- Hardwood: surface scratches can be touched up. Deep ones mean a screen-and-recoat or a sand.
- Oiled wood: the easiest to spot-fix. Re-oil the area.
- Vinyl and laminate: repair kits hide small marks. Bad planks get swapped.
- That's why you keep a spare box.
Hardwood and engineered
- Scratch only in the finish (white-ish line): a touch-up pen or the maker's repair kit, or a screen-and-recoat of the whole room.
- Scratch into the wood: stain marker plus finish, or a full refinish if widespread (solid or thick engineered only).
- Dents: small dents in bare wood can sometimes lift with moisture and heat. On finished floors, usually live with them or replace the board.
- Oiled floors: clean and rub in maintenance oil. The scratch blends in.
Vinyl plank
- Light scuffs: buff with the maker's cleaner.
- Gouges: colour-matched repair putty, or swap the plank.
- Click planks along a wall are easy to swap. Middle-of-room planks take more work but are doable.
Laminate
- Chips: laminate repair wax or putty.
- Swollen or deep damage: replace the plank. You can't sand laminate.
Prevent it next time
- Felt pads, replaced often.
- Mats at doors.
- Trim pet nails.
- Chair mats under office chairs.
Common questions
Can you fix scratches on vinyl plank flooring?
Light scuffs can be buffed out and small gouges filled with colour-matched repair putty. Deep damage is best fixed by replacing the plank, which is straightforward with click vinyl if you have spares.
How do you fix scratches on hardwood floors?
Scratches only in the finish can be touched up or fixed with a screen-and-recoat. Scratches into the wood need a stain marker and finish, or sanding and refinishing for widespread wear.
Can you replace one plank of laminate or vinyl?
Yes. Click planks can be replaced individually: easiest near a wall, and possible in the middle of a room with the right technique. Keep spare planks from the same lot.
Who's writing this: Rose and Thorn Flooring is a flooring company in Surrey, BC. We install floors for a living, so yes, we'd love to do yours. But nobody pays us to say nice things about a product, and we don't earn commission from any brand. If something here is wrong or out of date, text us at 604-716-4160 and we'll fix it.