Getting scratches out of wood floors?

[10,000 Casts]

Our new house has solid hickory floors. After moving in I noticed some scratches, some worse than others and some that worry me a bit. Any tips to get them out or at least hide them a bit?

Thanks!

[jentz]

Sanding is the best,BUT Sometimes a wet cloth, between damp and wet, laid on a scratch for days and kept wet will raise the woods grain hiding some scratches.It then needs fine light sand and a finish to match surounding finish.

[Pat K]

My fathers trick for scratches in floors and furniture was to cut an almond in half and rub it on the scratch.

It wont fill the scratch but it will help it blend in. For dark wood use a walnut instead of an almond.

[MSRiverdog]

Scratches can be helped by using damp rags and a hot iron, like for clothing, that will raise the grain and not soak the wood, if the grain is cut it'll still help, but don't get it wet for days. You may have to repeat the process a number of times. I've raised the grain and been doing this type of repair for years and it is the woodworkers prefered way of taking dings out of wood, with luck you'll be able to get the scratch's level with the floor, I wouldn't sand them unless you are very good at stain matching it'll make things worse. With luck after you have raised the grain you'll be able to just spray on a poly finish and wipe it after you've sprayed, all you really can and want to do is fill the wood pores and seal the wood. Scratches will still be there but look better than they do now, some may even go away. Wet the corner of the cloth, not dripping and use the point of the iron to steam the wood grain up bit by bit. I steam until the cloth is almost dry, this way you have a dry surface for the finish to penetrate. jim at riverviewwoodworking dot com

[Snowking]

I hate to disagree with riverdog but I wouldn't steam it. Steaming is a great tool to use on unfinished wood but you start steaming and you risk lifting the finish area around the scratch as well. I would try some "old English" if anything. Bad things can happen if you've never used an iron to steam wood

[MSRiverdog]

Bout time you showed up, thought you were dead or something. Hope you're doing well.

When I steam I just use the tip of the iron at the spots finish is missing I've used this method on floors quite a number of times and never had a finish lifting problem even on new flooring, but then I only use the tip of the iron. I think on what appears to unbroken marks the finish, depending on what type finish, get's minute cracks in it that lets the steam in. On another note I have steamed my measuring boards that have a spar urethane finish and have never had the old finish brake loose.

[Snowking]

Riverdog. I'm doing great... If you consider I'll be logging my 347 th hour of overtime sence April today I'm not a fan of telling people to steam stuff. I feel it changes the tone of the wood even with sanding and if you've never done it it can get bad quick. Just ask the ex what it did to our kitchen floor and how mad I was. LoL.

[Nhamm]

Are the scratches down to the actual wood or just lightly indented the finish? Steaming may or may not work with raw wood but if the finish is still there, which is typically the case with most pet marks, don't know if it will do you any good. A good buff and coat will hide many of those and refresh the whole floor.

[MSRiverdog]

Snowking, I've steamed bunches of stuff and woods, cherry, oak, red and white, pine, maples, soft and hard and bunch of others, the scary one was sitka spruce on a D-40 Martin special edition I had and never had a problem. Latest was red oak manufactured flooring I put in the house here, you can't even find the repairs. Distilled water and a hot iron.

[jentz]

Steam is good for bending wood softening the cellular structure.Moisture draws the grain up,It expands the wood cells.I been doing wood works for 42 years.from rough to fine,soft woods are easy hardwoods take time and patience.I wont argue.Just experience thats a tell all.

[10,000 Casts]

I have one scratch that cut through the finish, the others are just gouges on top of the finish. I tried the steam and it helped a little but it's still noticeable. I'm going to try old English tomorrow. If that doesn't work then I'll try the almond! Thanks guys,