Chip in stairs in hardwood floor

[nehabhardwaj]

Hello Experts,

I have hardwood floor on my stairs. Something fell on the stairs which caused it to chip from the corner. We got wood putty and filled the crack but it still stands out. Can you advise what we should apply that can help it to blend in the stairs better?

I am attaching pics of the crack as well as the stairs after the wood putty.

Thanks a lot for your help.

Regards,
Neha

The crack before the putty -

IMG_20210711_143334.jpgIMG_20210711_143338.jpgIMG-20210711-WA0050.jpg

The crack after the wood putty -

IMG_20210712_124218.jpg

[havabeer69]

get a better colour matched putty, normally darker is better then lighter.

other option would be to just ever so slightly sand the edges of the chip so its smooth and re-coat.

[BobL]

One problem with matching with any putty with that wood, is the wood is streaked whereas the putty is uniform so it will never look right if just putty is used.

If you watch the ABC Repair Shop program there is a woman on there that repairs ceramics and the processes she uses to match colours is what needs to be done.
This involves small paint brushes and painting streaks on a light background such as you already have. It takes a bit of practice but its not impossible.

SWMBO taught herself how to do this and it's amazing how invisible it becomes.
This was one of her first jobs. Every second step on these stairs had 3 x 10c size holes in a triangle pattern on the tiles closest to the bannisters that supported the posts for an travelator chair.
It took her about many hours to do the whole set of stairs

Stairs.JPG

[nehabhardwaj]

get a better colour matched putty, normally darker is better then lighter.

other option would be to just ever so slightly sand the edges of the chip so its smooth and re-coat.

Thank you, but how do I remove the old putty, should I just sand it out?

[nehabhardwaj]

Thank you for your replies. I also saw a tape such as below -

Self-Adhesive Woodgrain Repair Tape Patch Wood Textured Furniture Repair Tape | eBay

Will this help in covering the putty? Would that be a good idea?

[Lappa]

I’d leave the patch there and use wood stain colour pens to colour the patch to match the wood. These are available from Bunnings. Start lighter and add “layers” to bring up to colour. You can even match darker grain flecks.

They available in a range of colours - link to one colour below.

Cabot'''s 10ml Walnut Brown Touch Up Pen - Bunnings Australia

If you stuff the colour up you can always dig out the wood filler snd start again. Try and avoid letting the touch up stain contacting the actual wood.

[BobL]

I’d leave the patch there and use wood stain colour pens to colour the patch to match the wood. These are available from Bunnings. Start lighter and add “layers” to bring up to colour. You can even match darker grain flecks. .

Maybe practice on a separate piece beforehand.

[nehabhardwaj]

I’d leave the patch there and use wood stain colour pens to colour the patch to match the wood. These are available from Bunnings. Start lighter and add “layers” to bring up to colour. You can even match darker grain flecks.

They available in a range of colours - link to one colour below.

Cabot'''s 10ml Walnut Brown Touch Up Pen - Bunnings Australia

If you stuff the colour up you can always dig out the wood filler snd start again. Try and avoid letting the touch up stain contacting the actual wood.

Thanks a lot, I will definitely try this

[nehabhardwaj]

Maybe practice on a separate piece beforehand.

thanks, makes sense

[rod1949]

Its probably going to be an ongoing problem including ware by general foot traffic. So maybe you should consider a type of stair tread front edge protection.

[nehabhardwaj]

Its probably going to be an ongoing problem including ware by general foot traffic. So maybe you should consider a type of stair tread front edge protection.

Thanks, that sounds like a good idea. But what I have seen on the internet do they cover the edges as well?

[Beardy]

I would run with Lappa’s suggestion. Leave the filler you have in and colour arch it the best you can

[ubeaut]

If it was a water based filler you could just use some good old fashion water colours from a childs' paint set (s0rta thing you probably had as a little tacker). Wouldn't be too hard to match the colour. and it can be wiped off or weakened with a damp cloth. You will need to put some finish on ot after to seal it into the putty.

Probably be able to get a cheap set from the $2 shop (Not that they sell too much for $2 any more.)

Good thing to have around. You'd be surprised what you can disguise, repair, cover up with one of these sets. I have made seamless repairs if old pottery, artistic wall plated etc.

The below Plaster Wall Plate/plaque was broken down30% of right side
and much of the original painted work had flaked off due to being left
in an old damp shed for some 50 years. All flaky paint was cleaned off
and redone with childs' water paint set. Then with a sprayed with gloss,
poly glaze over the top. I did it about 30 years ago and photographed it
on our kitchen wall at 11:50 tonight. The water paint set is cop from a
Pintrest page. The grandies took mine.

plate.jpg 63a04fa1ef2d0b75e73f4ec1e8f5e49c.jpg

Hope this is of some help. albeit a bit late.

[nehabhardwaj]

If it was a water based filler you could just use some good old fashion water colours from a childs' paint set (s0rta thing you probably had as a little tacker). Wouldn't be too hard to match the colour. and it can be wiped off or weakened with a damp cloth. You will need to put some finish on ot after to seal it into the putty.

Probably be able to get a cheap set from the $2 shop (Not that they sell too much for $2 any more.)

Good thing to have around. You'd be surprised what you can disguise, repair, cover up with one of these sets. I have made seamless repairs if old pottery, artistic wall plated etc.

The below Plaster Wall Plate/plaque was broken down30% of right side
and much of the original painted work had flaked off due to being left
in an old damp shed for some 50 years. All flaky paint was cleaned off
and redone with childs' water paint set. Then with a sprayed with gloss,
poly glaze over the top. I did it about 30 years ago and photographed it
on our kitchen wall at 11:50 tonight. The water paint set is cop from a
Pintrest page. The grandies took mine.

plate.jpg 63a04fa1ef2d0b75e73f4ec1e8f5e49c.jpg

Hope this is of some help. albeit a bit late.

Thank you, that's an amazing suggestion. I had been thinking about the same but then thought it will not work. Will try it now

[nehabhardwaj]

And the plate looks flawless...

If it was a water based filler you could just use some good old fashion water colours from a childs' paint set (s0rta thing you probably had as a little tacker). Wouldn't be too hard to match the colour. and it can be wiped off or weakened with a damp cloth. You will need to put some finish on ot after to seal it into the putty.

Probably be able to get a cheap set from the $2 shop (Not that they sell too much for $2 any more.)

Good thing to have around. You'd be surprised what you can disguise, repair, cover up with one of these sets. I have made seamless repairs if old pottery, artistic wall plated etc.

The below Plaster Wall Plate/plaque was broken down30% of right side
and much of the original painted work had flaked off due to being left
in an old damp shed for some 50 years. All flaky paint was cleaned off
and redone with childs' water paint set. Then with a sprayed with gloss,
poly glaze over the top. I did it about 30 years ago and photographed it
on our kitchen wall at 11:50 tonight. The water paint set is cop from a
Pintrest page. The grandies took mine.

plate.jpg 63a04fa1ef2d0b75e73f4ec1e8f5e49c.jpg

Hope this is of some help. albeit a bit late.