How to Repair Laminate Flooring? – Expert Guide

Have your laminate floors been damaged, and now you are finding some useful ways to repair laminate flooring without making the situation worse?

Laminate flooring is the most durable and widely used flooring option that can last for many years if you properly look after it.

The damage or crack can occur due to different reasons, and if you avoid it for a long, it can become unrepairable. Without thinking twice, let’s get straight to the main point for which we have come up with this guide.

How to Repair Minor Scratches on Laminate Flooring?

If the issues or cracks are minor, do not panic because you can easily get out of this situation by following a few simple steps.

1. Remove the Dirt

If the floor is damaged from some side, it must have dirt or dust that you must remove before trying to fix it. The best way to clean laminate floors is to take a damp cloth to clean the area thoroughly.

These small scratches occur when you mistakenly drop any sharp object on the floor.

2. Purchase a Kit

The laminate floor repair kit is also present in numerous stores for this cleaning purpose. However, before buying a kit, ensure it is well-matched with the texture of your floor so that nothing looks mismatched.

This repair kit has different tools needed in this process.

3. Use a Floor Repair Marker

Have you ever seen a repair marker that is used to hide small scratches? It is the same marker that we use on paper. Once you have covered the scratches, let it dry for at least 30 minutes.

However, this solution is temporary; the market will start fading with time. After using it, if you still see any scratches or marks, you can do the double coating.

4. Use Putty for Large Scratches

If the scratches or marks can not be hidden with a marker, then take a putty knife and start applying putty to these marks. Make sure you have made the entire surface even after applying the putty.

Now let it sit there for at least 1 hour so that it completely dries. You will see that there is no scratch left on the floor.

5. Remove Extra Putty

While applying putty, the floor must be dirty, so take a damp cloth and clean the surface thoroughly. Ensure to get rid of additional putty as well so that the floor looks even and smooth.

Do not let it dry; remove the putty when it is wet so you can easily do it. You can also use some strong solvent if you are unable to wipe it off. Hence, it is how you can hide small scratches or marks without going deep into the cleaning methods.

How to Recover Water Damaged Floors?

Laminate floors are water-resistant that’s why some people consider them for kitchens and bathrooms but remember that there is a major difference between being water-resistant and water-proof.

When the water stays on the floor for a long time, it badly affects the floor. If the laminate floors have become damaged due to water, follow the steps below to solve this problem.

1. Remove the Mold

It is important to remove the mold before jumping into the actual method. After removing it, you can better check the damaged plank.

2. Start Unlocking Damaged Planks

The planks are usually installed with the locking system or tongue and groove installation method, so you won’t find it tough to uninstall them. Here you have to unlock numerous planks so that you can get your hands on the damaged one.

3. Replace with New Plank

Once you have removed the damaged plank, ensure you have already got the best one that is well-matched with the old one and is also of equal size. Even if the size is large, you can cut it with a tool.

Follow the lock installation method to install new planks. If you know nothing about the installation, you can hire someone for quick work. Each plank should be placed rightly so that no issue occurs.

Sometimes the damaged plank is in the middle, for which you have to remove a lot of planks in order to reach the required one. It will be time-consuming, and you are not a professional, so the work will not be done perfectly.

It is better to hire an expert who knows how to make this work done easily and effectively because bad laminate flooring installation can lead to big troubles.

How to Recover the Buckled Laminate Floors?

Buckling occurs when you do not pay any attention to the expansion gap. Moreover, due to floods, this situation also comes. To come out of this problem, follow the steps below to control this situation on time.

1. Figure Out the Issue

Before fixing the problem, you have to examine why this issue happened so that you do not have to face the situation again due to the same error. It can be due to water damage or an expansion gap. It can also be because of high heat so try to make a permanent solution.

2. Remove the Mold

To reach the buckled plank, you have first to get rid of molds that occur due to excess water.

3. Uninstall the Planks

Even if only 1 plank is damaged, you have to install many planks so that you can reach your required one. You must know how to uninstall them if you are doing it yourself so that you won’t provide harm to the other planks. You can reuse them if they are perfectly fine.

4. Install New Plank

While installing new planks, be concerned about the expansion gap so that no moisture enters. Each plank must be installed rightly with the correct gap. If the moisture in your house is high, then try to decrease it; otherwise, you will keep getting into such a situation.

5. Install Underlayment if Needed

Underlayment protects the floor from water damage, or if the flooring is water-resistant and not water-proof, you can install underlayment to protect the surface.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

Are you still muddled about how to remove scratches on laminate flooring or how to repair swollen laminate flooring without replacing them? Let’s have a look at some questions that clear the confusion.

Can Laminate Floors Be Repaired?

Yes, they can easily be fixed by replacing the damaged planks. However, if the damage is less, then you can repair it with a floor marker or putty.

Can You Replace Just Part of the Laminate Floor?

If only a single plank is damaged, you can replace it, but you need to uninstall other surrounding planks as well. If other planks are in their original shape, you can reuse them.

Can Chipped Laminate Be Fixed?

If the plank has minor chips, don’t worry because it can get better with minor fixes. The situation becomes out of control if the chips or scratches are deep. In this case, you have to replace the entire plank.

What Do You Do if Your Laminate Floor is Chipped?

If the floor has been chipped, then examine the situation. Cover it with a floor marker or putty if it can be controlled. If it is impossible, buy a new plank of the same shape and size and install it.

If you are not sure about the installation, you can hire someone for this work.

Final Thoughts

Whether you can recover the damaged laminate floors depends on the damage’s condition. Laminate floors are not only easy to install but easy to recover as well. All you need is basic knowledge to repair laminate flooring and the later work will be easy.

For your ease, the entire procedure to abolish light and deep scratches is mentioned here. I have tried to cover different types of damages here so that you can take notes according to the requirement.

Laminate floors are found in every house because of all the advantages they give you. Those who are fond of wooden floors but can’t afford them also opt for this type of flooring.

Follow the exact pattern if you have been confused regarding this issue. I hope it will work out for you.