How to Remove Dents From Wooden Table Tops

A solid wooden tabletop can be beautiful, but sometimes, you may accidentally drop something on the surface and cause a dent in the wood. It could be something small, such as a cup, an ashtray or child's toy that hits the tabletop in just the wrong way and makes a dent. There are simple ways to remove dents from your hardwood furniture.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Artist brush
• Water
• Cloth
• Iron
• Pin
• Sandpaper

1. Clean the dented area of the tabletop with a soft cloth.

2. Apply water to the crushed wooden fibers using an artist brush or your fingertip. Be very careful not to get the surrounding area wet at all.

3. Place a wet cloth over the dented area after the water has been applied. Hold an iron, set on a low heat, against the area for 15 seconds.

4. Check the dent, and if it still remains, repeat the steaming process again.

5. Prick the dented area with a pin if the wood has not responded to the steaming process. Make holes to channel the steam from the iron into the wood fibers.

6. Raise the crushed fibers with the pin or your fingertip, to a level slightly above the surrounding area.

7. Allow the fibers that were raised to dry thoroughly. When they are completely dry, sand the area and refinish it as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• If your table is made of a soft wood, repeat Step Three until the fibers rise on their own.
• If the dent is near a glued joint, keep the steam away from that area. Cover the dent with a folded wet cloth, and place a bottlecap turned upside down on the cloth over the dent. Hold the iron to the edge of the bottlecap to focus the steam only on that area.