How to Repair Nicks in Furniture

When you are deciding whether to refinish furniture or just repair it, consider its value and the condition of the finish. Sometimes nicks in the wood are repairable and refinishing the whole piece of furniture isn't necessary or practical. You can repair the nicks in most of your furniture with a few simple steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Mineral spirits
• Putty knife
• Wood filler
• Sandpaper (course and fine)
• Clean rag or tack cloth
• Paint or stain to match

1. Clean the damaged area with mineral spirits to remove old polish and grime. Anytime you're going to repair a piece of furniture, start with a clean surface.
2. Pack the wood filler into the nick using the putty knife. Overfill the nicks and pack the wood filler down before you level it off with the putty knife. Remove any excess filler with a cloth before it dries.
3. Allow the wood filler to dry thoroughly, following the manufacturer's specific directions for the product you are using.
4. Sand the repaired area down with the course sandpaper, until it is almost flush with the surface. Finish the sanding with fine sandpaper to smooth it out.
5. Wipe the area with a clean cloth or tack cloth to remove any dust before you refinish it.
6. Restain or paint the repair to match the rest of the piece of furniture.

Tips & Warnings

• If the nick isn't too bad, consider covering it up with stain markers, available at your hardware store. You can match a color to the stain on your furniture, color in the nick and wipe off the excess with a cloth, to make it the same color as the rest of the piece. This doesn't remove the damage but makes it less noticeable.

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