Laminate Floor Repair

Prepare damaged laminate flooring

Introduction

Laminate floor go a ding? Whether information technology's a pocket-size fleck or a large divot, you can repair information technology with elementary, DIY techniques that brand the floor look as good as new.

Tools Required

Materials Required

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

Assess the laminate floor impairment

You can fix pocket-sized chips and scratches in a laminate floor with filler products.

But if the harm is severe, you take to supersede the plank (yous did save a few from the installation, right?). It'south a chore you can do yourself in nigh ii hours. In addition to a spare plank, you'll need a circular saw, hammer and chisel, router or table saw, drill and wood gum.

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

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

Project step-by-stride (vii)

Step 1

Supplant 'snap-together' planks:

laminate floor repair

Remove the center section.Start past drawing a cut line 1-ane/2 in. in from all four edges of the plank. Drill a iii/viii-in. relief hole at each corner of the cutting line and again 1/4 in. in from each corner of the plank.

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

Step 2

Cut to the corners

replace laminate floor damage

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

Step 3

Remove the bottom lip

remove bottom lip laminate floor plank

The new plank has a groove at one end and one side, equally well as a tongue at the opposite terminate and side. Simply y'all can't install it until yous cut off the bottom lip of both grooves and the side tongue. Score the tongue several times with a utility pocketknife. Then snap it 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).

Use a bead of forest mucilage to all 4 edges of the new plank. Insert the glued natural language of the new plank into the groove on the existing flooring and driblet the plank into place. Wipe off whatsoever backlog glue and load books on the plank until it's dry out.

Step 4

Replace glued planks:

replace glued laminate planks

Raise the floor to gain leverage.Nigh of the early laminate floors were fastened with glue. But that doesn't mean y'all can't exercise an 'in-place' patch on those floors besides. Follow all the cut directions shown for a snap-together floor.

Slip a dowel or flake piece of flooring under the seam. Grab the department with pliers and tilt it down until the glued seam cracks apart. And then snap it up to intermission any remaining mucilage.

Step 5

The old gum has to become

remove glue from planks

Use a apartment-blade screwdriver or small chisel to chip out the former mucilage. Get the surfaces as polish equally possible for a flush fit and a adept glue bail. Lay the new plank when done.

Step 6

Repair minor damage in laminate floor:

Repair minor damage in laminate flooring

Scratches on Laminate Floor or Chips?

Drib a knife or other abrupt-edged item and you'll become an instant chip in your laminate flooring. Just you don't demand to telephone call in a pro, considering this repair is strictly DIY. If you accept the bit or an extra plank, accept it to a home center or floor supplier and lucifer information technology up with a tube of laminate floor patching material. Y'all may have to buy the two closest colors and mix them to lucifer. While you're there, buy a matching brand of cleaning solvent.

Clean the flooring with the solvent and permit it dry. Next, squeeze a dollop of laminate repair paste onto a bit piece of floor or a mixing board and mix it with a putty knife until it begins to dry. Then press a shallow layer into the flake. Don't effort to fill the entire chip in i application. Clean off whatsoever excess with solvent. Let the first coat set for one 60 minutes before applying the next.

Originally Published: September xxx, 2022