How to patch a hole in a wood floor

Wood floors are a popular choice for installation in any room in the home because of their warmth and beauty. But if you notice any holes into the boards, you should fill them as soon as possible to prevent further damage.

Sometimes holes in a wood floor can appear due to warn out finish underneath your dining room chairs or where knots and screws used to be. Whatever the reason is, those unsightly holes can totally ruin the entire feeling about the floor. Here’s how to go about patching a wood floor in your home.

There are commercial wood fillers on the market. Those can successfully repair small cracks, holes and gauges. They dry fast and can be sanded and stained easily. In most cases minor blemishes, scratches and cuts in the wood can be easily hidden with the right blend of colored putties, fill sticks and graining pencils.

To determine the color of the putty to use, try it on a test piece first. On light color woods, start with a medium to dark tone color first and build the lighter color by adding successive lighter colors to the pallet.

For repairing big holes, use a round plug larger in diameter than the hole to drill out the hole until you hit the sub-floor. Then, cut a piece of timber the correct thickness and size to fill the opening, so it’s flush with the bottom of the flooring, and bond into hole with good quality bonding agent, such as wood glue.

The other way for repairing big holes includes replacing the entire damaged floor board with matching wood flooring of the same species and width, such as that found in a closet or flooring that may have been removed during renovation.

Make sure the grain lines up. Then,sand the area down to bare wood, to prevent any inconsistencies in color, and refinish the floor for the boards to match. Use a wood filler to fill small gaps.

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