Repair a Gash in Hardwood

Wax Stick Repair

• 1

  Place several drops of water on the gash. Leave the water overnight. Although moisture can damage wood floors, a few drops in the gash won't hurt your flooring. The damaged plank will absorb the water and swell slightly, making the gash shallower and easier to repair.

• 2

  Hold the wax stick directly over the gash. Heat the wax stick with the lighter, letting the drops of wax fall into the gash until it is full of wax.

• 3

  Hold the putty knife's blade in the lighter flame until the blade is hot. Scrape the hot blade across the wax, evening out the repair. Ensure that the wax filler is even with the rest of the floor.

• 4

  Apply painter's tape in a rectangle around the gash, separating it from the rest of the floor.

• 5

  Brush the sectioned-off area with a thin coat of shellac as close to the same shade of your floor as possible. Let the shellac dry for the recommended amount of time. The shellac helps your finish stick to the wax.

• 6

  Re-finish the repaired area with the same protective finish you applied to the rest of your floor. Let the finish dry. Remove the painter's tape.

Wood Filler Repair

• 7

  Sand the gash with 60-grit sandpaper. Sand only in the direction of the wood grain. Sanding the area smooths out the gash and improves its appearance.

• 8

  Apply a small amount of mineral spirits to a clean washcloth. Wipe away the dust left behind after sanding.

• 9

  Fill the gash with wood filler that closely matches the shade of your floor stain. Run a putty knife across the surface of the gash. This removes excess wood filler while also ensuring that the filled gash lies flush with the rest of the floor. Let the wood filler dry.

• 10

  Sand the filled gash with 80-grit sandpaper. Clean away the sanding dust with mineral spirits.

• 11

  Re-finish the repaired area with the same finish you used for the rest of the floor.