Accidents are impossible to avoid sometimes. You dropped something heavy on your hardwood floor, and now you are staring at the dent, wondering if it will stay forever like this and whether there is any way to undo the unsightly dent.
Luckily, you don’t have to live with that dent; several methods can be used to repair it. Woodworkers have used these methods for centuries, giving quite satisfactory results.
Why Does Wood Get Dent?
When the wood is hit with something heavy and solid, it compresses the fibers in the wood, which appear as a dent.
Moving Heavy Furniture Around
Moving furniture around is a common cause of dents, especially when the furniture does not have any padding. Dragging heavy furniture on laminate floors never bodes well for the floor. It will either scratch the floors or dent the floor.
Gain additional insights on floor care by reading how to repair scratches on hardwood floor
Dropping Something
A dent in the laminate floor can occur if you accidentally drop something heavy on the floor. For more details on dealing with heavy impacts, consider reading about how to repair the water damage to laminate floors, as water damage can also result from heavy items. This is the most common cause of dents on any type of floor. Luckily, these dents are easy to fix with several effective solutions.
Heavy Machinery
Using heavy instruments on laminate flooring is not a good idea. It can cause larger issues than dents, such as tearing, staining, and creaking your laminate floors. The weight limit for most of the laminate floors is 500 lbs. So, if you plan on placing bookshelves, cupboards, or a piano, check if they weigh less than 500 lbs.
Water Damage
Laminate floors are water-resistant, but they are not waterproof. Water does not cause a dent, but a dent can allow the water to seep inside and under the planks, making the damage even worse.
How to Get Dents Out of Laminate Flooring?
Steaming Method
You can steam the dent out with a wet cloth and a household iron. For further information on maintaining your floors, see our guide on how to clean and maintain laminate floors: best practices and products. Heating the wet cloth with the iron will generate steam that will swell wood fibers back to their original position. You can also use this method to take out dents from finished wood. But, this method works only when the laminate floor is not chipped Here’s how it works:
- Put some water into the dent and place a four-times folded piece of cloth over the dent. The pad should be 1-inch square.
- Place a hot iron onto the pad and move it in a circular motion over the pad until it steams. Keep the iron moving till all the water has evaporated.
- Once the steam dissipates, remove the pad and the iron.
- Check if the dent has been completely removed. If not, put some water into the dent and repeat the process until the dent is gone.
- You might notice a whitish area on and around the dent. To remove that, rub a danish oil stain on that area and leave it there for 15 minutes until the whitish area is gone.
Floor Repair Kit
Repair kits can help repair laminate flooring dents and chips. You can ask the manufacturer for a suitable repair kit for your laminate floor. A laminate repair kit varies in its contents, but some items are common in all the kits, such as stain pens, putty knives, filler, etc. There are varieties of kits you can find in hardware stores or online. Make sure you buy a repair kit that has a melting tool along with hard wax bars.
To understand more about fixing laminate floors, read about how to repair laminate floor
Follow these steps to repair your dented laminate floor with a repair kit:
- Clean the area around the dent and wipe it off and dry.
- Melt a hard wax bar that matches the color of your laminate floor. Melt the wax bar with the melting tool and fill the dent with the wax.
- Let it sit to dry and flatten the surface with a special filler applicator and remove excess wax from around the patch.
- Varnish the floor to finish the surface.
Repair kits are very easy and convenient to use. They offer good quick fixes like dents.
Minwax and Paint Method
You can replace the dented area of the laminate floor using Minwax and paint.
Learn more about floor maintenance by checking out how to remove scratches from wood floors
This method may be extensive, but it is effective. To repair a dent in the laminate floor, you need Minwax wood filler, paint, putty knife, poly sealant, and floor repair marker, and follow these steps:
- Gouge out the dented area and fill it with Minwax.
- Flatten the surface with a putty knife. Keep in mind that putty knives cannot level distressed laminate because of the uneven nature of the distressed laminate surface. In this case, you can use a cloth and level the surface with your hand.
- Remove excess Minwax from the edges with a damp cloth and let it sit to dry. Make sure that you remove the excess Minwax before it hardens.
- Paint the patch to match the laminate floor color.
- Apply a poly sealant to finish the surface.
Replacing Planks if the Dent is beyond Repair
One of the good things about laminate flooring is that the planks are easy to replace.
For additional flooring insights, explore laminate flooring in basement pros and cons
So, if you cannot fix the damage, you can always replace the plank. You can either replace the plank yourself or hire a professional to remove and replace planks with new ones.
Things you need:
To replace planks, you will need a pry-bar, putty knife, safety goggles, and screwdriver.
Remove Baseboards
Remove the baseboards first to take out the installed laminate planks. Use a pry bar to open the baseboards at the wall. If there are any screws in the laminate floors, unscrew them first.
Remove Laminate Planks
Start removing the planks closest to the dented area. Remove any transition strips with the screwdriver. Wiggle the dented plank out using the end of a pry-bar on its corner.
Check the Underlayment
After removing the planks, you can check the underlayment for water leaks and mold.
Remove the Dented Plank and Replace it.
Remove the dented board and install a new board in its place. Put back the planks and then install the baseboard back in its place.
How to Prevent Dents on Your Laminate Floor?
There are numerous causes of a dent in the laminate floor and even more ways to prevent it. Dents are accidental, but you can take precautions to keep your laminate floor safe.
Install Furniture Pads
Furniture pads are worth investing in, especially if you have chosen to install laminate flooring.
To protect your floors further, read about how to keep floor mats from sliding on vinyl floor
Furniture pads are installed to the ends of the furniture and keep the furniture from scratching or denting the laminate floor when you move the furniture around. They offer padding to move the furniture around without denting your floor.
Also, learn about how to fix peeling laminate floors for more tips on maintaining laminate flooring.
Put Rugs in the House
Rugs are a big help to keep your floor safe from scratches and dents. They not only improve your living space’s aesthetics but also offer padding that protects your laminate floors.
Discover more floor care strategies by exploring how to remove carpet pad stains from hardwood floors.
Proper Maintenance
Regular and adequate maintenance keeps the laminate floor in good shape and maintains its strength so that it doesn’t get dented from stilettos or furniture legs. It is also helpful in keeping a clean and healthy flooring environment. Also, avoid using too many cleaning solutions or water on the laminate floor.
For a comprehensive guide on floor maintenance, see how to clean old wood floors without refinishing
