Cabin Floor 'Dent'

[Playtime]

No 2 grandson dropped his iPad from 2 feet onto the saloon floor and it landed on it's corner. To my amazement the iPad was unmarked and still works. Unfortunately the same was not true of the cabin floor. There is now a 1" long thin depression, about 5 mm deep, right in the middle where it is visible to all. The floor is wood, probably marine ply, patterned to look like teak and holly. It is just the 'teak' part that is affected.

Since woodwork is not my forte can anyone suggest a way to make the 'dent' less noticeable. Is there a recommended filler or any way to raise the dent or otherwise disguise it?

All suggestion gratefully received; my other half is not too impressed as it was not her grandson!

 

[sarabande]

you might try gentle steam from a domestic iron, or hot water applied by a cloth.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/repair-wood-grain-rise-steam-99306.html


The process relies on soaking some water into the dent, then heating it so that the cells expand back to their original size.

 

[Concerto]

To assist in the moisture entering the wood I would suggest using a neddle to prick the wood over the affected area. Once it has filled out and dried, you will need to seal the wood from further water entry as otherwise it will eventually go black.

 

[Playtime]

you might try gentle steam from a domestic iron, or hot water applied by a cloth.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/repair-wood-grain-rise-steam-99306.html


The process relies on soaking some water into the dent, then heating it so that the cells expand back to their original size.

Thanks - I'll give it a try. It sounds as though it could lift the depression and make it less noticeable. Then maybe some wax to disguise the broken surface?

 

[johnalison]

Or fit a carpet.

 

[Lakesailor]

Maybe try filling the dent with a little pool of resin?

 

[Concerto]

You could use a wax to seal, but this will cause problems in the future if you want to revarnish the floor. There should be no reason to fill with resin as the wood should swell back to the original height.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Or fit a carpet.

The owner of a terribly nice boat I looked at before buying my current one had dealt with some blemish in the otherwise beautiful teak and holly cabin floor by screwing an unfinished and almost square piece of 1/2" marine ply down on it. It certainly hid whatever damage was there, but wasn't entirely invisible.

 

[PCUK]

If it's gone in 5mm then the ply must be soft and needs replacing anyway.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Yes. Hear, hear to that - an ipad is not that heavy that it should make a quarter inch dent.

 

[Playtime]

If it's gone in 5mm then the ply must be soft and needs replacing anyway.

The ply is only 2 years old. The corner of an iPad dropped from 2 feet generates a high impact force. However, I would agree that the ply is not very hard.

 

[smithy]

Put a wet rag rag over the dent and put the corner of the iron over it. Keep rewetting the rag and with patience the dent will usually lift completely, provided the grain fibers are not cut.

 

[Scorcher1]

I would get some beeswax and some teak sawdust. Rub the two together and it should be a reasonable colour match. Spread it carefully into depressed area.…I haven't done this on my cabin floor but I have used this technique on a windowsill. Varnished windowsill later with no problems. Also used it on laminate flooring in the house.

 

[robertj]

Smithy has it.
Chatted with a friend this morning who is a furniture restorer his words are;

Remove all varnish/wax etc from area.
Soak effected area with water for a couple of hours so that it permeates the damage area.
Place heat protection around the good area and place a hot iron on the damage.
Do not burn the area. Just iron/water added/iron/water.
He said it won't just jump out right away but progressive treatment over a couple of days will lift the dent.

Now all that advice is for solid wood, if it is marine ply no probs but if its anything other de lamination he said occurs.


From a pro so hope that helps