Furniture Scratch Repair
DIY Furniture Repair
You can repair furniture scratches, nicks, and dents in a number of ways. If the piece you're repairing has a lot of nicks and scratches in it, use pigmented oil stain to repair them. Use this technique when you don't want to render scratched areas invisible, but instead are willing to allow the furniture to have an antique, distressed look. If the finish is free from wax, dirt, and polish, use a pigmented oil stain of the appropriate color. Apply the stain to damaged areas with an artist's touch-up brush. Wipe off any excess with a dry rag, and then apply finish over the damaged areas as described in Step 3. For larger damaged areas, see the total procedure below.
Another quick, easy method to furniture scratch repair, 
is to use a furniture touch-up marker in the appropriate color. These are usually available at paint and hardware stores or from home centers. If you can't find them there, try woodworkers' or furniture-supply catalogs. Touch-up markers look (and work) basically the same as permanent marking pens, except they contain a stain/polish mixture that colors defects to match or blend in with the surrounding finish. Matching the finish exactly is usually not crucial. A marker close to the same color will work fine.
Wax sticks, like touch-up markers, are available in a variety of wood and finish colors for filling in surface defects. Although a wax stick will not always do the furniture scratch repair completely, it's a quick way to help fixing these marks, making them much less objectionable. There are two ways to fill a defect with a wax stick, and either of them will work fine, so use the one you find easier. See below for instructions.
Furniture scratch repair over a large area
Tools and Materials
• Pigmented oil stain
• Soft cotton rag
• Aerosol lacquer, polyurethane, or shellac finish
1) Apply stain to the top
Clean the surface you want to repair using either mineral spirits or detergent and water. Also see clean antique furniture for more instructions. Using a rag, wipe matching pigmented oil stain over large damaged areas, such as a table top, then go immediately to the next step.
2) Wipe off excess
Using a clean soft cotton rag, wipe any excess stain off the finish surface. Allow the stain to dry for the time prescribed on the can.
3) Apply new finish
Apply a coat of finish over the affected areas or over the entire piece if needed. For lacquer finishes, an aerosol lacquer works well. Spray one section at a time using long, overlapping strokes in the same direction as the grain. Apply a second coat if needed.
Other types of finishes, such as polyurethane and shellac, also come in aerosol cans but the finish works a little different than lacquer. Polyurethane is slower-drying and tends to run if you're not careful; shellac dries quickly, sometimes blushing (turning white) as a result of moisture getting trapped under the finish. If you use an aerosol finish, it can be quick and easy, but experiment first to familiarize yourself with how the finish goes on the surface. Be sure the can is warm so the finish sprays smoothly. If the can is too cold, set it in a pan of warm water for about a minute before spraying.
Fixing scratches or other defects with a wax stick
Tools and Materials
• Colored wax stick
• Soft cotton rag
• Burn-in knife (optional)
• Sanding block
1) Fill the defect
Rub the wax stick across the surface defect, forcing the wax into the recessed area until it's full. You can also use a hot burn-in knife to melt the tip of the wax stick, dripping wax into the defect.
2) Level the repair
When the defect is filled with the colored wax, wrap a soft rag tightly around a sanding block, rubbing back and forth over the wax filler until it's level with the surrounding surface. Keep changing the rag to a clean area, and continue rubbing until you've removed all the excess wax on the surrounding surface.
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Source: B.Hingley
