Help with Vinyl Plank flooring

[akthor]

So I'm replacing the floor in the house with vinyl plank flooring. Did 1/2 the living room then a few days later after it was dry I had a the wife help me move the couch. Its heavy with an electric recliner on each end.

We set it down I go to do something else and she decides to push it another 2 feet. Scratching across the fake wood grain making very noticeable scratches. I was like WTF!!!

So anyone have any tips on scratch repair? Besides replacing planks?

 

[IslandLizard]

Ouch!

Not much you can do, whether it is vinyl planks, wood, or linoleum. Deep scratches and gouges are impossible to repair invisibly. At least you still have planks of the same (color) lot, and can get some more if needed.

I would first put good floor protectors underneath every piece of furniture that can possibly be moved. I've used simple fabric felt cut to size and a dab of glue, several layers if needed.
Then take a deep breath and replace those scratched boards. You may need to re-lay most or even the whole floor if there's critical pattern matching involved, so you don't get a bunch of odd looking boards in one area.

Good luck!

 

[Homercidal]

Maybe the best you can do is carefully paint the scratched area to match. It would be a challenge.

Laminate flooring has changed quite a bit since we first laid it out in our kitchen. We bought a decent grade of Wilson brand and used waterproof glue (because kitchen and over a wet basement) It's held up pretty good for the conditions. When we bought this the dealer ran over a socket with a forklift and it barely dented the stuff.

Couple of years ago I put some cheap stuff in my computer/hobby room. You could barely do anything to it without it marring. Also, low amounts of moisture started swelling the joints immediately. There is a definite difference in quality between brands and prices.

 

[IslandLizard]

+1^

When Pergo came out with that stuff, I saw a flooring dealer do crazy things with it to prove it was nearly indestructable. Banging it with a hammer, scouring sand over it, even put a blowtorch on it, leaving no marks whatsoever. The stuff was tough and hard as a rock. I just didn't care for the look, the feel, and the price at the time, so never went for it. I love wood!

Over the years I've seen installations of "laminate flooring" anywhere from looking super great to sheer awful, el cheapo, DIY-core. I'm sure there are large differences in quality, and as usual, not always justified by price. I have it in one of my bathrooms, came with the house, and it's working OK there. It's not the old tough stuff, though.