How to Remove Surface Scratches From Your Furniture

Removing surface scratches from your furniture may seem like a daunting task, but with a little patience, the result speaks for itself. It takes time and a with a little effort, you will be rewarded with a nice piece of furniture.

Things You'll Need

• Powdered Pumice.
• Burlap bag.
• Small piece of wood that should fit comfortably in your hand. Must be square.
• 150 coarse sandpaper.
• 400 coarse sandpaper.
• Water.
• Rags.
• Paint brushes.
• Tarp.
• Rubbing Alcohol.
• Well ventilated area.
• A piece of furniture to remove surface stratches.
• Polyurethane.

Instructions

1. The process of removing surface scratches from your furniture is an alternative to stripping it. By surface scratches I mean scratches that are not deep and don't require stripping and hard sanding.
   Do not do the instructions below and site fault with me if the surface scratches don't come out. They will if it is on the surface. I cannot stress that enough.

2. Take your piece of furniture and place it in a well ventilated room, (i.e. a garage or outside of your garage).
   Have a tarp underneath your furniture.
   Start on top of your furniture and work your way down.

3. Take water and douse the top of your furniture.
   Apply the pumice on the top of the piece. Use as much as you want.
   Cut up the burlap bag into pieces that are twice the size of your hand and fold it.
   Going WITH the grain, NOT against it, go back and forth (Left to right) in motion and apply pressure. It doesn't matter how much pressure, the aim is to remove the scratches.
   Some grocery stores still use burlap bags. I have found burlap to be the best way for removal of surface scratches.
   If you can't find burlap, then skip to the next step.

4. After several minutes of back and forth motion with the burlap bag, it is time to use the sandpaper (150 coarse is ideal).
   Take the square block of wood and cut a piece of sandpaper that will fit the circumference of the block of wood, and make sure it is a tight fit.
   Apply the same motion as the burlap back. Back and forth with the grain and not against.
   You should not apply too much pressure, just enough to dull the finish and remove scratches that might not have been removed with the burlap.
   The purpose of the block is to make sure there are no fingerprints imprints in the wood. Take a look at your fingertips. They are rounded. If you sand with your fingertips, you can cause the wood to alter in appearance.
   If you use a square block, it will come out fine.

5. After you have sanded the piece it will be dull. Obviously that is what you want.
   Do the same steps to the rest of the piece of furniture starting from top to bottom.

6. The next step is to clean the piece by taking a rag and wiping the entire piece of furniture clean. This may take several rags.
   Then take your rubbing alcohol and wipe the whole thing using clean rags. The rubbing alcohol will take off any residual dust that may still be on there. Let it dry thoroughly before moving on to the next step.

7. The polyurethane can be bought at almost any store.
   You can use a brush to apply the polyurethane or you can take a rag and bundle it up and use that. Either one is fine.
   Start by applying the polyurethane back and forth with the grain, never against it.
   Use even strokes if you are using a brush.
   Start by coating the top of the piece.
   Allow to thoroughly dry.
   Continue doing sections and letting it fully dry before proceeding to the next section.
   The amount of time to dry is dependent upon the weather. More humid days require more drying time.
   You can apply more than one coat.
   If you are going to apply more than one coat, I strongly recommend using a 400 coarse sandpaper in between coats.
   Do not apply more than three coats in one evening as it will become cloudy.

8. While there are several steps and some materials required, the end result is a beautiful looking piece of furniture.

Tips & Warnings

• The instructions explained are what I used to remove surface scratches. It is my opinion only. If you have concerns, you should consult a furniture professional.