If you have wooden floors, at some point, you’ll have scratches and scuffs and want nothing more than to rejuvenate them.
The causes are predictable — someone moves furniture without protective padding under the legs, high heels create holes, and pets’ claws leave their marks — and the result is unsightly.
That’s the situation that Jack, in Illinois, faces. His engineered hardwood flooring has lots of wear-and-tear, and he’s used wood pencils, stain markers, putty, and sometimes polyurethane to keep it looking its best.
The repairs look great, at first, but they don’t last very long. He’s looking for best practices and lasting results.
If you’re in the same situation, consider applying Rejuvenate Wood Floor Restorer; it fills in scratches and restores a high-gloss shine. It’s just $20 and you can apply it after thoroughly cleaning your floor.
I tried this product on my last house and would say it knocked out about 70% of the tiny scratches and gave the surface a slight sheen.
Want to make this project manageable? In larger rooms, you can move everything to one side and apply Rejuvenate on the side of the wood floor with nothing on it. Then vice versa.
The worst-case scenario is your floors may be past the point of this fix being useful. Due to its thin veneer, you have one chance to refinish engineered hardwood before having to replace the flooring. So if you do refinish it, make sure you hire a pro who knows what they’re doing.
Listen to the Today’s Homeowner Podcast for more home improvement tips!
- [skipto time=1:27][1:27][/skipto] How to prevent slipping on floors
- [skipto time=6:01][6:01][/skipto] Tips for fixing a leaking chimney
- [skipto time=10:56][10:56][/skipto] Running into mold under luxury vinyl tile
- [skipto time=12:38][12:38][/skipto] Best New Product: 3M CLAW Drywall Picture Hanger
- [skipto time=13:57][13:57][/skipto] Tips for repairing damaged hardwood floors
- [skipto time=20:58][20:58][/skipto] How to make painting clean and easy
- [skipto time=24:01][24:01][/skipto] Question of the Week: Should you use Tapcon screws or traditional anchors and screws in a block wall?
Simple Solutions
Sure-Stick Mesh Tape—Seams in cement backerboard must be covered with adhesive-backed mesh tape and then skim-coated with thin-set mortar. However, the tape doesn’t always adhere well to the backerboard because it’s often covered with dust. So, before applying the tape, wipe down the backerboard along the seams with a damp sponge. Then, wait a few minutes for the surface to dry, then stick down the tape. By the way, this Simple Solution also works well when using mesh tape to repair drywall damage.
Paintbrush Bristle Protector—When using a paintbrush, paint often seeps into the joint where the bristles meet the metal ferrule. The paint then dries into crusty clumps, making it difficult to clean the brush. Plus, the dried bits can break off the next time you use the brush. So, before you start painting, wrap a strip of 1 ½- or 2-inch-wide painter’s tape around the ferrule, making sure it overlaps about ¾ inch onto the bristles. Then, when you’re done painting, just peel off the tape and clean the brush.
Question of the Week
Q: Do you recommend using Tapcon screws instead of traditional anchors and screws into a block wall? I am putting together a garage shelving project with 16-inch shelves and heavy-duty shelf brackets. I like the easy installation of Tapcon screws but want to make sure my shelves will have enough weight capacity.
A: I would be hesitant to use Tapcon screws because they tend to be more coarse. Whatever you use, add construction adhesive to it. Joe would try Tapcon screws first, but advises to always make sure you are using the right size pilot bit.
Is cement backerboard necessary for laminate flooring? This is a question that most people ask. If you’re interested in knowing the answer, we recommend you read our article to find out.
