No matter how hard you try and keep your wooden furniture safe from scratches, stains and water, accidents will always happen. You may be wondering, How do I refresh my old cedar chest? How do I fix my dining room table? How do I revive my sitting room chairs? Thankfully, there are some easy fixes. Read on to find out how to repair damaged wood in no time at all.
Prevention
Before we start on repairs, let’s talk about prevention. Coasters, trays and patterned tablecloths can all be used on tables or sideboards where drinking, eating or any activity takes place. Also, think about putting felt pads beneath lamps or ornaments, and you can easily get a piece of glass to sit over the top of your furniture to keep it safe from water damage. Sun and heat can also cause damage, so keep your wood away from windows where they will be under the glare of direct sunlight. Also, move it away from sources of heat – log fires, radiators and heaters.
Wobbles
Any furniture that suffers from wobbles is on its way out unless you fix it. If your storage units, chair rails and other wooden furniture are starting to get unstable, don’t be afraid of using a nail gun. A finish nail gun is just the job – there’s a good number of reviews over at TopNailerReviews.com. Get them in, putty over the hole, and sand down when it’s dried. And for heaven’s sake – put the gun away immediately in a safe place if the kids are around!
Fixing Scratches
Scratches and little nicks on wooden furniture happen a lot – but they are easily disguised with the natural oils found in certain nuts. Get some walnuts or Brazil nuts, crack them open and rub them over the scratch, going with the grain of the wood. Keep doing it until the nick has blended in with its surroundings.
Water Stains
Most stains on wooden furniture can be removed with ease. However, each type of stain will require a different method.
White stains will usually come out with a good buffing and a little furniture wax. Make sure you go with the grain, or you could make it worse. If that doesn’t work, try using some denatured alcohol – soak it in for a few minutes and then remove with a cloth. If the stain is still there, it might be time to bring a slight abrasion to the table. A mix of cold cigarette ashes (or burned paper if you don’t know a smoker) and mineral oil can work well for this. Once the stain has disappeared, make sure you recover the wood with wax for future protection.
Dark stains are usually an indication that water has got beneath the wood’s varnish finish. Unfortunately, this means you will have to strip it off. Get some rubber gloves on and use a small brush to apply a little bleach to the stained area. Leave it for a few minutes and then see how things look. If the stain is still there, try a commercial stain remover – this will be harsher than bleach, and may work better. With any luck, the stain should be gone. To finish, just wipe with vinegar to neutralize the stain remover, let it dry, and finish however you like.
Hope this has helped. Feel free to show off your handy work in the comments below
