Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Dent in New wood floor

During Thanksgiving dinner a huge jar of pickles where dropped on my brand new oak wood floor. I now have a good sized smiley face dent.
Is there any way to lift the dent without removing the finish?

Light scratches can sometimes be buffed to make them less obvious. A deep scratch or gouge is more challenging. Sometimes putty can rescue the damage. Sometimes damaged boards need to be replaced. Repairs tend to show more because repairs tend not to match the older floor color. If bare wood is revealed then finish will need to be applied.

I have read some procedures where you take a damp cloth and an iron over the dented area. Have you heard of this? tried it?
how hard is it? success rate?

The damp cloth and iron trick has been posted as being successful if the wood fibers have not been crushed beyond being salvageable. Dampen cloth and then heat on wood with iron in an attempt to swell the wood to its original shape. Forum posts tend to reveal that it does not work for chair leg dents or severe dents from dropped items.

Thus, if dents are not too deep, then putty is an option. Sanding and refinishing may be an option. If they are very deep, then replacement of the damaged boards is an option. If in doubt, consult with a professional floor refinisher. If you installed a prefinished wood flooring product, then additional boards can be ordered if you have none left over. If the wood was finished on the job site, then pulling boards from an inconspicuous area such as a closet or under the couch or bed may be an option. Or, if you installed unfinished flooring you can refinish individual boards, or you may have to refinish the entire floor depending upon your situation. Again, if in doubt, consult with a professional floor refinisher.

Trying to steam out a dent on a floor with a poly finish isn't going to work; the surface is sealed and won't absorb the steam. If you have some boards from the installation, then replacing the dented ones would be the ideal way to solve the problem. If not, find a pro with a melt in repair kit, (or buy one yourself, about 45 -90 bucks, depending). The repair medium is very hard, and will hold up quite well. If doing it yourself, you need to deepen or rough up the area within the dent to assure a good bond.

Behlin makes a good kit, or try a woodworking supply house. Maybe try a furniture store as a last result... they also use the kits.

If all else fails, then consider the dents as "patina" or character and get on with acheiving that distressed finish.