youtube.

Gary F. · Answer

To fill the dents, you'll need the area to be rough and porous. Putty needs a porous surface and surface area (roughness) to stick. Try using coarse grade sandpaper, dust out, then putty. You'll likely never be able to match. Even changing just the one board to match will be near impossible due to color variations even with boards from the same box and more so, over time the colors have changed due to wear and drying out. You may have to just putty and color match with the dyes as best you can. Short of changing all, the boards, that may be your best choice. And since its a rental, sooner or later, with folks moving furniture in/out, it'll get scratched again, so I wouldn't sweat it.

Rob Bowling · Answer

brazillian cherry normally has numerous different tones, if you can find the same width and thickness in another brand, it will probably match.

Brent Paul · Answer

Unfortunately that is one thing that is not so easy to fix. The things you have tried are what other youtube videos suggested as well.Matching the ColorThe key to a successful repair of a scratch or scrape on laminate flooring is matching the color of the floor. Whenever possible, contact the manufacturer of the flooring to get your repair kit directly from them. Nearly all laminate manufacturers sell repair kits that consist of wax pencils, colored putty and a putty knife to help repair minor damage. If you don't know the manufacturer of the flooring, try taking a sample with you to the store to get a repair kit that matches in color. If this isn't possible, your best option may be to get a repair kit that allows you to mix up a custom color of putty at home.Filling Minor ScratchesFilling a few minor scratches on a laminate floor can be done with a wax pencil that matches the color of the floor. The scratch is filled in with the wax, blending it into the rest of the laminate's surface. Rub the tip of the wax pencil back and forth across the scratch in the opposite direction that the scratch is moving. Use short strokes to fill in the scratch from one end to the next. Once the scratch has been filled with wax, use a soft cloth to gently buff the edges of the repair until it blends in with the rest of the floor.Fixing Minor ScrapesIf you have a wide scrape or a deeper scratch, a wax pencil won't be enough to fill and repair the floor. In this case, floor repair putty is used. Use either a putty knife or a wooden craft stick to spread the putty across the scrape or scratch. Hold the knife at a 45-degree angle to the floor and press the putty across the scrape from multiple angles to ensure it gets filled completely. Turn the knife on its edge and scrape it across both the surrounding floor and the repair to level off the putty and ensure a flat, even repair. The putty will harden within a day to become a permanent repair.Your best bet might be to replace those damaged boards if you still can't get it right.