Chris is a freelance writer who specializes in woodworking, designs his own projects, and is experienced in commercial carpentry. Good news, the film finish wasn't penetrated down to the wood fibers. To repair rotted door frame, first remove rotted wood with a 5-in-1 or other sharp tool. Just cover your index finger with a rag and dip it in either straight ammonia or a dab of silver polish. To identify a true shellac finish, sprinkle a few drops of denatured alcohol on the finish in some hidden location. Just rub the water ring with an equal mixture of white toothpaste and mayo and wipe off any leftovers. Thoroughly remove the sawdust and clean the area. If the finish softens slightly, then you have a true shellac finish, and it can be repaired as follows. Press the end of a matching wax wood filler stick against the hot blade. Do not wet the entire surface. Don't use newspaper, magazines or any paper with dye on it. Using fine-grit sandpaper, carefully remove the finish for about 1/2 inch around the spot. Drop it into the center of the damaged area with a palette knife and work it out to the edges to ensure a good bond (Photo 2). Rub the area with orange oil or lemon oil, and the water ring should be gone. Fortunately, shellac finishes are easy to repair. While no finish can completely block out the UV light responsible for needing sun-bleached wood repair, there are now finishes that can slow it down better than the other two tips listed. Once you have built up the damaged area and are ready to lay on the final coat of varnish, you will need a light source that you can place at a remote distance so you can see across the surface of the wood and notice any gaps or "holidays" in your work as you lay on the finish. Before using wood filler, try a trick using your iron. There are also disadvantages. Find out how to improve antiques, floors & furniture. It’s not necessary to take a piece of wood furniture to a professional for simple water rings, scratches, burns, or dents. As it melts, spread the wood filler into the scratch and level the surface. Where a clear finish is chipped but the underlying color is intact, fill the ding with a few drops of clear nail polish. Buy yourself a few tubs of wood putty and give yourself a couple of days. Pieces of wood furniture with dents, scratches, and other damage cost far less than brand new undamaged pieces. Many other finishes resemble shellac, and to further add to the confusion, "shellac" is sometimes used as a generic term referring to any clear top finish. Sand some of the non-damaged area as well to feather it all together. It’s a nightmare to discover a scratch, dent, burn or water ring on a piece of wood furniture. After the area is smooth, allow it to dry, and apply a coating of lemon or orange oil. Let the area dry completely before continuing. It is non-toxic, dries quickly (provided the product is fresh when applied), can be tinted and is relatively easy to apply. Just cover your index finger with a rag and dip it in either straight ammonia or a dab of silver polish. Most commonly from a hot coffee cup or from water left … Let’s take a look at a typical wood bowl repair. Step 5 Original_Pet-Chewed-Chairs-tools-3_s3x4. Almond oil sticks are also wonderful for repairing light scratches. Take a clean cloth afterward and spray it with water. When scratches are deep and can’t be repaired with simple repair methods, use a solvent following the same method above, and make sure the type of solvent you use will not completely remove the finish. Required fields are marked *, Prove You\'re Human * To identify a true shellac finish, sprinkle a few drops of denatured alcohol on the finish in some hidden location. This unfortunate customer had put a plastic cover over the table to protect it from spilled liquids, with a cloth cover over that. Light scratches or abrasions in the varnish of wood can often be blended in using a drop of lacquer thinner mixed with denatured alcohol. Shellac finishes scratch easily, and shellac isn't the most water-resistant of finishes. How to Apply a Beautiful Shellac Finish on Woodwork, How to Remove Dust Before Finishing Woodworking Projects, How to French Polish Your Woodworking Project, How to Apply Finishing Wax to a Wood Finish, Applying Polyurethane for a Durable, Beautiful Finish, How to Repair a Tear in a Canvas Painting, How to Repair and Replace a Drill Press Chuck, 10 Ways to Mend and Repair Clothes Using Embroidery. With a few simple tools and a little ingenuity, you can fix wood furniture blemishes and damage for pennies on the dollar. Product Details. Follow application instructions, and your wood pieces will be looking as good as new in no time! 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