Remove Burn Marks on Hardwood Floor

Help Around the House : Episode ARH-513 -- More Projects »
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Home repair expert helps a guest remove burn marks from a hardwood floor by carefully cutting away the damaged wood. On his elbow grease scale of one to four, Harrison gives this job a one.

Tools:

kneepads
razor blade
pocketknife
wire brush
steel wool
paintbrush
work cloth
tung oil
safety glasses

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Figure A
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Figure B
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Figure C
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Figure D
Steps:

1. Put on safety glasses and scrape the burn mark with a pocketknife to assess the damage and see how deep the burn goes (figure A).

2. With the tip of the knife carefully grind away burned wood. Always work with the grain of the wood.

3. Lightly brush the area with a brass bristle brush (figure B). Again, brush with the grain of the wood and avoid making any deep scratches that will require sanding.

4. Brush away debris with a dry paintbrush and use the corner tip of razor to remove the smaller specks of damage (figure C).

5. Clean area again with the paintbrush.

6. Dab a bit of tung oil on the spot with a clean towel to restore color. If desired, smooth the area further with a steel wool pad. Apply a bit more tung oil and check the results (figure D).