How to Restore My Laminate Floors to Look New Again

Laminate floors have a tendency to look faded and dingy over time. Every time you walk across the floors, you risk leaving behind dirt and debris from your shoes and also scuffing the floors. Damage can even occur when you use the wrong products to clean the floors, such as a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar. Restoring the laminate floors correctly erases those years of damage and makes the floors look new again.

Spray the laminate floors with a non-abrasive cleaner that lacks acids and has a neutral base. Wipe the floors down with a soft cloth and inspect any damage you have. Locate any scuffs or scratches that need repairing.

Rub fine-grit sandpaper lightly over the surface of the damaged area, including any scuffs or scratches on your laminate flooring. This roughens up the laminate's surface, which helps the paint adhere to the surface. It also shows you exactly where to apply the primer.

Pour the primer from the laminate refinishing kit into a paint tray. This primer is specially formulated to work with laminate and it provides a solid base for the paint. Apply an even coating of the primer to the damaged areas of the floors, using the paint roller. Let the primer dry completely before continuing.

Rinse out the paint tray and then dry it completely. Pour the paint from the laminate refinishing kit into the tray. Use a fresh paint roller or rinse and dry your roller and use it to apply a thin and even coating of the paint to the laminate floor. This paint is specially designed to even itself out, without leaving behind brush marks.

Clean your laminate floors with the non-abrasive cleaner and a soft cloth or terry-cloth mop that won't scratch the floor, but only after the paint completely dries. For high-gloss floors or shiny laminate, mop with glass cleaner, which leaves behind a nice shine.