How Do You Repair Scratches On A Hardwood Floor?
For hundreds of years, floors were finished and maintained with regular wax or oil applications. Later floors were finished with urethane, shellac or varnish. The advent and popularity of various pre-finished wood flooring products in the last two decades have made repairing wood flooring a tricky process. Before repairing a scratch, determine the floor finish. If the flooring was pre-finished (i.e. finished at the factory), the finish is most likely urethane, ceramic or aluminum-oxide. If the floor finish is not known, you must determine if the floor has a wax finish. Use a scraper to remove a sample of the topcoat in an inconspicuous location. Look at the sample; wax will be much duller than a poly sample, and a poly will be thin with the texture of a paint chip. If still unsure of the finish, proceed to the next step. Rub an inconspicuous area of floor using a rag dipped in rubbing alcohol. Some wax will deposit on the cloth, and the wax on the floor will turn white. If there is not
