Vinyl plank flooring is a very popular choice in many homes. It is also a choice that sometimes comes with problems.
To repair vinyl plank flooring, the easiest method is to replace the piece that is damaged. You will have to cut the edges with a sharp utility knife to free the board and open up the space where the new piece will be inserted. At that point, you can trim off the tongue and groove and put the new piece in place by gluing it down.
Vinyl plank floor is popular for a variety of different reasons. It is relatively inexpensive and easy to install. Most homeowners are able to put down the vinyl plank flooring in a matter of hours.
That being said, it is also a floor that may mimic a lot of other types of floors, but it doesn’t necessarily have the strength of those floors. That is why it is such a beautiful choice for many homeowners.
After all, you can have different types of floors, such as stone, tile, hardwood, or even some unusual types of floors but in reality, it is all vinyl. The technology involved with vinyl in our modern age makes it look almost indistinguishable from the reality.
That may be true, but there are also many problems that can occur with a vinyl floor that need to be addressed. These can include issues such as cracking, cutting, chipping, and denting.
There may also be times when the flooring starts to peel up and this can be more than something that is aesthetically unpleasing, it can also be a safety hazard.
Fortunately, there are methods to fix vinyl plank flooring and you will see them listed for you below. Each of these methods can be used to fix the problem and if you take your time, you will have a hard time discerning that there was ever a problem in the first place.
How To Repair Vinyl Plank
When you purchase your vinyl plank flooring, that is the time to begin addressing issues that you may face in the future. More than likely, you have heard that you should buy at least 10% more than what you need for the room.
That 10% overage is not because you are likely to damage that much floor in the installation process, it is because you may need floor at some point in the future. Fortunately, vinyl plank flooring is relatively inexpensive so buying 10% more is not going to put a big dent in your budget.
You will also like knowing that vinyl plank flooring is relatively thin and easy to store. You can put it on the top shelf of your closet or store it in the attic. In either case, it can be ready to fix any issues with the existing floor in a matter of a day or two.
The reason why it may take some time before you are ready to do the repair is that it is necessary to acclimate the floor to the room. This is a process that you are likely familiar with because you acclimated the floor to its new surroundings before you installed it.
If there is one problem that vinyl plank flooring has, it’s the fact that it does expand and contract considerably. If you don’t acclimate the floor before you put it in, you can end up with separation or perhaps even buckling.
That was true when you installed the floor initially but in this case, it is also true when you are replacing a single piece of vinyl plank flooring. If it isn’t acclimated, it is going to cause problems.
The other factor to consider is the amount of time that it takes to repair any vinyl plank flooring. This isn’t a job that should be rushed, you should take your time and make it as seamless as possible.
In most cases, you will find that you have to trim out a piece of the floor with a very sharp utility knife. The tongue and groove in the floor will easily cut and once you have that piece free, you can lift it out of place.
Something similar is going to need to be done on the new plank that is being put into place. You will need to carefully shave off the tongue and groove but at the same time, you don’t want to damage the floor on the edge. It needs to fit seamlessly down into the space where the old piece was removed.
It is impossible to make the floor like the rest of the room, where it is floating. The only way to do so is by working your way back across the room and pulling up the floor one plank at a time. Most homeowners are not going to want to go through the time and trouble of doing so.
Since you have to glue the new plank in place, it will not shift like the rest of the floor. More than likely, however, the floor will shift around it without any serious problems such as buckling or gapping.
How To Repair Vinyl Plank Crack
Do you have a crack in your vinyl plank floor? It is something that can be fixed with a little time and patience.
The most important process that is sometimes skipped is to clean the floor before you repair the vinyl plank. This should be done because you don’t want any debris to get under the new plank that is put into place. You may also find that it is possible that you don’t need a new plank, depending upon the severity of the crack.
Generally speaking, you would determine what method you use, depending upon the crack in the plank and how big of a problem it is. A small crack can often be filled and stained. A larger crack will need to be removed and replaced.
To repair and stain the plank, it is important to clean the floor thoroughly. You can mop the floor with a wet sponge that is barely damp. Try to get as much debris out of the crack as possible before you begin the process.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on December 25, 2021.
The second step in the process is to apply the caulking. Clear silicone caulking or an acrylic caulk is the best choice, but it must be clear because you don’t want to take the color of the stain.
If the gap in the plank is substantial, you may have to use some painters tape on the bottom to give it something to hold onto with both sides.
At this point, you can press the caulk down with a putty knife and it would fill the crack completely. Any excess caulking should be scraped off and removed before it has an opportunity to fully dry.
In addition, you can use your barely damp rag to wipe down the caulking and ensure that it is not overlapping onto the existing floor. You only want to work in the crack of the plank, you don’t want to work on the floor itself.
Allow plenty of time for the caulk to dry and then mix up your stain or filler. Try to get it as close to the tone of the floor as possible. This may take a little bit of work and may need to work with some scraps in order to get things just right.
After staining the caulk, allow it to dry completely. Do not allow any foot traffic on the floor for at least 24 hours to allow both the stain and the caulking to fully dry.
How To Repair Vinyl Plank Cut
If you have a crack in your vinyl floor, it may be possible to repair it without actually removing a piece of the flooring.
The easiest way to repair a crack in the vinyl floor is to remove a piece of the surface and to replace it with some from a scrap piece. You need to make sure that everything lines up perfectly, so you will have to work with a sharp utility knife and take your time. If it lines up just right, you will not even be able to see the seam.
Patching vinyl flooring is not something that is easy to do, but if you have a steady hand and at least a little bit of DIY expertise, you can get it done. It starts by cutting a piece of the floor around the place that has cracked.
You want to get a piece of the floor that is big enough that you are covering the entire crack. It may be necessary for you to go beyond the crack by an inch or so but you don’t want to travel from one plank to another if at all possible.
Find a scrap piece that matches up perfectly with the piece that is cracked. You can then cut a triangular-shaped piece out of the scrap piece and remove just the finished laminate.
It isn’t necessary to take too much of the flooring from the scrap piece. You just want to take the laminate because that is what is going to be placed into the hole you cut next.
Secondly, align the piece that you cut from the scrap piece with the floor that is cut perfectly. You need to hold it in place without allowing it to move even a millimeter.
Using a very sharp utility knife and being cautious not to cut your fingers, work your way around the edge of the cut piece. Be as precise as possible because any overage is going to show.
After you have the entire triangle cut out of the piece on the floor, you can remove the laminate from the top. If the cut is deeper than the laminate, you will have to fill it with caulking.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on December 25, 2021.
Put some glue in the area and then place the triangle shaped piece that was cut from the scrap piece of flooring into position. Use a roller to completely flatten the piece and adhere it to the plank on the floor.
Use a damp cloth to wipe up any glue that may have come out from under the edges. If you did things just right, you will not even be able to see the piece that you put in place.
How To Repair Vinyl Plank Chipped
If you have a vinyl plank that is chipped, you may be able to fix it. It will take a steady hand, but it is well worth the effort.
If you only have small chips in the vinyl plank flooring, you may be able to fix it with a wax stick. You need to find a wax stick that is very close to the color of the floor where the chip exists. Spread the wax in the area and then use a clean cloth to buff it so that the finish is as smooth as possible.
This is going to be an excellent solution if you only have small chips and it is not in a highly trafficked area. If it is in a well-traveled area or if the chips are larger, you may need to go with a more complex type of repair.
For the most part, however, you will be happy with the wax and the small chips because they will blend in nicely and it will stay for a very long time.
The way to repair a cracked vinyl tile is to remove the laminate at the top of the tile and make sure that you encompass the entire crack.
In most cases, the crack will not travel from one tile to another so it may just be a matter of removing the laminate from the top of the board with an inch overage on either side.
If the chip is deep, you will have to fill it in with caulking or you can use the wax from the wax candle that you used for the smaller cracks. In either case, it has to be filled in and dried before you make the final repair.
You need to cut a piece of laminate that is exactly the same size from a piece of scrap flooring. The issue is, you need to match it up precisely.
This is easier done if you cut the piece from the scrap flooring first and then put it in place over the plank on the floor. Cut the edges with a very sharp utility knife, being cautious that you don’t move the piece at all and that you don’t cut your fingers.
After you have the laminate removed from the floor, you can put the new piece in place by gluing it down and using a roller to firmly adhere it.
Make sure that you wipe up any glue that came out from under the edges and if you did things right, you won’t even see the crack.
How To Repair A Dent In Vinyl Plank Flooring
Do you have a dent in a vinyl floor? You might be surprised by how easy it is to fix.
To remove a dent from a vinyl plank floor you will need a heat gun or a hairdryer along with a putty knife. The method is to heat the floor but you don’t want to heat it to the point where you are burning it. After you heat it, it will become pliable and you can use the edge of a putty knife to slowly go back and forth over it until the dent pops out.
Have you ever seen somebody fix the dent in a bumper? Bumpers are often made from a vinyl-like material and it is a very similar process. When you heat the vinyl, it wants to go back into its original position.
As far as your flooring is concerned, the original position is for it to be flat and level. A dent may happen if something is dropped on it but the dent does not want to be there.
You would be surprised with how quickly a dent will come out of a vinyl floor if you just get it warm enough and then gently work it with the edge of a scraper.
You need to be cautious that you don’t cut the floor in the process because it will be a little soft. Just continue to gently scrape the edge of the scraper back and forth across the floor without putting any undue pressure on it.
Within a few seconds, you will see that the dent is beginning to disappear. As you continue to carefully work with it, it will eventually come out altogether.
This is a process that should not be rushed, especially since you are heating the floor. Take your time and work with it carefully, being cautious not to burn the floor and the dent will disappear like magic.
How To Repair Vinyl Plank Flooring That Is Peeling Up
Is the finish on your vinyl plank floor peeling up? It can be fixed easily.
Start by carefully cleaning the floor without removing any of the finish that has already peeled up. You want to get it cleaned so that no dirt or debris is under the finish as you put it back in place. You can then put some aluminum foil over the spot, perhaps using a bit of additional adhesive and then heating the floor. Use a roller to put the finish back in place.
This is a process that only works if you are doing it with a floor that has not been severely damaged. If the floor has been damaged, you will need to replace the vinyl planks with new planks.
It is also a good idea to determine why the problem happened in the first place. You should not have an issue with flooring that is peeling up, so check to see if it is a problem with your cleaner or another issue that is causing it.
The easiest way to repair vinyl plank flooring is to replace the piece that has become damaged. You can carefully cut along the edges with a sharp knife and remove the old piece. Trim off the tongue and groove of the new piece and put it in place.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on December 25, 2021.