As much as we adore our furry friends, sometimes they make a mess. One of the biggest messes any of our dogs ever made was the time she knocked over a lit floor lamp, which somehow managed to stay lit instead of shattering. It took some time, but the 150-watt bulb melted clear through the carpet and pad, eventually charring a perfectly circular three-inch hole in the subflooring of our upstairs. We came home to a house filled with smoke and a two Labradors cowering in the back yard – no flames, though, so no visit from the fire department.
So… how do you patch a hole in the floor? Well, here’s how I did it…
Tools and Materials
Utility knife
Square and pencil
Jig Saw
Scrap wood for braces
Scrap OSB for patch
Woodworkers glue
Deck or subflooring screws
Step 1 – Evaluate
The burned area was a circular area about 3” across, which (thankfully) didn’t involve a joist. The carpet and padding will obviously need to be patched, but first to patch that hole.
Step 2 – Clear a Space
I cut the carpet and padding back to form a square around 5” on a side, being careful not to cut across the carpet weave. It’d be a lot easier with shag, but my PO bought (cheap) berber for this room
Step 3 – Cut Away the Char
I cut a square just slightly larger than the outline of the charred area (you can still see some dark spots at the edges) with a jig saw. Now would be a good time to stick a shop vac in the hole to clean out the crumbs.
Step 4 – Cut Some Braces
I cut two strips an inch wide and maybe eight inches long from some scrap lumber. These will act as “fill-in” floor joists for a patch I’ll cut from a scrap of OSB.
Step 6 – Insert the Patch
I cut a patch to fit the hole from scrap OSB (you could also use plywood or other lumber) and drilled starter holes in the corners of the patch. I applied a bead of glue to each brace, and screwed the patch down securely. Just like that, the patch was done
We’ll get to the carpet repair some other time.
Parting Observations
• This obviously won’t work for large holes, and the technique is definitely unsuitable for visible patches. Since this hole was small and the patch will be hidden under a patch of carpet, though, it works well.
• This same technique is excellent for patching holes in drywall. You can use short pieces of lath for the backing braces and then tape and mud the seams afterward.
• A slick trick is to cut your patch first and then use it as a template to make the hole: the two will be almost exactly the same size and shape.
So… how do you patch a hole in the floor? Well, here’s how I did it…
Tools and Materials
Utility knife
Square and pencil
Jig Saw
Scrap wood for braces
Scrap OSB for patch
Woodworkers glue
Deck or subflooring screws
Step 1 – Evaluate
The burned area was a circular area about 3” across, which (thankfully) didn’t involve a joist. The carpet and padding will obviously need to be patched, but first to patch that hole.
Step 2 – Clear a Space
I cut the carpet and padding back to form a square around 5” on a side, being careful not to cut across the carpet weave. It’d be a lot easier with shag, but my PO bought (cheap) berber for this room
Step 3 – Cut Away the Char
I cut a square just slightly larger than the outline of the charred area (you can still see some dark spots at the edges) with a jig saw. Now would be a good time to stick a shop vac in the hole to clean out the crumbs.
Step 4 – Cut Some Braces
I cut two strips an inch wide and maybe eight inches long from some scrap lumber. These will act as “fill-in” floor joists for a patch I’ll cut from a scrap of OSB.
Step 6 – Insert the Patch
I cut a patch to fit the hole from scrap OSB (you could also use plywood or other lumber) and drilled starter holes in the corners of the patch. I applied a bead of glue to each brace, and screwed the patch down securely. Just like that, the patch was done
We’ll get to the carpet repair some other time.
Parting Observations
• This obviously won’t work for large holes, and the technique is definitely unsuitable for visible patches. Since this hole was small and the patch will be hidden under a patch of carpet, though, it works well.
• This same technique is excellent for patching holes in drywall. You can use short pieces of lath for the backing braces and then tape and mud the seams afterward.
• A slick trick is to cut your patch first and then use it as a template to make the hole: the two will be almost exactly the same size and shape.
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