If you’ve got a dent in your flooring, it doesn’t mean the floor is ruined. Vinyl dents easily, but with a little know-how and elbow grease, you can get that dent out. There are several ways to fix dents in vinyl flooring, but the first step is figuring out if the dent is shallow or not. If the dent isn’t too deep, you can probably pop it back out with ease. However, if the dent isn’t shallow and has gone past the vinyl surface layer into the backing of the flooring, then it will be more difficult to repair. This article will explore various methods for repairing dents in vinyl flooring, focusing on whichever one best suits your individual situation.
How to Fix Dents in Vinyl Flooring
When a flooring dent goes untreated, it can leave a permanent crease in the flooring. The best way to fix dents in vinyl flooring is to get them out as soon as possible before they have a chance to settle in. The first step in fixing dents in vinyl flooring is determining whether or not the dent is shallow or not. If you can press the dent out with your fingers, the vinyl is still intact and the dent can be easily fixed. If the dent is too deep and has gone past the vinyl surface layer into the backing of the flooring, it will be more difficult to repair. The best way to fix a deep dent in vinyl flooring is to use a repair kit. These kits are designed to go into deep dents and lift the flooring back up to its original position. This article will explore various methods for repairing dents in vinyl flooring, focusing on whichever one best suits your individual situation.
How to Find Out if the Dent Is Shallow or Not
The first step in fixing dents in vinyl flooring is to find out if they are shallow or not. To do this, you will need to use a sharp, pointed item like a screwdriver or an awl. Push the point of the tool into the vinyl near the dent. If the vinyl is still intact, the point of the tool should be able to pop back out by itself. If it takes a lot of pressure for the point to pop back out, the vinyl is damaged and you will need to repair it. If the dent is shallow and you are having difficulty popping it out, try spraying some water on the flooring around the dent. The water will cause the vinyl to expand and you will be able to pop the dent out much more easily.
Shallow Dents
With shallow dents, you should be able to completely repair the dent with your fingers. The key to fixing shallow dents in vinyl flooring is to “work the dent out” of the flooring. Start by pressing down on the dent with your fingers. Next, use your body weight to press down on the surrounding area with your hands. You can also stand on a small hard surface like a book and press down on the dent with the surface. If the dent feels like it is coming out, continue pressing on it. Sometimes it can take several minutes for a shallow dent to pop out. Once the dent is out, you can use a vinyl repair marker to cover the area up where the dent was. If the marker isn’t available, you can use a black marker or a small piece of black duct tape to cover it up.
Medium Dents
If the dent is only slightly past the surface of the vinyl, you can try to fill the dent with strips of vinyl first. If you can’t find the right size of vinyl to fit the dent, you can use strips of duct tape. Simply take a strip of duct tape and press it over the dent. Use your fingers to apply enough pressure to get as much of the dent out as possible. Now use a straight edge to press the tape down into the flooring and smooth it out. When the tape dries, it will leave a straight edge that blends in with the rest of the flooring. If you can find water-based vinyl cement, you can use that to repair the dent instead of strips of duct tape. Cut a piece of vinyl to fit the size of the dent, then cover the area with a piece of paper. Take the vinyl cement and put a small amount on the paper and the inside of the vinyl. Make sure the paper doesn’t extend past the edge of the vinyl. Put the two pieces together and use your fingers to smooth the vinyl out. You can also use a hard surface like a book to press the vinyl down. Let the vinyl cement dry completely before walking on it.
Deep Dents
If the dent is too deep to fill with strips of vinyl, you will need to use a vinyl repair kit. The first step in fixing dents in vinyl flooring with a repair kit is to use a sharp object to poke holes around the dent. Make sure you poke the holes straight down and go all the way through the flooring. Next, take the repair kit and put a generous amount of glue on the “glue roller” section of the repair kit. Place the glue roller over the holes that you poked in the flooring. Hold the roller over the holes for about 10 seconds. Next, put a strip of glue on the “glue pad” of the repair kit. Put the pad against the flooring and press it down to get the glue out. Once the glue is out, let it sit for about 30 seconds. Place the dent lifter over the glue pad and press it down with your hand. Let go of the dent lifter and pull the pad up. Let the lifter sit for about 15 minutes before walking on the flooring.
Repairing Shallow Dents with Nicking and Scraping
If the dents are too shallow to be repaired with vinyl cement, you can use nicking and scraping to repair them. This is a good method to use if the dents are small and don’t go all the way through the flooring. Take a sharp knife, like a utility knife or box knife, and lightly nick the surface of the flooring. Make sure you nick the vinyl, not the backing. The nicks should be about a half-inch long and about one-eighth of an inch deep. Now take the corner of a piece of sandpaper and scrape along the nicked area. Repeat this process on all the dents in the flooring until they are gone.
Medium Dents with Filling and Taping
If the dents are deeper than a simple nick and scrape can fix, you can use a filler to repair them. You will need to find a filler that is compatible with vinyl. Once you find the right filler, follow these steps to repair the dents: Take a putty knife or the end of a screwdriver and scoop out a small amount of vinyl filler. Make sure you don’t take too much. You only need enough to fill the dent. Put the filler on a piece of plastic and press it down to form a long, rectangular shape. Take a piece of duct tape and place it along the edge of the filling. Now, place the filling on top of the dent. Place it so that the tape is along one side of the filling. Use your hands to apply pressure to the filling and dent. Now, pull back the tape and look at the filling. If it is flat against the vinyl, you can go ahead and use the tape to cover it up. If it is not flat, take the filling out and start the process over again until it is flat. Put the tape over the filling to repair the dent.
Deep Dents with Repair Kits
If the dent is deeper than the vinyl surface layer, you’ll need to find a way to fix it without popping it back out. This can be a bit tricky, but it is doable. The first thing you’ll want to do is remove as much of the dent as you can using a hardwood floor hammer. After you’ve removed as much of the dent as possible, the next step is to fill the rest of it with a vinyl flooring repair kit. The kits are made specifically for fixing dents in vinyl flooring, so you’ll want to make sure you get a kit designed for your specific type of flooring. Once you’ve filled the dent, leave it alone for a few hours or even a day or two. You want the filler to dry and harden properly before you attempt to walk on it. Once the filler has hardened, you can go over the area with a sandpaper to smooth out the surface and remove any excess filler. You can then re-stain the area if needed.
Conclusion
As long as you determine how deep the dent is and use the best method for your situation, you should be able to repair dents in vinyl flooring fairly easily. If you have stubborn dents, you can try using a professional floor restoration kit such as the Trewax Heavy Duty Vinyl Floor Restorer. Remember, vinyl flooring is relatively easy to damage, so you should take care to avoid damaging it in the first place.