floorlaminate
We recently had to replace several planks. We used what we had left over from the initial installation.
Those boards are dull and I'm unable to get it to the same finish as the original.
Any ideas what happened? Why it happened? and how I make the replacement boards shiny?
One option is to replace the board.
You would need to:
You can remove most of the old board by:
To fasten the new board:
Have a look at this image gallery, but keep in mind that photo searches often introduce random unrelated images (like the bicycle team and warrior princess).
The most telling image—to me—is this one from here:
The break in grain and the prominent joint is something I notice right off, but it is also something completely normal in natural wood flooring.
My experience is that the monotony of a pattern can be hidden during installation by taking care to arrange the units in an order which does not repeat closely. If you won't be doing the installation yourself, perhaps you are up to laying out like half the units in a desirable arrangement for the installer to use as is. (They will appreciate not having to carry and open the packages.)
Best Answer
Interesting question. It sounds like the installed flooring has become polished by wear or was at one time sealed with a gloss finish.
If you have additional replacement material you can test various finishes to match the installed ones. Laminate manufacturers recommend sealing the flooring after installation primarily to protect the joints from spills and from absorbing water from humid air but also to make the floor easier to clean.
Try the manufacturer's recommended sealer first, then matte, semi-gloss and gloss, then compare to the installed sections in various lighting scenarios.
If you determine a suitable match, mask the original planks, apply and rejoice.