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Hardwood flooring is one of the most beautiful options you can choose for your home. Depending on what kind you choose, it should be able to hold up to normal wear and tear. However, it is bound to get scratched or nicked over time. While there are some precautions you can take to make sure that your floors stay in pristine condition, a scratch here and there is almost inevitable, making hardwood floor repair in Marietta something you should be prepared for. Here are some tips for handling those scratches when they happen. Surface Scratches Many scratches that happen will simply be surface scratches, which are the easiest to take care of. These light scratches may be repaired simply by going over them with a hardwood refresher or reviver that can be purchased at your local home improvement store. Before doing this, you will want to make sure that whatever product you choose is compatible with your floor. Any damage done to the floor with an incompatible product may cost a lot to repair. If the small scratches don't bother you, it may be a good idea to hold off until a professional can give you an opinion before moving forward. Deep Scratches Pets, furniture, and other items may cause deeper scratches in the wood, which will be harder to take care of. These scratches will be easier to see because the stain has been penetrated and the lighter color of the raw wood is being exposed. If the scratch is too narrow to be filled, you may be able to try masking it by applying a matching stain. Of course, this will not fix the damage, but it may make it difficult to see, which is fine if you do not mind knowing it is there. If your floor was stained on-site, you may already have some leftover stain, making the matching process easy. If the scratch is in an area that will come into contact with water, you may want to refinish the area to seal it from water so that no damage can be done to the actual wood. Gouges From time to time, hardwood floors get gouged. It can be painful to see it happen, but if you are open to your flooring having a little bit of character, then it might not be such a big deal. If the gash or wide scratch is smaller than 3 inches, you may be able to patch the damage and get a close enough match that the gouge will not be noticeable to people passing by. This can be done by purchasing a wood filler that is pre-colored to match your floor as closely as possible. Take care to seal the area after filling so that no water damage occurs. Avoid Scratches If you are not interested in giving your hardwood floors some character, there are a few things that you can do to avoid scratches in the first place, including the following: - Place doormats inside all exterior doors, as tracked-in dirt and grit can easily cause scratches.
- Encourage visitors to remove their shoes after entering your home, especially women in high heels, to ensure that nothing sharp comes in contact with the floor while they walk around.
- Place felt protective pads on the feet of all furniture before sliding across the floor to avoid damage from heavy furniture being moved around. This is an especially good idea for chairs in a dining room area that are being moved around often.
- Sweep the floor often to contain any dirt that does make its way past the front door.
- Restrict large dogs or pets with claws from entering rooms with hardwood floors. Pets do some of the most damage to hardwood, so it is best to keep them away if possible.
If you are concerned about the scratches on your floor, always call for hardwood floor repair in Marietta before starting a repair on your own. A professional will know how to keep your floors in the best shape and help you avoid costly mistakes.
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