Introduction
According to Bharat Bhise, it is possible to remove burn marks on wood flooring with a little planning and careful execution. First, you have to understand the extent of the damage caused and then decide whether you can fix the damage on your own or hire the help of a professional.
The Steps
Here are the steps you can follow to repair burn marks on wood flooring:
- Fixing surface burns – If you just have to fix small and shallow burn marks on wood flooring which occur as a result of something like cigarette ash, here are the steps you can follow:
- Purchase a ball of steel wool – You can find steel wool in your local hardware store. Ensure you purchase one with a ranking of “0000” since they are even finer than sandpaper.
- Use mineral oil to dampen the steel wool ball – It is essential to apply mineral oil or any non-drying oil such as lemon oil to the steel wool ball in order to lubricate it and ensure it doesn’t damage the wood when you scrape against its surface. 2.5 ml or half a teaspoon is the ideal quantity.
- Scrape the burn mark using the steel wool – Ensure you gently rub the dampened steel wool on top of the burn mark in a single direction. You must rub along the grain of the wood. If you rub it across the wood grain it will further damage the wood.Generally, it will take about 10-12 passes to remove the light burn mark.
- Use a clean, damp cloth to blot dry the oily area – Once the burn mark is removed, simply use a slightly damp cloth to tap on the oily wood surface to absorb the excess oil.
- Repairing deep burns – For repairing deeper burn marks on wood flooring, you can follow the steps listed below:
- Use a utility blade to scrape off the burn mark – Ensure you work in short strokes and follow the grain of the wood to scrape off the burnt wood and remove burn marks that are deeper than 0.32 cm.
- Use fine-grained sandpaper to smooth out the damaged area – Use a fine sandpaper to even out the wood surrounding the burn mark. Ensure you sand along the wood grain.You can use a slightly damp rag to brush off the small pile of wood shavings.
- Restore the wood color by applying a layer of tung oil – Use cloth dipped in tung oil and rub it over the section that was formerly burnt. If your wood floor has yellow tones, you can use linseed oil instead of tung oil. Allow the oil to soak into the wood overnight.
- Use a wood epoxy to restore the finish – Use a wood epoxy following the manufacturer’s instructions to fill the divot and let it dry for 6-8 hours. Once it has dried, use coarse sandpaper to smooth it down and apply a paint or stain that matches the color of the floor.
Conclusion
Bharat Bhise suggests you hire a professional to fix extensive and deep burn marks on wood floors that are usually caused due to accidents. Professionals are better equipped to fix large sections of wood flooring without causing more damage in the process.
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