Floor Repair Tips for your Milwaukee Bungalow or Contemporary Home on Pewaukee Lake

Repairing trouble spots can make your old floor look new. Here are some floor repair tips for 3 different types of flooring found in most Wisconsin homes.

Hardwood Floors - Repairing Scratches

Unfinished Wood: Dip a white abrasive pad (1200 grit) in pure lemon oil or paste wax. Gently rub the scratches, going with the grain. Polish with a soft cloth.

Polyurethane Finish: Sand the scratches by hand with 150 to 180 grit sandpaper. Vacuum up all the dust and then touch the area up with a new coat of polyurethane finish (use the same brand that was originally applied).

Ceramic Tiles - Replacing Damaged Tiles

1. Put on your safety goggles and work gloves.
2. Strike the center of the tile with a chisel and hammer. Clear away the loose pieces and pry up any remaining tile by tapping the chisel beneath each fragment.
3. Using a paint scraper and sand paper, scrape away the old tile adhesive.
4. Drop in the replacement tile (before applying any new adhesive) to make sure it fits.
5. Coat the back of the new tile with ceramic tile adhesive or thin-set mortar. Set it into the floor space and center it with toothpicks. Let the mortar or adhesive dry overnight.
6. Remove the toothpicks.
7. Fill the cracks with grout.
   

Vinyl Tile Repair - Replacing Broken or Peeling Tiles

1. Place a cloth over the tile and warm it with an iron on medium heat. This will soften the adhesive.
2. Get a wide-blade putty knife and pry up the tile.
3. Scrape up the remaining adhesive. Lightly sand the subfloor and vacuum up any leftover debris.
4. Set the new tile in, dry, to see if it fits. If it is slightly large, rub the edges with 120-grit sandpaper, even shaving all four sides.
5. Get a notched trowel and spread fresh adhesive on the subfloor. Press in the new tile and keep it down with books, weights, bricks, etc. for at least 6 hours.
   

While simple floor repair is certainly manageable for anyone who is moderately "handy", the simplest solution is to call Milwaukee Handyman at 262.439.8620. Our handymen have made these floor repairs many times and know exactly how to handle your wood, ceramic, vinyl or other floor repair job.