- Find a Real Estate Professional
- Realtors®
- Mortgage Lenders
- Home Improvement Pros
- Other Real Estate Services
- Review an Agent, Lender or Pro
- Marketing on Zillow
- Real Estate Agent Advertising
- Join the Professional Directory
- Popular
- Real Estate Market Reports
- More
Replies (22)
- ThePoopingBandit
- Contributions:37
While there is such a product, it is pretty misleading to potential buyers to do so. I offer as a "repair for yourself" only suggestion - take a wander over to your local crafts store, and look for a 2-part epoxy resin, the type used to create a thick, clear laminate over the top of wood wet bars.
The situation with your mother's house may require a proper sanding and refinishing, unfortunately.
HTH
TPB
- Mona Ives, "Stylish Spaces"
- Contributions:19
Thank you for the advice. If I don't get some buyers interested soon - the bank will foreclose.
As far as being misleading - staging in itself can be misleading - it can make you think a house is larger if you don't analyze the space closely. I don't think putting lipstick on a pig is very misleading. Just like millions out there, I'm trying to prevent a major financial crisis from hitting my family.
Thanks for understanding.
- sunnyview
- Contributions:25139
It sounds like you are doing a good job. I wish I had an easy answer for you. They do have some products that can be used on furniture that might work on a floor short term is the scratches are distracting like a filler pencil with a little oil sealer that goes over the top. You might ask your local hardware store. They know all the products and might have other ideas.
If you need help staging, please consider posting some photos. There are a lot of people here that are very helpful and have lots of experience with staging. The advice is good, friendly and free under the selling a house forum. I wish you good luck with your sale.
If you need help staging, please consider posting some photos. There are a lot of people here that are very helpful and have lots of experience with staging. The advice is good, friendly and free under the selling a house forum. I wish you good luck with your sale.
- pinksandbaby
- Contributions:8551
At Lowe's and HD they sell a scratch repair kit in the flooring section. It has a "filler" and a pen to match the wood color. It's cheap and can help. GL!
- Kaye Norenberg
- Contributions:824
One of my favorite books is "The Queen of Clean". She recommends using a crayon in the same color and rub it back and forth.
- Beth Mason, "Beth Mason"
- Contributions:292
Why not face the issue head on. In our area, it costs about $1.00/sqft to have a floor screened. Offer a credit at closing to pay to have the floor re-done.
- Bette Defarm
- Contributions:4697
Please, PLEASE do not use one of those plastic fillers. They are impossible to work with and it will only fool a very small group of people....the rest will be angry.
IMHO Floors are one of the easiest, most gratifying diy projects. I know I wouldn't be put off by it. I had very deep gouges left from dogs. I simply flipped the boards over and played around until I created a match for the finish. They were century old pumkin pine...Oak is a breeze. Again: JMHO. Best luck to you!
IMHO Floors are one of the easiest, most gratifying diy projects. I know I wouldn't be put off by it. I had very deep gouges left from dogs. I simply flipped the boards over and played around until I created a match for the finish. They were century old pumkin pine...Oak is a breeze. Again: JMHO. Best luck to you!
- wetdawgs
- Contributions:26837
How about attractive area rugs?
- mina36
- Contributions:3478
Bette - do you mean you just pried up each board and put it back down ? I ask cuz I have old hardwood floors and that seems like a great solution to an expensive resanding and finishing.
- Connie Wildasinn, "Connie Wildasin"
- Contributions:1178
for all who have hardwood floors, I came across this product from my years of staging homes, and needing a quick cheap fix... Hollaway House, comes in a white bottle with a green label ... best thing on the market... apply - spread and dry... do a few coats... great... looks like new!
- Pasadenan
- Contributions:21466
Personally, for small repairs, (or even big holes in corners that are not readilly accessable), I would use a little acetone based wood filler, color matched to the wood ahead of time. Sand smooth with 600 grit paper, and then just do a quick shine on the floor, depending on floor finish. But deep long scratches? Anything done is really temporary and looks like a touch-up. It really needs to be sanded out and refinished, or as Betty suggested, use the other side of the boards. This could be a little tricky for tounge and groove.
- Bette Defarm
- Contributions:4697
Mina,
Sorry. Yes, I did mean I pried the boards up and turned them over. I highly recommend it as a long term solution as well as a short term one...It may sound like a deceptive practice were a seller to that, but I have been assured by many that if you can turn it over and it doesn't squeak it's perfectly sound in both an ethical and practical way. (I would mention in disclosures, but only because I believe the more you tell the more valuable the house).
Sorry. Yes, I did mean I pried the boards up and turned them over. I highly recommend it as a long term solution as well as a short term one...It may sound like a deceptive practice were a seller to that, but I have been assured by many that if you can turn it over and it doesn't squeak it's perfectly sound in both an ethical and practical way. (I would mention in disclosures, but only because I believe the more you tell the more valuable the house).
- Bette Defarm
- Contributions:4697
"I believe the more you tell the more valuable the house."
PS I live in an area where colonial homes are still serving generation after generation and 'known' history is always a plus. It may not apply to other areas :*)
PS I live in an area where colonial homes are still serving generation after generation and 'known' history is always a plus. It may not apply to other areas :*)
- Brian Gwaltney, "Metro Maintenance"
- Contributions:315
Turning the boards over? Tongue and groove boards generally have ribbing along the bottom to increase surface pressure and minimize movement. Cutting out the boards with the scratches and staining and urethane to match is doable. The screen and recoat suggestion and price is also an excellent suggestion. As for altering aesthetics to make a sale being unethical you've pretty much put yourself at odds with the entirety of the american way. 
- Brian Gwaltney, "Metro Maintenance"
- Contributions:315
If you do end up removing boards for a repair make sure the replacement wood is as similar as possible. Oil finish ages darker over time. You can't get the top coat to match that age and patina. Consequently you will need to stain the wood to match as closely as possible.
You can use a chisel and hammer to pick out the tongue and groove board if you so desire. The tools I bring to a floor repair are a chisel, hammer, nails, construction adhesive, table saw, circular saw, fein multimaster, polyurethane, stain, putty, rags, heat gun and a vacuum for clean up. Don't forget that the old floor has probably been sanded a couple times. That nice new tng you bought is going to be a 1/8 to a full 1/4 inch higher than the rest of the floor.
- mina36
- Contributions:3478
I tried to pull a board up just to see. Didn't want to come up. Maybe it's glued.
- Pasadenan
- Contributions:21466
If it is tounge & groove, it is not only nailed, it is "interlocked". You will either need to saw or chisel. If one is really careful, it may be possible to pry out two boards by priying up where they are interlocked; but I still usually end up breaking the tounge on at least one, or worse, the top finish part of the "grooved" location.
- Bette Defarm
- Contributions:4697
Mina,
Am I mistaken or do you have an older pre-1970s home? If so, it's unlikely you have some sort of composite, veneer or "interlocked" which use glue and probably just need to be a bit more aggressive in coaxing it up. I had to spend a lot of time wiggling it out, but it was definitely worth it :*)
Am I mistaken or do you have an older pre-1970s home? If so, it's unlikely you have some sort of composite, veneer or "interlocked" which use glue and probably just need to be a bit more aggressive in coaxing it up. I had to spend a lot of time wiggling it out, but it was definitely worth it :*)
- mina36
- Contributions:3478
My home was built in 1949. I'll try again !!
- Pasadenan
- Contributions:21466
I have tounge and groove installed in 1913. A relative has tounge and groove installed in 1912. Another home of a relative has tounge and groove installed in 1893. But actually for the oak floors, I have not confirmed their installation method. Since no nails are vissible, I'm assuming tounge and groove as well with the nails in the tounges prior to installing the next row. And none of the boards "wiggle" as they are all tight fitting. None of these floors are "glued".
- Mike_oxafloppin
- Contributions:2851
It seems likely that the best answer is what some already mentioned. WIKI
other methods I have heard are...
using small amounts of water in the scratch to expand the wood closer to it's original shape then apply a product sparingly to color match the scratch so it isnt as apparent. This obviously wont work for deep gouges.
I did see a home improvement show once where they used the sanded material mixed with several parts glue to fill the scratch, which worked awesome. Perhaps you could sand an area (closet?) or inconspicuous area to generate the amount of material you need. Unfortunately I can’t remember the mixture or even what kind of glue they used. Maybe you could "google" to find out more. If I remember correctly I think they mentioned this method was common in the furniture refinishing/repair industry.
Also if I were in your position I would call around locally because there are companies that specialize in wood floor repair. Perhaps you could call around and see if someone could give you an estimate to fix the scratches.
- BungalowMo
- Contributions:232
If you have old growth original floors...do NOT use any plastics, crayons, fillers, water or anything that will ruin the floors. You don't mention how old the place is, but anyone looking for an older home will not be put off by scratches in the floor. It really is a fairly easy thing to do yourself, it just takes time & patience.
Some folks actually see that sort of thing as "character". If "you" can't repair it correctly, leave it. Any handyman (or woman) will see it as just another project on the list.
Quick fix for deep scrapes in hardwood floor?
-
- 0.0/5.0
Contributions:19I've staged my mom's house for sale and I think buyers are having trouble getting over the deeper scrapes in the hardwood floor. It also looks like there is dirt ingrained in some spots (from wear). I know I can probably clean it better, but is there a magic product that I can use to minimize the appearance of those deep scrapes?
It was natural hardwood and is that yellowy oak tone. We don't have the budget or time to refinish all the floors. Just want to know if there's anything I can use to try to touch up?! I realize it won't be perfect, but want to know if I can minimize the appearance of those deep scrapes (looks like they were created by moving and sliding furniture around).
Please Help!
Stating a discriminatory preference in an advertisement for housing is illegal. If you think this content is discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate and feel it should be removed from Zillow, please let us know by completing the information above.
We will review this content. Thanks for helping make the site more useful to everyone. To learn more, read Zillow's Good Neighbor Policy.