HARDWOOD FLOORING FIX

EASY STEPS TO REPLACE THAT ONE BAD BOARD

- JAY CORK

Repairing tongue-and-groove floorboards is easy with the right tools and a little know-how. Many common problems can be fixed in a day to make your floor look like new again.

Over the years, I've seen my share of damaged hardwood floors. Sometimes the flaw can be repaired with wood putty and a quick touch-up-other times surgery is required. Here are some tips to help you repair your own flooring trouble spots.

1 TAPE THE BOUNDARY

Inspect the damaged flooring plank and decide how much length to remove. Stagger the ends of the repair about 5 in. from the butt joints of the adjacent floorboards. Place masking tape to define the boundary, using the replacement board as a guide.

2 DRILL RELIEF HOLES 

Drill three 1/2-in. holes close each end of the board you're removing. Don't try to get the holes perfectly on the butt joint-about 1/8 in. away is fine.

3 CHISEL THE BUTT JOINT 

With a sharp chisel, clean up between the holes and the end of the repair. First, make a vertical cut to cleanly sever the wood fibers, then come in at a slight angle to remove waste. Repeat this process until you reach the subfloor.

4 MAKE RELIEF CUTS