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How to Fix Scratches in Polyurethane Hardwood Floors?

If you want to install the new hardwood surface, you can use the polyurethane hardwood floors. They will give you the most extended lifetime and remain the perfect surface to work on. You can regularly clean it and make it renew every time.

Unfortunately, you will get some scratches on your polyurethane hardwood floors because of careless use. If you forget to clean it for a long time, it will also get some scratches. Stick with us to find a way out to fix the scratches.

Can you fix scratches in polyurethane hardwood floors?

You can fix scratches in polyurethane hardwood floors. It will not become the challenging task you anticipated. Instead, it will be fun to remove the scratches and renew them again. 

Significantly, if you have previous experience removing scratches from any hardwood surface, it will help you a lot. 

No worries if you don’t have any experience. I will try to give you the simple process of removing the scratches from your hardwood floors. In that case, the process might seem complicated; you have to keep following my tips.

If you make any mistake, you cannot fix the scratches. You may need to use some tools and cleaning material that we will cover in the following sections. Keep reading and get all the tips to fix your scratches.

How to fix scratches in polyurethane hardwood floors?

You can fix the scratches in polyurethane hardwood floors using wood putting, sandpaper, and a soft scouring pad. You need to use them accordingly to remove the scratches. First, you need to use the soft pad and then put some wood putty over the stains. Then, scrubbing will remove the scratches.

That’s how you can fix scratches in polyurethane hardwood floors. I know the process was concise, and you may not understand it clearly. Therefore, I’m going to give you step-by-step guidelines on how to fix the scratches from polyurethane hardwood floors.

Let’s follow the process and remove the polyurethane surface’s stains, dirt, and scratches. You can reduce some steps and make it in three simple ways. 

If you have any queries regarding the process of removing the scratches in your polyurethane hardwood floors, you should re-read the process.

Moisten Scouring Pad: 

Your first tip is to moisten the scouring pad to remove the scratches on polyurethane hardwood floors. If you don’t have this material, you can buy any soft pads or use any fiber clothes (only for emergency purposes). 

Then, you can moisten it using mineral spirits. These ingredients will make the pad ready to work against scratches.

You should always buy the best quality mineral spirits and moist the scouring pads using this liquid. It will be your first step in removing scratches.

Scrub The Scratches: 

You can gently start scrubbing those scratches when your scouring pad is ready. It will deeply clean the scratches and make the surface even. It will not remove the scratches but make them thin and invisible; it will be better for the next step.

Use Wood Putty: 

After scrubbing the polyurethane floors, you should wipe them and let them dry for an hour. Then, you can start applying the same color of wood putty to the stains. Here, the tip is to buy the putty-like hardwood. 

It will be easier to cover the stains and get the fresh polyurethane hardwood floors.

You can start applying the wood putty using anything soft. Don’t try to apply the wood putty with your bare hand. It’s not the right process to apply the wood putty. You can follow the manual guidelines to use it correctly. 

Sanding: 

After applying the wood putty, you should let it dry for a long time. Otherwise, you cannot sand and smooth the surface like before. So, you must wait for a couple of hours and let the putty dry from the inside; it will be better to wait for a day before sanding.

When it dries, you should use the 150 grit sandpaper. If you don’t have it, you should buy the 150 grit and sand the entire surface smoothly. Don’t put pressure; otherwise, the surface will get additional scratches.

Does polyurethane hardwood floors scratch easily?

Generally, polyurethane is used to protect against hardwood floor scratches because sometimes, when you have been using a harsh thing to clean your floor, which may cause scratches, it will help you recover those. 

That means the polyurethane hardwood floors don’t scratch easily unless you use harsh chemicals or forget to clean them for a long time.

If you have faced floor damage like scratches during this time, you need to repair it quickly; otherwise, it can not resist leaking water from the surface and makes more significant problems. 

During this time, you need to use polyurethane to keep the floor damage-free and waterproof. 

So we can say polyurethane is used to recover the floor scratches, but sometimes if you use it carelessly, it may get some unusual scratches. No worries, you can fix those scratches by following the tips that I already described in previous sections. 

If needed, you can re-read the process of removing the scratches in polyurethane hardwood floors.

Can you buff out polyurethane hardwood floors?

Polyurethane can buff out the hardwood floors because it is utilized to cover surfaces, safeguarding them from scratches and assisting with opposing water harm worldwide. 

Buffing makes it simple to obtain excellent outcomes on wood wrapped up with polyurethane, even water-based. 

By using polyurethane, buffing can change hardwood floors into basically as smooth as glass and exceptionally welcoming to the touch. And it doesn’t take long for this process to end, so you don’t have to engage with it for a long time. 

So using polyurethane can make your floor scratch-free, just like new. 

So, if you want to re-shape the floors or remove the unusual scratches from the polyurethane hardwood floors, you can buff them out following eliminating scratches. There might be minor changes, but the actual process will remain similar.

Does buffing polyurethane hardwood floors remove scratches?

Buffing polyurethane hardwood floors remove scratches. The top layer of the polyurethane is the only one that is worked on during a screening or buffing, and it only uses a fine grit of sandpaper. 

Your hardwood floors can regain their luster and shine with a coating of polyurethane, providing a layer of protection.

If the floor’s finish appears worn and scratched, rather than sanding the floor, you could try buffing the floor instead. By buffing, the scratched area will be smoothed out, excess wax will be removed, and the shine will be restored to the floor.

The process might seem difficult to you, but you will find it easier to buff out the polyurethane hardwood surface once you start following the tips.

How do you get dog scratches out of polyurethane hardwood floors?

You can get dog scratches out of polyurethane hardwood floors by following the tips.

Clean Damaged Area: 

To remove any dirt scratches from polyurethane hardwood floors, you may use a suitable wood cleaner. This will create a clean surface for you where you can start working on removing dog scratches out of polyurethane hardwood floors.

Apply Steel Wool: 

Apply some steel wool to the abrasion. You should only rub the area that is scratched, and you should always rub in the direction of the wood grain. Increasing the mark and making it more noticeable can be accomplished by rubbing against the grain.

Smooth out the scratch. You can remove the scratch by buffing it with steel wool until it is gone. The edges should be blended. Steel wool can be used to soften the edges of the scratch by applying it carefully to the surface around it. 

Reduce the amount of feathering so that the problem area doesn’t stand out as much.

Sand: 

After the wood filler has had enough time to cure, sand the area carefully to remove any access that may have been left. Utilize a stick of wax. Applying a wax stick over the scratches and allowing it to sit for ten minutes will make the scratches less noticeable.

Polish the region—Buff the area with a soft cloth to bring out its shine and brilliance.

Use Finish: 

If it turns out to be necessary, apply a coat of shellac or polyurethane with a brush. Make use of a wax paste. After applying the wax stick, you should use paste wax if your floors are not finished with glossy polyurethane. 

The scratches will be even less noticeable as a result of this. After that, give the scratches the second round of buffing.

Final Thoughts

Overall, you can fix scratches in polyurethane hardwood floors by following some steps. First, you need to use the scouring pads and scrub the scratches. Then, you need to use a wood putty to cover those scratches; then, you need to sand the putty and get an even surface.