It’s disappointing to discover a scratch, dent, watermark or burn on your wood furniture. It seems no matter how many coasters you put out or how careful you are, sooner or later bad things happen. Others may not notice, but once it’s there it is all you see. The good news is that many furniture blemishes can be easily repaired without refinishing or calling in a professional.
Primum non nocere is a Latin phrase that means “First, do no harm.” Sometimes it’s better to do nothing than risk causing more damage. The following are repair steps you can try that won’t disturb the underlying finish. With a small investment in time and materials you may fix the problem. Try these remedies carefully:
- Water Rings –Try ironing them out. Place a thick piece of cloth over the area and press it with a warm iron. Rub gently until it disappears. If it’s still there, apply an oily lubricant like petroleum jelly and let it sit overnight. The lubricant will replace the moisture under the finish. Still not gone? Gently rub non-gel toothpaste into the area with a soft, clean cloth. Remove the excess mixture and then rub with orange oil. Unless it is deep into the finish, your water ring should now be history.
- Scratches – For light scratches, find shoe polish that closely matches the color of the wood and rub it on just the way you would polish shoes and buff lightly. Small scratches will become unnoticeable, and deeper scratches will become less noticeable.
- Dents – Dents are depressions in the wood caused by hard impacts. In some cases steam can be used to bring it back to the original level. Cover the area with several layers of damp fabric and touch it with a warm iron to create steam that will swell the wood fibers. It may be necessary to repeat this process several times until the dent disappears.
- Burns – If you have a light scorch on your furniture you may be able to rub it out. Buff lightly using ultra-fine steel wool dampened with mineral spirits, being careful not to rub through the finish. Then clean the surface and apply polish. If the burn is through the finish or the wood is charred more drastic measures will be needed.
- Checking & Cracking – Thin, hairline cracks in the finish can be caused by heat or cold, or by humidity changes. If the cracking is extreme you will probably have to refinish the whole surface but if it is not too bad you can first try paste wax. Apply the paste wax with a clean, soft cloth rubbing in a circular pattern. Buff it dry and be sure remove the excess wax from the cracks to avoid leaving white streaks.
These low-impact fixes won’t always work, but try if you are comfortable doing them. There are also commercial products available that address these problems. Otherwise, it may be time to tackle refinishing or call in a professional.
