No matter how careful you are, over the years scratches often appear in the laminate, which are simply unsightly and annoying. You now have various options available to you to repair damage to the laminate. Either you simply replace the respective plank or try to repair the plank in different ways. In this article you will find out which of the two options for repairing laminate is better.
Instead of repairing laminate, replace the floorboard
Since the planks are assembled using a simple click system, they can also be easily taken apart. You can replace a scratched floorboard quite quickly. However, for this purpose you must also be sure that the same model is still offered or that you still have some planks left after laying the laminate flooring. However, this option, which allows you to repair the laminate, is only recommended if the annoying scratch is somewhere at the edge of the room and there are not too many floorboards that need to be removed. If the scratch is in the middle, the whole thing would simply be far too complicated. In this case, you should try one of the following tips before resorting to replacement.
with repair kit
Alternatively, you can use a special repair kit. Such sets are available in hardware stores and come in different colors, so you can easily find the variant you need for your floor. This is colored wax that is first melted and then applied to the scratch. The set includes everything you need, including a spatula for applying and removing excess wax. The wax hardens quickly and ensures that the scratch is no longer visible.
How to repair holes?
You can also repair a hole in the same way, i.e. with wax. The paste, which is also available in hardware stores, can be used in a similar way if you want to use it to repair the laminate. Holes or scratches are filled with the paste, which should be the appropriate color. The excess is deducted again. You can use a razor blade or a spatula for this. After that, all that remains is to wait for the paste to dry and harden.
Repair chipped laminate flooring
You can also repair chipped laminate floors with the repair kits mentioned above. This is probably the quickest and easiest option for a repair. If you still have spare laminate stored, you can also try a more complex method. Remove a piece of foil coating from the replacement board that is the same size and shape as the chipped area. You can now glue this piece in place. It is best to use wood filler or putty, which should be the same color as the floor. If the edges of the new piece protrude, you can carefully sand them down a little with fine sandpaper.
Remove superficial scratches with oil
If the scratches are not too noticeable and small, you can try using oil first. If the scratches are only superficial, it is usually not necessary to get a repair kit straight away, let alone replace the entire floorboard. So before you take any major measures, try olive or baby oil. You should do this after mopping the laminate. Then wait for the soil to dry. Spread the oil on the damaged areas using any cloth. Afterwards, don't forget to thoroughly clean the floor again to remove any excess oil. The laminate becomes very slippery and there is a risk of slipping!
Brandloch
Burn holes occur particularly quickly when there is a fireplace in the room and hot coal falls onto the floor. With such damage, repairs are a little more complicated. In any case, you will need a repair kit with wax or paste to fill the hole. However, the problem remains that in such cases the edge of the hole is discolored black or brown due to the burning of the surface. Since you can't simply cover it up inconspicuously with wax or the paste or it will continue to show through afterwards, you should carefully scrape these areas in advance. Once the burn marks have been removed, you can continue with the repair kit as described in the instructions.
Repair breakage
If a plank breaks during installation, this is usually not a problem. Either way, you should always plan for more flooring so that you have a replacement on hand if needed in such cases or over time. If this is not the case or if it breaks after many years and you do not have the opportunity to replace the plank, the repair kit is again the best helper if you want to repair your laminate. Most of the time the break is not too noticeable. If it still bothers you, simply cover it up with wax or a paste in a matching color.
Repair floor wear
The extent to which you can repair worn laminate obviously depends on the degree of wear. If you only have a few dull spots bothering you, you can polish the plastic film that the panels are coated with. Wax is used for this, which freshens up the laminate wonderfully. The film is basically a photo of wood that is glued to the panels, which is intended to make the floor look more than just beautiful. The panel itself is also protected in this way. However, if the coating is severely worn out, even polishing cannot change anything. So if the “photo” is partially scraped off, you can no longer get it back, even with polishing. In this case, you either replace the respective floorboards or lay a completely new floor.
in case of water damage
Water that penetrates through the joints between the floorboards is the biggest enemy of laminate flooring because it causes the floorboards to swell and you have to repair or even replace the laminate entirely. Of course, this doesn't apply to regular wiping with a mop, but water damage from burst pipes or the like can mean the end of the floor covering. Simply because of the moisture that has accumulated under the floor, it needs to be removed. The insulation underneath is also damp and needs to be replaced. If there is no further damage, you can now simply dry the floorboards or let them dry and lay them again. Some may need to be replaced. If damage is only found on some floorboards, it is not necessarily necessary to remove the entire floorboard. Then only remove those that are necessary to get to the damaged boards.
