How to Fix Scratches & Chips on Wooden Furniture

Wooden furniture is always vulnerable to scratches and chips, which can damage the piece’s finish, its stain, or both. Luckily, the majority of the time, these marks have not deeply affected the wood beneath, and are easily mended by resealing the finish or filling in color. If the harm to your slice is deep and goes into the wood, or if the bit is an antique, consult a professional furniture restorer before job mend.

Cleaning

Before trying to mend any chips or scratches on the furniture piece, clean it so that it’s free of dirt and dirt. A solution of 1 tablespoon household detergent mixed with a mix of warm water is enough to clean most stains. If any oil-based stains exist, place clean them using a little bit of mineral spirits applied to a soft cloth or cotton swab.

Minor Surface Chips

Small, shallow chips can happen in the finish of this wood, leaving the stain and the color intact. In this case, you need simply to mend the damaged finish. Use clear nail polish to fill at the chip, then allow it to dry. Sand with very fine sandpaper of 600 or 800 grit to ensure that the resealed surface is even.

Scratches

For scrapes in which the color has worn away, particularly if it’s happened on the edge of this furniture piece, use a retouching marker that matches the colour of the original stain to refill the color. Finish the mend by applying paste wax. A surface covered with superficial scratches can be repaired using a soft cloth to apply a scratch cap polish at a colour that matches the stain.

Nicks and Gouges

To get a deeper chip or gouge, sand the area with a fine, 600-grit sandpaper first to eliminate any rough edges. Then, use a wax putty stick of the same color as the wood, and fill the gouge with wax. If it’s hard to match the original colour of the stain, mix colors by scraping small flakes from each wax stick and blending with your fingers. Seal it with completing paste wax.

See related