Fix Dents in Hardwood Floors

Do you have hardwood floors throughout your home? Maybe you’ve had them for a while, and you’re starting to notice some minor dents here and there. Rather than replacing your whole floor, we have a few tips on how you can get the dents out yourself, without having to spend too much time or money.

Steaming the Dent out of the Wood

It may sound a bit crazy, but did you know you can remove dents from hardwood floors using an iron? It’s pretty simple! All you need for this trick is an iron, some paper towels, and a bit of water.

Start by filling the dent with some water. Once that’s done, cover it with a paper towel. Next up, turn your iron on to the highest setting. Once your iron has sufficiently heated up, hold it over the dent and make small circular motions going back and forth over the dent. You will want to continue this with even and firm pressure until the paper towel is dry.

You should begin to see the wood fibres absorb the water and expand to fill the dent, bringing the fibres back to where they were originally. Keep doing the same technique until the dent has risen to be flush with the rest of the floor.

Finish it off with a light sanding, and your floor should look as good as new!

Marker Pens

If your dent is on the smaller side, a really quick and easy fix is using marker pens. These are also easy to find. Check out your local hardware store, big-box store, or even online. All you need to do is make sure you’re purchasing a marker pen that is as close as possible to the colour of your hardwood floor. A good hack is to take a picture of your floor and use it as a reference when selecting the colour.

Wood Filler

Wood filler is a great option for those larger dents. You can pick up some wood filler, such as DAP’s plastic wood fillers, from your local hardware store. Once the dent is filled in and sanded down, you will have to re-stain the area with the same stain that was used on your hardwood floors.

You will want to apply a finish to the whole surface once you’re done, so that everything looks the same.

Wood Putty

Wood putty is another option for those larger dents. One wood putty that works well is DAP’s plastic wood putty. The great thing about this option is that it has a waxy consistency, making it easy to push into dents and rub off any excess.

Unlike wood filler, however, wood putty does not accept a stain. You will need to keep this in mind so that you can blend the pre-mixed stain into your wood putty. You can skip applying the finish once done, since the wood filler already has a shine to it.

And there you have it! A few easy ways to repair dents in your hardwood floor. Of course, if none of these methods work on your floor or if you don’t feel comfortable making the repairs yourself, you can always call a professional in.