Repair Vinyl Flooring in 3 Steps – How It Works

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A vinyl floor is a fine thing. The resilient and waterproof surface of design/vinyl floors withstands many stresses but unfortunately is not completely indestructible. Installation errors, moisture under the vinyl floors, or damage from sharp furniture feet, pebbles in shoe soles, or long-term use are not excluded. While extensive damage to vinyl floors often can only be repaired with a complete replacement, minor damage can be repaired in three simple steps. We show you how the project "repair vinyl flooring" can succeed.

Step 1: Define the damage

If something is wrong with your vinyl floor, you must first identify the damage relatively precisely. The most common damages are bumps in the vinyl covering, holes or cracks, and loose corners and edges. There are also surface wear marks like scratches or deeper grooves.

At this point, we can definitely say: All these unsightly damages to your valuable vinyl floor can be repaired with relatively little effort. And you don't even need a professional for it.

Depending on the type of damage, you can quickly and safely repair it yourself. How this works is shown in step 2.

Step 2: Assess the repair effort

If the entire vinyl floor is visibly damaged over large areas, you should replace it entirely. A partial repair often makes little sense in most cases and can require a lot of work. To lay a new vinyl floor, you need to completely clear the room, remove the old vinyl floor completely, and install a new vinyl floor. This can involve a floating installation of vinyl click planks or a fully glued vinyl floor with individual planks laid with special adhesive.

However, a repair of damaged areas in the vinyl floor is often also possible. The effort must be assessed relatively precisely for this. For superficial damage such as scratches and light grooves, treatment with home remedies is often sufficient. Sometimes, simple repairs with suitable materials and tools can also be a good solution.

For holes in the vinyl, it is advisable to replace the affected area with an identical one, of the same material, colour, and/or pattern. There are several ways to do this, which we will gladly introduce to you here. It is important that you still have the same vinyl floor in stock or can buy it in stores.

There are also good ways to almost seamlessly remove dents or cracks in the vinyl. You can learn more about this here.

Step 3: Repair vinyl flooring

Here we look at the types of damage and the possibilities for repair in more detail. We also follow the sequence of damage definition, repair effort assessment, and repair execution.

Dents in the vinyl flooring

Dents and bumps in the vinyl flooring have different causes. Often, these are due to faulty installation or an undetected water damage. If dents or bumps appear in a fully glued vinyl floor, the adhesive has often come loose. Sometimes it helps to warm the affected area well with a hairdryer and then re-establish the adhesive with a rolling pin and a lot of pressure. If that is not enough, cut out the affected plank or tile with a steel ruler and a sharp utility knife. Then completely remove the old adhesive and re-glue the plank or tile with the appropriate vinyl adhesive. Apply the synthetic adhesive fully on the floor, groove the adhesive with a 3 mm notched trowel, and press the plank or tile firmly. Remove any excess adhesive immediately with a spatula and a cloth. After the drying time, the repair area should be hardly noticeable.

If there is moisture at the affected area due to water damage, the floor must be completely dry after removing the plank or tile. The cause of the water damage may need to be found and rectified. Only then can the cut-out plank or tile be re-glued.

For click vinyl, it is advisable to gradually remove the entire surface up to the dent or bump. Then insert a new click plank at the damaged area and re-lay the floor fully. Make sure that there are no tensions between the individual planks or tiles, especially at the ends against the wall, and that the expansion joints are maintained.

Loose corners or edges

Loose corners or edges can be repaired in a similar manner. For fully glued floors, re-glue the damaged areas. For click vinyl, replace the damaged planks or tiles with new ones. Make sure to install them tension-free while maintaining the recommended expansion joints.

Scratches on the surface

Scratches on vinyl floors can be repaired relatively easily. For light scratches, sometimes polishing the entire surface with cooking oil or a vinyl floor sealer is sufficient. For deeper scratches up to gouges, special repair kits can also be used. These consist of either liquid plastic, plastic pastes, or repair pens that are colour-matched to the respective vinyl floor. The correct application is indicated in the manufacturer's processing instructions.

Repair holes in the vinyl floor

If there are holes in vinyl floors, they can be repaired in various ways. Small holes can be treated similarly to scratches in the vinyl floor. Simply fill the small holes with the appropriate material and smooth out any excess material with a plastic spatula. Then clean the repair area around the edges with a cloth and let the material harden.

For larger holes, it may be advisable to punch out the damaged area with a round punch and replace it with a glued patch. This patch is punched out of a leftover piece of the installed laminate floor and glued to the damaged area.

It may also be advisable to replace the entire plank or tile if you have a replacement plank or tile available or can buy one. Then completely cut out the damaged plank or tile and glue the replacement fully. For click vinyl, replace the damaged area by dismantling the floor up to the damaged area, replacing the damaged plank or tile, and then reinstalling the rest of the dismantled floor.

Cracks in the vinyl floor

Cracks in the fully glued vinyl floor can sometimes be closed by re-gluing. However, it is better in most cases to replace the corresponding plank or tile completely with a new plank or tile.

Conclusion

Damaged vinyl floors can usually be professionally repaired with relatively little effort. By properly using tools and materials, you can achieve results that sustainably and almost invisibly repair the damage. To do this, always follow the order of damage definition, assessment of repair options, and professional execution of the repair. This way, you will achieve convincing results with the desired effect using the appropriate tools and materials.

Experience the best service with planeo - because you need it!

No matter what challenges you face with your project, planeo provides you with the right solution. Benefit from the advantages of our services:

• Free samples⁴ for many of our products: Order up to 7 samples at no cost, for instance, of our vinyl floors, click vinyl, adhesive vinyl, or rigid vinyl.
• Express delivery² - for urgent projects and quick decisions.
• Expert advice¹ - We offer professional consultation through our contact page or answer your questions directly in the comments.

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