Wood floors are one of the most durable flooring products you can install in a home. But even the most durable product can get damaged once in awhile. Deep gouges can be sanded out and filled when you are going to refinish the whole floor. But what happens if you do not want to refinish the whole floor, and just want to repair a board or two?

Repairing a section of a finished wood floor that is interlocked with tongue and groove joints is a job that requires patience and some skill. There are a few techniques to remember if you want to get a professional looking repair. If several boards are damaged, take the time to weave in new boards, as opposed to cutting a straight line and making the patch. Random joints are much more appealing than straight line joints.

New tongue and groove flooring can be expensive , and it may not match the old flooring in appearance. New flooring strips also have to be sanded and stained to match the existing floor. A solution to this can be found in your own home. Most homes with wood flooring also have it installed in all the closets. If your patch is small enough, there should be ample flooring in the closets to do your repair, and the finish and style of the flooring will match your existing. You can patch the closet flooring in with any material and not worry about a perfect match.

Tools & Materials

• Square
• Circular Saw
• Chisel
• Hammer
• Pry Bar
• Wood Block
• Construction Adhesive
• Wood Putty

STEPS

1) Using a circular saw, set the depth slightly deeper than the thickness of your floorboards, and make two cuts through center of the board. Cut as far as possible to the next board without piercing adjacent flooring. Pry out cut piece with a chisel. Pry out remaining section of board, making sure not to damage adjacent boards.

2) Pull out all old nails in subfloor. Use a nail set to sink in any nails in existing floor, or nails that are difficult to remove. Cut out any rosin paper that is on the subfloor.

3) Cut the replacement boards to fit. If you are replacing more than one board, make sure joints are offset at least 2 inches. Test-fit the replacement boards. If you are replacing more than one board, apply construction adhesive to the bottom face and in the groove of the board and slip the groove of each new piece into the tongue on the adjacent board and tap into place. Drill pilot holes and angle-nail each piece into place using the spiral nails, every 12 inches before installing the next piece.

4) To install the last board, chisel off the lower lip of the groove. Also remove the tongue on the end of the board if needed. Apply adhesive to the subfloor, tongue and half-groove of replacement piece, then tap into place using, installing tongue side first. Use a block of wood to protect the flooring surface as you tap. Drill pilot holes every 12 inches along the groove side of board and install spiral nails, Fill nail hole with color putty to match

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