The 15-Minute Hardwood Repair Pros Don't want You to Know

Nothing compares to the luxurious rich look of hardwood flooring. But while it looks great, it can take a beating. Dropped tools, heavy furniture, and even high heels can crack the surface of the flooring, revealing its ugly inner core. The good news? You don’t have to live with these marks, and you don’t have to replace the entire plank. For about $10 and 15 minutes of work, you can make those chips disappear. Here’s my go to fix for hardwood floors.

Will this Work on My Floor?

This repair method is designed for three types of hardwood flooring:

• Laminate: Excellent for covering chips exposing fiberboard core. 
• Engineered Hardwood: Ideal for fixing chips that remove the wear layer on the floor.
• Solid Hardwood: A simple no-mess repair for dents and gouges in planks. 

Related: How to Fix Blotchy Wood Stain on Pine, Maple, and Other Softwoods

Step 1: Choose Your Filler

You have two options for repairing your flooring:

• Wood Floor Repair Putty: Purchase a pre-tinted putty like Roberts Palette Quick-Repair Putty. It comes in a tube that makes application easy and it’s available in a wide variety of colors, so it’s easy to match to the wood surface. I’ve found it to be the easiest way to match color. 
• All-Purpose Putty: You can also go with an all-purpose putty like Bondo. It’s incredibly durable and you can use it to repair other materials, including metal, masonry, fiberglass, and plastic. You’ll need to pair it with a wood floor repair marker kit to “paint” the wood grain onto the repair after it’s dry. 

Step 2: Prep the Surface

Start by cleaning any loose splinters of wood out of the chip. This is crucial as putty needs a clean, stable surface to create a durable bond. 

Step 3: Fill the hole

Press the putty into the chip with a putty knife using a firm wiping motion to pack the filler tightly into the chip. Smooth it out so that the repair is even with the surface of the floor. 

• Smooth the repair. Smooth the repair while it’s wet. This step is key as you won’t be able to sand the repair after it dries without ruining the finish. 
• Clean up. Use a damp paper towel to remove excess filler then smooth the repair one last time with a finger or a damp rag. 

Step 4: Finishing Touches

• Add Texture. Most modern hardwood flooring is texturized to mimic real wood. Run a toothpick along the repair while it’s still wet to make small lines that resemble wood grain. This prevents a smooth finish that would stand out amid the textured flooring.  
• Blend the Color. If your putty is too light, wait for it to dry then use a matching repair marker to add grain lines to the repair. 

Pro-Tip: If you’re making the repair in a high traffic area, add a drop of clear nail polish or water-based polyurethane over the repair once it’s dry to add an extra protective layer.