How To Repair Vinyl Sheet Flooring: Best Way To Fix Vinyl Plank Flooring Gaps Or Scratches

Best Way To Fix Vinyl Plank Flooring Gaps Or Scratches

Vinyl sheet flooring is reasonably simple to install and easy to clean. But when it comes to fixing the big, intact sheets, DIYers can get lost. If a rip or dent happens in sheet flooring, it looks disastrous in contrast to vinyl tiles, which can be removed individually and replaced if damaged. Nonetheless, the flooring may frequently be fixed so that the damage is barely noticeable or even undetectable. Materials sold in kits by Loctite Auto and Consumer Group of Cleveland can be used to patch small nicks or gouges in sheet vinyl or vinyl tiles. The Duro Perfect Match floor repair kit from Loctite includes a patcher that resembles putty and can be colored to match different types of flooring. Hardware shops and home improvement stores both sell the kit.

Step 1: Create Your Own Putty For Minor Repairs

By scraping some vinyl from the surface of a scrap, you can create your own putty for minor repairs. Using a little acetone (fingernail polish remover) and a few drops of clear lacquer, mix the vinyl parts to the consistency of putty. Put the putty within the defect and cover it with masking tape. After the putty has dried, sand it smooth, take off the masking tape, and wax the repaired area. Before attempting this process on flooring, test it on a scrap of material or another surface.

Step 2: Patch The Tears As Soon As Possible

By using vinyl flooring cement to secure the edges and a wood roller similar to the one used to smooth wallpaper seams, a tear in vinyl sheet flooring may frequently be mended covertly. Before the edges get torn or unclean, tears should be patched as soon as possible. Curled edges or corners can also be flattened by rolling them down after being cemented. If freshly bonded edges don't want to lay flat, heat them with a hair dryer to make them more malleable, and then weigh them down with books or other objects until the glue sets.

Step 3: Save Remnants For Potential Future Use

Save remnants for potential future use because larger repairs to sheet flooring require matching material. If there is significant damage and no scraps are available, inquire with retailers carrying the same flooring brand to determine if the pattern is still offered. If the brand is unknown, consider removing a complementary item from a discreet location, like the space under a refrigerator.

Step 4: Tape The Scrap's Edges With Wide Masking Tape Or Duct Tape

Place the scrap in a way over the damaged area so that it completely matches the flooring's design. The ideal method is to tape the scrap's edges with wide masking tape or duct tape because it's crucial that they remain in place for the following step. A extremely sharp utility knife and a straightedge, such as a metal carpenter's square or ruler, are also required. While cutting through both the scrap and the flooring material, lay the straightedge over the piece of metal at a place away from the damaged area.

Step 5: Continue The Process On The Remaining Three Sides Of The Damaged Area

Continue the process, always cutting through the flooring and scrap at the same time, on the remaining three sides of the damaged area. The damaged portion can be pulled out of the floor or scraped away from the scrap after the cuts are finished. The portion from the scrap that is cut should perfectly fit the flooring hole.

Step 6: Finish The Repairing Process

Clean up any dust from the floor's surface where the damaged piece was removed, apply vinyl flooring cement inside the hole, push the patch into place, then roll the entire thing with a wood roller to finish the repair. Use a flooring sealant similar to that used to adhere the seams in sheet flooring to the patched area's edges to further enhance its professional appearance. The type of flooring must be compatible with the sealer, which flooring retailers sell in tubes. If you're unsure whether a sealer will work well with the damaged flooring, tape a few scraps to a board and test the sealer to see if you can make a clean joint.