How can we fix the damage caused by painters tape on our hardwood floors without refinishing them completely, considering the possibility of mixed water and oil based products used by previous owners?
Asked by Annelore Brill 
4 months ago
Last Updated: July 26, 2024
We used painter’s tape to protect our floors during a renovation, but it seems to have removed the top coat of our hardwood floors. Do you think we can spot treat this, or will it be too noticeable? Or do we need to refinish the floors completely? It’s happening in multiple rooms and we’re unsure what to do. Sherwin Williams mentioned that the previous owners may have used a mix of water and oil based products. Any ideas on how to fix this? The floors haven’t been refinished in a while and look quite worn in some areas, so they weren’t freshly redone before our renovation. Appreciate any advice you can offer!
Maybe start by touching up those areas. And if that doesn’t do the trick, consider refinishing.
Remember, never tape directly to a floor surface. It’s always better to tape to the baseboard.
Definitely use the tape, but make sure it is the delicate surface tape that is pinkish in color. Remove it as soon as possible. If you need to repair, you could attempt to spot finish, but you will likely need to sand the floor.
I recommend getting a lambswool applicator and cutting it for multiple uses. Dampen it with polyurethane, make a single pass, and avoid going back over it. Let it dry.
Painter’s tape is not really meant for long-term use, which is unfortunate. Hopefully, it will come off easily.
Oh yeah, I remember this happening years ago when I was working on finish carpentry. I didn’t put the tape down, thankfully. The floor had to be refinished from what I recall. I’d go with the suggestions mentioned above in this situation. It’s worth a try, worst case you’ll have to refinish.
You could give it a shot by lightly applying a top coat of finish and then buffing to see if it blends. Worst case scenario, you might have to sand and redo the whole thing.
Before trying to fix the finish, I recommend buffing the areas near the tape marks and the marks themselves. It’s better to prioritize caution and safety over risking irreversible errors when dealing with chemical solutions.
If the previous owner didn’t sand properly between coats of polyurethane, then the coats won’t stick properly.
That statement holds only if you wait too long before applying the next coat.
So, if you apply the next coat soon after, are you saying there’s no need to sand or buff in between?
Hey, typically finishes don’t require sanding or buffing between coats if you apply them within 8-10 hours.
According to the manufacturer’s instructions on the can, yes. Make sure to recoat before the last layer is completely dry for a better bond.
Which do you like better, oil-based or water-based?
Just a tip from a hardwood flooring pro – never, ever tape anything to the floors. The tape can react with the finish and leave lines on it, as you found out.
Hey , do you have any suggestions on how to protect the floor during renovation?
– try using Ramboard or similar products to protect it. Just lay it down loosely and tape the seams together. If you need to tape it to the floor, only do so at the very front edges where the base will be placed.
Builder board is made of sturdy cardboard. You can easily tape rows of builder board together without having to secure it to the floor.
Created by layering and taping paper together.
You can fold a screen (process between poly coats) and gently rub it over the marks to create a layer that can support a new top coat.
I make sure to never tape anything to a finished surface for more than a few hours as a professional. Once, delicate surface tape damaged hardwood floors, teaching me a lesson.
Did you happen to apply any coatings or wax that the tape may have removed?
You can easily rent a buffer from Homedepot to blend it in perfectly.
Hello there, I’m a specialist at Majer Flooring & Interiors. It can be tricky to seamlessly blend it in. If there are numerous marks, I would lightly sand the entire floor with a 120/180 grit mesh screen, vacuum, and then wipe it down with a tack rag. Finally, apply another coat of a high-quality floor finish like Bona, DuraSeal, or something similar.
Hey there, I work with flooring and there’s a good chance that the last coat didn’t stick properly. It shouldn’t peel even with painters tape. It’s possible that when they recotes the floors, the original flooring got contaminated. The new coat of poly didn’t stick. Or like someone mentioned before, they didn’t sand between coats before the final coat. This can cause the finish to just sit on top and not bond properly. If whoever put down the paper used something strong like duct tape, then yes, the finish would peel regardless of how well it was bonded to the flooring. There’s no need to refinish, the best option right now would be to just add another coat of finish. Have a professional check if it’s water or oil based. With a good buffing, they can sand those marks off and add a new coat. Your floors will look like new again. If you want to do it yourself, sand just the planks affected, use blue tape around them, and use a lambwool or top-quality brush. The shine might vary, but with time and traffic, it’ll settle and blend in.
I had to do the same thing here. Figure out your finish and sheen, tape off the planks, sand with 220 grit paper, and apply your finish with a lambwood or fine brush. The sheen may be new and noticeable at first, but it will blend in with time and use.
Hey, at least the marks aren’t BLUE! I accidentally left mine on for too long on recently finished floors and ended up having to sand and repoly the area by hand. It wasn’t perfect, but it was acceptable (since it was a low luster finish). Maybe it would have been more noticeable with a high gloss. Good luck!