Prevent Scratching Your Wood Floors With This Wine Cork Hack

If you have hardwood floors you're proud of, you probably want to keep them as blemish-free as possible. Although there's a fast fix for scratched wood flooring, preventing scratches from happening in the first place is the best strategy. Dropping heavy or pointy items from a significant height or dragging furniture and consequently damaging the floor might require a professional repair. To cut down on the possibility of scratches requiring professional help, you can protect your wood floors by padding all the feet of your chairs. In just a few minutes, you can cushion your chair legs to prevent marks by using the cork you've saved from wine bottles.

There are a couple of different scenarios where this technique can come in handy. If one or more of your chairs is slightly off-balance, meaning a chair leg is uneven and you wobble back and forth while seated, using cork padding can offer a more permanent solution than tucking a piece of cardboard under the uneven leg. Or, to prevent possible dents or drag marks on the floor, you may want to pad the bottom of each leg with a piece of cork — this is an economical way to keep your floors in great shape while maintaining the value of your home.

Gather your supplies. You'll need a few wine corks, a cutting board, a sharp, serrated bread knife, a microfiber cloth, and a strong all-purpose glue that adheres to metal; one idea is E6000. Keeping a careful hold on the cork, first cut off and dispose of the end of the cork that was in contact with the wine. Cut four half-inch rounds of cork and do this for as many chairs that require padding. Place your chair on its side and remove dust or debris from the bottom of the legs with a microfiber cloth. Place a small drop of glue in the middle of the cut cork and place it in the center of the bottom of the leg, pressing it in place for a few seconds.

Leave the chair on its side for about a half hour to allow the glue to fully dry. When dry, stand it upright. You'll notice as you sit on your newly cushioned chair that you won't slide around on the floor. Mission accomplished — this is such an easy, inexpensive fix to keep your floors in great shape. And chairs aren't the only beneficiaries of cork magic; you can also fix a wobbly table with this simple wine cork hack.