How To Fix A Deep Scratch on Wire Brushed Wood Flooring

A deep gouge in a wire brushed floor may seem hard to fix. Some may see it as a good candidate for a full board replacement.

If the gouge is deep enough, the raw wood is probably showing through. Plus, the wire-brushed texture may be too complicated of a fix for putty. With a wood floor touch up kit, you can hide a deep gouge and make it virtually unnoticeable in a wire-brushed wood floor.

Tools Needed:

Wax
Soldering Iron
Wirebrush
Metal scraper
Optional: Markers, Chalk, or Pick (see Step 4)

hard wax repair on scratched wood floor — First step – Heat up your iron and melt wax into the scratch.

Step 1 – Use wax to fill in scratch

Heat up your soldering iron. When ready, use iron to melt wax into the knot. Let dry for a couple minutes. You can use a metal scraper to press on the wax to cool faster.

repairing wood floor with wax — Step 2 – Once wax is melted, use your scraper to remove any excess.

Step 2 – Scrape off excess with scraper

Once the wax is dry, scrape off the excess with your scraper. You can use a rag to brush off anything extra.

wire brush wood floor — Step 3 – To recreate a wirebrush look, lightly brush the area until the spot is blended in.

Step 3 – Use wirebrush to re-create texture

Lightly brush the wax to create a texture that matches the surrounding area.

fixing scratched flooring — Step 4 – Complete it with any finishing touches. We added some white chalk on the area to re-create the light whitewashing on the surrounding floor.

Step 4 – Add the finishing touches

Does the texture not look quite right? Do you see some color tones that are standing out? This is where you can keep working to blend in the scratch. Its also a good idea to look at it while standing from different angles. A scratch will look more blended in when youre farther away from it.

Important Tips:

Use markers to blend in the color. You can add darker spots or highlights to match the surrounding floor.
Use your scraper or a dental pick to create a deeper texture.
Does your floor have a white-wash look? Use chalk over the scratch to fill in the scratch to match the floor. We do this in the video at 2:40.

repairing scratched hardwood — Last step – Remove excess with a rag and look at your repair!

Step 5 – Wipe off any excess and enjoy!

Well done! Youve just fixed your floor in a few minutes. Take a look at it from a standing position at different angles. If you see that it could use a bit more color or texture, add that in until it suits you.

Make Your Own Wood Floor Touch Up Kit

Read our guide to wood floor touch ups, and download a checklist of all the things you need to build your own wood floor touch up kit.