Is it possible to repair laminate flooring?

Knowing how to repair laminate flooring can restore it to its former glory and get it looking as good as new for a fraction of the price of replacing the floor

SCRATCHES, NICKS, CHIPS AND GOUGES

These are the common issues that can leave your laminate looking a little less than perfect, but are also the easiest problems to deal with. For surface or light scratches you can use a furniture marker pen. These are very much like permanent markers but in a range of wood colours. Choose a pen that matches the colour of your laminate flooring and draw over the scratch. Use your finger or cloth to blend in the colour. Repeat if necessary.

Wax filler wood repair sticks are ideal for slightly deeper scratches or nicks that need to be filled. Both of these aren’t permanent solutions and will need to be reapplied every 6–12 months. For deeper gouges you can use a decent wood filler. Use your finger to mould to the shape of the surface of the plank, leave to dry and use the marker or wax sticks to finish.

GETTING RID OF GAPS

Laminate flooring can start to separate along the joins, especially in rooms where there are fluctuating temperatures. There are a couple of options here to solve the problem.

A quick mess-free option is to use cup suction lifters. If closing an end gap, place the suction pads near the end of the plank and gently tap with a rubber mallet in the direction that closes the gap. If closing a long gap, start at one end and work along the plank length. This will create gaps in other planks, so you will need to repeat the process until the gaps in all the other planks have been closed. An alternative option is to use a block of wood – narrower than the plank and about a third of the length – and double-sided tape. Attach the block to the plank with the tape and use a hammer to tap in the direction of the gap.

HOW TO REPLACE DAMAGED PLANKS

If you have leftover planks from when the floor was first laid you can replace one or more planks with new, if damage is beyond repair. To remove the laminate plank, first drill or cut a hole in the middle of it. Use a hole saw to cut a decent-size hole to get started. Now use a circular saw set to the right depth to cut from the hole to the ends and edges of the plank. Do at least four cuts. Be careful not to damage adjacent planks. Get a screwdriver or chisel to lift out the damaged plank and vacuum to clean up.

Laminate floor typically uses tongue and groove to join together. This means you will need to cut the tongue off one end and one length to get a perfect fit. Use a sharp knife or saw to remove the tongue. Now apply a strong wood glue to the tongues you can see on the surrounding planks. Then get your new laminate plank and fit the non-sawn edge and lay the plank down to fit. Once it’s in place, wipe off any excess glue and protect the new plank with a spare plank or towel and add some heavy weights until the glue is fully dry.