How to Patch a Hardwood Floor

When Ron widened the entryway into his dining room, he exposed some flooring that was in pretty rough shape. To make the floor look like the existing, Ron needed to replace at least two boards and then try to match the finish.

Click Here For a list of what you will need in order to complete this project.

When a tongue and groove floor is put down, typically it is nailed right through the base of the tongue with the nail at an angle. The groove of the next board then slips over that tongue, concealing the nail head. The result is that there are no nails visible on the floor's surface, which provides a better looking finish.

With a system like this locked in place, it can be a challenge to remove just one or two planks in the middle of the floor. To get a board out, you have to actually split the floor pieces down the center before removing them.

1. Remove damaged planks
First, draw a line down the center of the planks that need to be removed. Set the blade depth on the circular saw so that it is deep enough to cut just through the flooring. This is called a plunge cut and it should be done very cautiously. With the saw running, lower it slowly until the base plate is resting firmly on the floor. Then slowly push the saw forward along the center of the board.

To make the end cuts, first score a line using a utility knife and a straight edge. Set the edge of a chisel into the score line and then, using a series of straight and angled chisel cuts, slice all the way through the plank.

Once the end cuts are made and the board is cut down the middle, you should be able to carefully pry it out. Once the first piece is removed, the rest can be removed more easily.

2. Sand floor surface
You will need to resurface the part of the floor that was damaged. The best tool for this is a belt sander. Since the main objective is to remove material, begin with a coarse, 60-grit belt.

3. Replacement boards
The only way to get a piece of tongue and groove plank into a space like this is to cut off the bottom half of the groove.

This will allow the piece to drop in. Set the table saw blade just high enough to cut through only the lower section of the groove. Next, mark the length of the board and cut it to size with the miter saw.

Repeat the process for any remaining replacement boards. Give each board a few taps when they are inserted to make a snug fit.

Because of the way these pieces are installed, it is impossible to edge-nail them through the tongue. Instead you will have to face nail each piece, which means driving the nails directly through the tops of the boards.

4. Remove old finish
One of the trickiest parts of a flooring repair job is matching the finish. Fortunately, because it is a natural wood product, there are color variations and grain patterns between the boards on the existing floor. You can use these variations to your advantage. If the break between the old finish and the new finish follows along the edge of a single board or at the end of a board, then the eye will not notice the difference.

Remove the finish off of several adjacent boards. Where practical, remove the finish from an entire board, following carefully along the edge. On longer boards, instead of removing the finish on the entire length, you can create the appearance of a new joint. To do this, cut across the board with a straight edge and then use a paint scraper to scrape off the finish right up to the edge of the line.

6. Apply new finish
Most finishes have a tendency to yellow over time. Even if a floor was refinished using a clear polyurethane finish, it probably won't match if you try to use clear polyurethane alone. You can adjust the color slightly by applying some shellac diluted with alcohol.

Brush on a light tinting or a toning coat, which should help the boards match more closely. A foam brush works well when covering a small area. The shellac dries quickly and in just a few minutes, you can apply the polyurethane.

After the polyurethane dries, give it a light sanding and apply one more coat. After you are done, nobody will ever know that that a patch was made.