How to Remove Scratches From a Forever Tuff Hardwood Floor

Scratch Causes

• Even the most durable hardwood floor with the strongest finish can be scratched. ForeverTuff floors come with a 50-year finish warranty, guaranteeing the floor will stand up to reasonable wear. Things that will damage your floors include failing to properly protect the legs and feet of furniture with felt pads where they contact the floor, failing to replace plastic casters with gentler rubber ones, wearing inappropriate footwear on the floors and allowing pets' nails to remain too long. The finish itself can eventually wear down in high traffic areas, resulting in a dull or white appearance.

Scratch vs. Gouge

• Scratches are unavoidable on any hardwood floor, even though ForeverTuff stands up better than some other brands. Gouges are less common and much more difficult to repair. A scratch is typically only finish deep, and does not harm the actual wood surface of the floor. A gouge reaches deep into the wood and leaves an ugly scar. Gouges usually require more than a do-it-yourself touch to be fully repaired.

Preparing the Scratch

• After checking to make certain your unsightly mark is indeed a shallow scratch and easily remedied, gather some fine steel wool, clean cloths and a container of mineral spirits. Sand over the scratch with the steel wool, use light strokes that follow the wood grain. Sand the margins of the scratch to blend, or feather, the damaged finished into the surrounding floor. Wet your cloth with some mineral spirits and wipe the scratch and surrounding area to remove any dust or dirt. Repeat until the scratch is gone, and you are left with a patch of floor that lacks finish.

Refinishing

• Contact your ForeverTuff retailer for assistance in choosing the correct finish for your flooring. Matching finishes is the single-most important part of successfully hiding the scratch. Once you have the correct finish, carefully apply it to the treated area with a foam or bristle brush. Use a light application touch, and blend it into the surrounding floor. Allow adequate drying time, according to package instructions.