How to Remove Scratches from Wooden Floors

To avoid confusion, let's get things straight from the start: it is best to prevent problems rather than fix them. Protect your floors by ensuring your furniture is equipped with felt or plastic covers, regularly recoating your oiled floor, and protecting your floors during home improvement projects or deliveries of bulky items.

Got a scratch? Here's where to start:

• Determine the type of finish on your wooden flooring - is it lacquer or oil? The finish makes a difference, especially if your flooring is sealed with clear oil. Many people choose "Oiled" or "Brushed & Oiled" floors because they are easier to repair when scratched. However, this is only true if the floor is sealed with clear oil and no color is involved.

• Assess the severity of the scratch. Are they surface scuffs or scratches that go through the sealant, exposing bare wood? Surface scuffs are easier to blend in by wiping/rubbing a small quantity of new sealant (see below), while deeper scratches may require filling.

• Consider the age of the scratch. Old scratches may have darkened, making them more difficult to blend in, especially on clear finished floors. Fresh scratches are easier to disguise.

Solution for clear finished floors - clear hardwax-oil

Whether your floors are finished with clear oil or clear lacquer, both can be treated with clear hardwax-oil. When the surface of lacquer is damaged, it results in white powdery edges due to the plastic PU content of the lacquer. Applying some clear matt Osmo Polyx oil into the scratch will discolor the white PU powder and make the scratches less noticeable. For deeper scratches requiring filling, the technique is the same as treating scratches on colored floors.

Solution for floors with color - wax sticks

For deeper scratches or damage to colored wood floors, use melted colored wax. You can find a selection of Liberon or Briwax wax repair sticks at your nearest Screwfix or Toolstation. Choose a color that matches your floor and melt the wax into the scratches. Remove the excess with a soft abrasive and polish the wax surface with a cotton or wool cloth.

Remember, treating surface damage also seals it, protecting it from moisture and preventing physical expansion.

Replacing planks as a solution

Before considering plank replacement due to scratches, ensure you have spare planks available. Identifying your floor and finding a matching plank can be challenging, especially with many floor options from various producers. If you have spare planks, your floor fitter needs to know if the planks are "tongue-and-groove" or "click system." A photo of the planks can help your fitter identify this.

When is floor refinishing required?

Sometimes, damage to wooden floors is beyond repair. Multiple scratches, deeper indentations, or very deep scratches may require a complete sanding service.