How to Remove a Burned Spot from a Wood Table

A lit cigarette or cigar can fall onto your wood table and burn the surface.

Burned spots are unsightly on your wooden tabletop. These result from a lit cigarette or other lit item that falls onto your table, yet never ignites. You can even restore deep burns that create an indention in the wood surface. Whether you have one spot or several, getting the spots to blend in with the rest of the wood surface is not a difficult task.

Things You'll Need

• Feather duster or soft cloth
• Wax stick that matches the wood
• Palette knife or butter knife
• Heat source or a hot patching knife
• Razor blade (optional)
• Small paintbrush (optional)
• Shellac (optional)
• Varnish or lacquer (optional)
• Wood putty or wood filler (optional)

Instructions

1. Dust your wood tabletop with a soft cloth or a feather duster.

2. Melt the end of the wax stick with a match, cigarette lighter or some other heat source. If you weren't able to find a wax stick near the color of your wood, you can melt two or more colors to match the wood more effectively.

3. Allow the wax stick to drip onto the burned spots, leaving a slightly raised surface.

4. Heat up the blade of the palette or butter knife with your heat source. Quickly work the wax into the burned area of the wood. Re-heat the knife blade, if necessary, until the wax is smooth and even with the table surface.

5. Scrape the wax area with a razor blade if you are having trouble making the surface smooth.

6. Cover the repaired area by applying a coat of shellac with a small paintbrush if you use the table regularly. After it is completely dry, apply either a coat of varnish or lacquer to protect the repair. Allow it to dry well before using the table surface.

Tips & Warnings

• If the burned area is deep, fill it first with wood filler or a wood putty before continuing with the rest of the repair.

• You can find all the products necessary for a burned spot repair at a home supply, hardware or craft and hobby stores.

• You can try melting a crayon first, if you don't want to spend money on the wax sticks.

• Never leave a lit cigarette or cigar unattended. It can cause a fire within just a few minutes.

References

• Utah State University Cooperative Extension: Cleaning, Repairing and Reconditioning Wood Furniture
• Handy Owner: How to Repair Burns in Wood Furniture, from Scorches to Deep Char Burns

Resources

• Michigan State University Extension: Antique Wood Furniture -- Care and Cleaning