How to Patch a Damaged Hardwood Floor
Determine the size of the pieces you need to replace., Visit a lumberyard, home-improvement store, floor-covering store or mill workshop., Research a stain color that will match your floor, at a home improvement store., Bore a hole through each end...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine the size of the pieces you need to replace.
Locate a threshold or a heat register and lift it out.
Measure the thickness and width of the board.
Next measure the length of the piece you want to remove. -
Step 2: Visit a lumberyard
Buy pieces of wood that match your flooring measurements.
You want to buy pieces that are the same width, but they do not have to be the same length, since you will cut them down.
The board should be retrofitted with grooves to fit into place in your floor.
If not, you will bevel the board using a saw. , Test them on scrap boards and compare against your floor.
Buy a polyurethane finish.
You will stain after the work has been completed. , Upon installation, tongue and grove hardwood floors are locked into place; this step will allow you to remove them. , This is where you will plunge cut with your circular saw. , Wear eye protection and plug the saw into an outlet. , Raise the saw above the floor, turn it on and then cut along the right line.
Then, cut along the left line. , Carefully, lop off the remaining edges.
You do not want to hit the surrounding floorboards.
The tongue section is nailed in place, so you must remove it in small pieces and then use the hammer to remove the nails.
Remove any remaining parts of the tongue.
This is likely to be the hardest part of the process. , Measure carefully to make sure it is a perfect rectangle.
The tongue will fit into the existing tongue groove.
However, the other end will drop into place, rather than fit into the tongue.
Remove a section of the groove using your saw or a chisel.
Test the board. , Place the new board in the empty space.
Tap it into place by using a scrap of wood for protection.
Cut a sheet of wax paper and place it above the board, then use heavy books to weight it down. , Cover with 2 coats of polyurethane varnish using a foam applicator to avoid getting varnish or stain on other floorboards.
Some floors may not be stained, but be sure to still cover the board with the varnish to protect it from future damage. -
Step 3: home-improvement store
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Step 4: floor-covering store or mill workshop.
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Step 5: Research a stain color that will match your floor
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Step 6: at a home improvement store.
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Step 7: Bore a hole through each end of the damaged board that is about 1 inch (2.54 cm) in diameter
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Step 8: using a sharp spade bit on your drill.
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Step 9: Using a straight edge
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Step 10: draw lines connecting the right edges of the holes and then connecting the left edges.
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Step 11: Take your circular saw and adjust the blade so that the depth of the cut you will make will be equal to the thickness measurement of the boards.
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Step 12: Remove the blade guard
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Step 13: place the nose of the saw down at the top edge of the line.
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Step 14: Use your hammer and chisel to pry out the middle section.
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Step 15: Trim a new board using a saw.
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Step 16: Use a urethane adhesive on the tongue of the new board and on the tongue and groove of the surrounding boards.
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Step 17: Stain the replacement board until it matches the surrounding boards.
Detailed Guide
Locate a threshold or a heat register and lift it out.
Measure the thickness and width of the board.
Next measure the length of the piece you want to remove.
Buy pieces of wood that match your flooring measurements.
You want to buy pieces that are the same width, but they do not have to be the same length, since you will cut them down.
The board should be retrofitted with grooves to fit into place in your floor.
If not, you will bevel the board using a saw. , Test them on scrap boards and compare against your floor.
Buy a polyurethane finish.
You will stain after the work has been completed. , Upon installation, tongue and grove hardwood floors are locked into place; this step will allow you to remove them. , This is where you will plunge cut with your circular saw. , Wear eye protection and plug the saw into an outlet. , Raise the saw above the floor, turn it on and then cut along the right line.
Then, cut along the left line. , Carefully, lop off the remaining edges.
You do not want to hit the surrounding floorboards.
The tongue section is nailed in place, so you must remove it in small pieces and then use the hammer to remove the nails.
Remove any remaining parts of the tongue.
This is likely to be the hardest part of the process. , Measure carefully to make sure it is a perfect rectangle.
The tongue will fit into the existing tongue groove.
However, the other end will drop into place, rather than fit into the tongue.
Remove a section of the groove using your saw or a chisel.
Test the board. , Place the new board in the empty space.
Tap it into place by using a scrap of wood for protection.
Cut a sheet of wax paper and place it above the board, then use heavy books to weight it down. , Cover with 2 coats of polyurethane varnish using a foam applicator to avoid getting varnish or stain on other floorboards.
Some floors may not be stained, but be sure to still cover the board with the varnish to protect it from future damage.
About the Author
Steven Gray
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
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