Despite how resilient laminate flooring is, dents can still occur and it can be important to learn how to fix dents in laminate flooring to save yourself time and money.
There are quite a few methods for doing this, but our favorite include using an iron to apply heat to the area gently to reverse the dent.
In the rest of this article, we will explore 4 different methods for fixing dents in laminate, as well as tips for preventing them in the first place.
How Dents Occur on Flooring
You drop something, or you move a piece of furniture that has been sitting on the floor for a while.
Now, you look down at your beautiful laminate flooring, and you will see dents. Maybe you walked across the floor in high heels. Or, your pet’s claws dug into the floor as they ran across it – maybe your office chair even caused the dents.
Laminate flooring is typically built to sustain weights less than about 500 pounds. If you place anything heavier than that on the floor, like a piano or a heavy couch or bookshelves, it could cause damage to the floor.
Prevent Dents in Laminate Floors
Obviously, the easiest way to fix a dent is to keep it from happening in the first place. Most dents occur by accident, but you can take a few steps to try to prevent the dents as follows:
Furniture Pads
If the dents are being caused by heavy furniture placed on top of the flooring, invest in some felt pads to place under heavy furniture. Find furniture pads that stick to the ends of the chair legs or couch legs, or whatever piece of furniture is causing the problem.
Once the pads are in place, you will be able to move the heavy furniture around easily without fear of damaging the floor.
Rugs
Placing an area rug on top of laminate flooring is a safe way to keep it looking great.
The rug will serve as a soft buffer to anything that is dropped on top of it or scraped across it. Of course, it will also hide part of the laminate flooring while protecting it.
Maintain Laminate Flooring
Making sure you maintain your laminate floors is a very important step in preventing dents from happening. A couple of maintenance tips to keep in mind include:
- Keep the floor swept clean of dust and debris
- Never use too much water or cleaning solution on laminate
Step-By-Step Guide to Fix Dents in Laminate Flooring
If your laminate flooring does become dented, even after taking great care to prevent it, it’s time to know how to fix the dents in the laminate floor.
Follow these 4 easy methods for fixing dents in laminate flooring.
1. Heat Method
Provided your laminate is not chipped, you can use heat to fix the dent. Some go all out with a 5 in 1 tool and a blow torch. But, all you usually need is an iron and a few other items to get the dents out of laminate.
First, you will need an iron, a cotton cloth, and Danish oil stain. Now you’re ready to follow this 10-step process to get the dents out.
- Drop water on the dent
- Take a clean, cotton cloth that can be folded to at least 1-inch, 2.54 centimeters, wide, and fold it over four times before placing it on top of the dent
- Heat up an iron
- Place the tip of the hot iron onto the top of the cloth, not directly on the flooring
- Move the iron around in a circular motion on top of the cloth until steam begins to rise
- Use moderate force to press down on the iron as you move it
- Iron for about 3 minutes
- Lift the cloth and look at the dent
- If the dent is gone, the method worked. If not, repeat the method up to 4 times
- Rub Danish oil stain on the laminate floor to retain its color
If the floor is chipped, use either a floor repair kit or Minwax and paint to fill in the dented area.
2. Minwax Method
To use Minwax and paint to repair a chip caused by a dent in laminate flooring, you will need Minwax wood filler, paint, poly sealant, a putty knife, and a floor repair marker.
- Gouge out the dented area that was chipped
- Fill in the spot with Minwax
- Use a putty knife to flatten and level the area, or use a cloth and your hand to level the area
- Use a damp cloth to remove any excess Minwax product left behind starting from the edges before it hardens
- Allow it to dry fully
- Paint the hardened Minwax with a color that matches the laminate, or use a floor repair marker
- Seal the area with a poly sealant coat
3. Floor Repair Kit Method
To use the floor repair kit method to fix a dented and chipped laminate floor, all you will need is a repair kit.
- Clean the dented area
- Wipe the area completely dry
- Use the melting tool to melt the hard wax bar that matches the color of the laminate floor
- Fill in the dent with the melting wax
- Allow the area to dry completely
- Use a special filler applicator to flatten the surface and remove any excess wax leftover
- Varnish the surface to finish it off
- Allow the varnish to cure before using the floor
4. Replace Planks
If all else fails, you may need to replace an entire dented laminate plank. To replace a laminate plank, you will need safety goggles, a pry bar, a screwdriver, and a putty knife as well as the replacement plank.
A pry bar will help to unlock any locking mechanisms on the boards. If there are any screws holding the plank in place, use the screwdriver to unscrew them.
- Use a pry bar to remove baseboards that the plank is attached to
- Start on the wall nearest the dented plank and begin removing the damaged planks and any planks that surround it
- Use a screwdriver to remove transition strips
- Use the end of a pry bar to loosen the damaged plank starting at the corner
- After the planks are lifted, clean the subfloor by sweeping it free of any dust or debris that has been trapped underneath, and check for any water leaks
- Install new planks and replace any undamaged surrounding planks
- Put the baseboards back in place
Final Thoughts
While laminate flooring is built to be durable, dents can and do occur. Follow this helpful step-by-step guide to know how to fix dents in laminate flooring when they happen to your floors.
Use prevention tips to keep dents from happening in the first place. Enjoy your beautiful, dent-free laminate flooring for years to come.