Removing Scratches From Plastic Laminate Seam Filler

Cleaning

• If there are stains on the laminate surface, clean them up before filling in the scratches. This is especially true if the white areas in the scratches are stained. Clean stains up with white, distilled vinegar, bleach, ammonia or rubbing alcohol. Do not mix ammonia and bleach together, as it gives off toxic gas. Scrub the stains with a soft-bristled scrub brush until they disappear. Rinse the laminate surface with clean water and let it dry.

Seam Filler

• Seam filler is sold in most home improvement and hardware stores, but you may also purchase it at specialty shops that sell countertops and laminate. Seam filler is used during laminate installation filling in seams where two laminate pieces abut on a countertop or other surface. This creates a uniform appearance by obscuring the seams. Seam filler comes in different shades, so purchase the right shade for your countertop.

Testing

• Before spreading seam filler over the laminate scratches, test the seam filler. If you have some scrap laminate left over from the original project, scratch it up slightly, and then fill in the scratches with the seam filler. Let it dry and see if the shade is right. If you don't have any scrap laminate, test the seam filler on a small, hidden area on the laminate you are repairing. Cover it up with the right shade later.

Application

• Most seam fillers come with a couple of different containers or tubes of materials needed for properly filling the seams. The first is a solvent, which cleans the area and prepares the laminate for the seam filler, which is a puttylike substance. The solvent also used cleans up excess seam filler. Pour a small amount of the solvent on a cloth and wipe the scratched area. Wipe the seam filler over the scratches until they are filled, and then wipe up the excess with the solvent-soaked cloth. Repeat this process until the scratches are completely filled. Let the seam filler completely dry.