How to Fix a Table With Cigarette Burns

Restore cigarette burned wood using elbow grease and household supplies.

Wood tables are especially susceptible to burns. Whether from cigar and cigarette butts or a hot match, wood burns leave an unsightly spot. Thankfully, you don't have to throw out the furniture or even start using a tablecloth to hide the burn. Instead, easily remove the burn from the wood's surface with a few cleaning tools that you most likely already have around the house.

Things You'll Need

• Extra-fine steel wool
• Lemon oil
• Cotton cloth
• Fine grit sandpaper
• Iron with steam function
• Furniture polish

Instructions

Minor Burn

1. Wet the steel wool with some lemon oil.

2. Rub the burned area with the steel wool, going with the grain. You won't need to press down very hard, let the oil and the steel wool do the work.

3. Blot and buff away any residual lemon oil with a cotton cloth after removing the burn.

Major Burn

1. Gently sand the charred wood, being careful to sand only the affected areas. Wipe away the charred bits as you sand.

2. Steam the now dented wood area with an iron's steam function to encourage wood expansion. The wood will absorb the steam and naturally expand, filling in the indentation.

3. Polish the wood with a clean cotton cloth. For varnished wood, touch up the area with a coat or two of varnish, gently sanding the edges to blend in with the rest of the tabletop.

Tips & Warnings

• Press very gently on the wood when removing burns to avoid scratching the undamaged areas of the table. If you do scratch the table, or find that the burned area is too large for a simple touch up, simply sand the entire tabletop surface and refinish the table.

References

• Acme How To: How To Remove Burns & Scorches from Wood