HOW I REPLACED a PEELING FLOOR BOARD : 7 Steps (with Pictures)

Engineered hardwood flooring is a plywood base 3/8" tongue and groove flooring with a thin veneer of hardwood on top. Is every piece perfect? Nope -- as I found out after installing the entire dining room and living room and living with the finished floor for a nice piece of time. One board began to separate. It wasn't just the veneer peeling, part of the plywood was separating.

Step 1: HERE'S HOW I REMOVED THE OFENDER

Going from a factory end past the damaged part I scored a perpendicular straight line.

Step 2: CHISEL TO THE RESCUE

I very, very carefully began to chisel the line deeper, then came at it at a shallow angle and took out a sliver.

Step 3: AND WHAT TO MY WUNDERING EYES SHOULD APPEAR?

That little section I chipped away released the veneer. OK, good start.

Step 4: CHIP, CHIP, CHIP CHIPPING AWAY

I took my time making sure not to damage any adjacent board and removed the damaged piece down to the cement slab and scraped up all the old glue.

Step 5: TONGUE AND GROVE

I very accurately cut a replacement piece, trimmed off the tongue and loosely dry fit it in place without driving it all the way down.

Why not drive it all the way down? What if I couldn't get it out without damaging it?

Step 6: THE FINISHING TOUCH

I added adhesive, used a rubber mallet to tap the board into place and put some weights on it until it set.

I must admit, I gave my self an atta-boy after that.

Never fear a project. Even if you've never done it before. What's the worst that could happen? You'll mess up and be forced to call a professional? But if you study the challenge, think it through, then go at it slowly, who knows, you just might wind up giving yourself an atta-boy -- or atta-girl -- or atta-person...