An open or broken knothole is usually not a serious problem, but can cause concern for a homeowner.
It makes a person wonder:
- Is my floor falling apart?
- Did I buy a good quality floor?
- Will this happen to other areas of the floor?
A simple fix involves a hot soldering iron and some wax. With a few simple steps, you can fill that knothole and have a worry-free floor taht looks great again.
Tools you’ll need:
- Blue painter’s tape
- Wax that matches floor or knot
- Soldering Iron
- Plastic or Metal Scraper
- Color markers that match flooring [optional]


Step 1 – Tape Off Knot
When using a dark wax, it’s a good idea to tape around the edges of the hole or crack to avoid getting excess wax on the surrounding flooring.

Step 2 – Use Matching Colored Wax To Fill In Open Knot
Heat up the soldering iron. When ready, use iron to melt wax into the opening until just above board surface. Let dry for a couple minutes.

Step 3 – Remove Tape and Scrape Off Excess Wax
Remove blue tape and scrape off excess wax with the plastic scraper. Use a dry towel to wipe off any excess wax not removed by the scraper.

Step 4 – Use Color Markers to Blend in Knot [Optional]
To create a more realistic look, you can use markers to blend in your repair. We used a mix of gray and browns to add color to the outside areas of the knots. You can also use a lighter color marker on the knot itself to make the knot less prominent.
Have Other Touch-ups To Do?
One of the best tools and skills you can have as a flooring professional is a good wood floor touch up kit, and the ability to fix problems that seem too big for a homeowner can actually earn you a great reputation and lead to word of mouth advertisements.
Check out our guide to wood floor touch ups to learn how you can quickly and professionally fix scratches, dents, and chips. We also have a free checklist of all the things you need to build your own wood floor touch up kit below.