Furniture Scratch Removal

Each of us has one or another wooden furniture at home. It can be a table, bedside table, coffee table or cupboard. Such furniture is good for everyone, but careless handling, rearrangement, frequent operation or moving can leave even ugly scratches on the best furniture. If such a nuisance happened to your home decoration, then you just need to know how to remove furniture scratches.

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How to remove scratches?

In most cases, chips and minor scratches can be eliminated with the help of folk remedies or special household goods purchased at the store. Of course, it will not be possible to completely get rid of the damage, but making them less noticeable is quite easy. Consider the most popular and effective methods of dealing with scratches on furniture.

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How to determine the type of damage?

Before proceeding with the restoration of furniture, it is necessary to determine the type of damage, since in one case only the varnish film can be damaged, and in the other, the entire coating to the tree is damaged.

Step 1

To determine the type of scratch, soak the swab in white spirit and pat it several times over the surface.

Depending on the type of scratches, it is necessary to choose the method of restoration. To select an effective method, evaluate the result after the procedure:

1. If the surface color has not changed, then only the varnish film is damaged (restoration according to method No. 1).
2. If the color has changed slightly, this means that the varnish film is scratched, but the base under it is intact (restoration according to method No. 2).
3. If the place of damage has darkened, then this means that the structure of the wood fibers has been violated (restoration by method No. 3).

Step 2

Another step towards how to get rid of scratches, determining the type of coating, that is, the specific type of varnish.

To do this, drip solvent on an inconspicuous area and evaluate the result:

• If the coating becomes soft under the influence of a solvent, it is nitro varnish.
• If the surface softens under the influence of the product, this is shellac.
• If, after solvent exposure, the furniture coating remained the same hard, then varnish with a polyurethane base was treated.

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How to get rid of scratches on furniture?

Removing scratches from furniture is not a complicated procedure, so it can be done on its own, and not go to professional restorers. The main thing is to be careful and use suitable means.

Important! Before you get rid of scratches on furniture, be sure to clean the surface of the item from dirt and polishing residues by wiping it with a soft cloth dipped in white spirit.

Method number 1. For small scratches

Minor scratches can be hidden with a wax paste. It is necessary to choose it according to the color of the product. Apply the paste with a soft cloth for damage. For deeper damage, removing scratches from the furniture will look like this:

1. Prepare steel wool.
2. Apply wax to the coat.
3. Treat the scratch.
4. Wait for the wax to solidify.
5. Polish the surface with a soft cloth.

Important! If after the procedure the treated area differs in color from the rest of the surface, then wax all the furniture.

This method has a significant drawback - the problem is not resolved, but masked.If in the future you decide to repair furniture, then first remove the wax layer with white spirit and a soft cloth.

Method number 2. For deep scratches

If the scratches and chips on the wooden surface are too deep, but the wood is not damaged, use a special finishing composition.

Important! This method will be effective primarily on surfaces where a nitro-varnish coating is used, as well as a water-based coating.

To get rid of scratches on furniture:

1. Take a stick applicator or a thin brush.
2. Gently apply the finishing mixture to the scratch with the applicator.
3. The composition will dissolve the film and mix with it.
4. Wait until the mixture dries a little.
5. Apply the composition until the surface is perfectly flat.
6. At the end of the work, apply wax and rub it with a cloth over the entire surface.

Important! Polyurethane bases are poorly soluble, so you need to use this method for such coatings a little differently: gently apply one layer of the mixture and go through the remaining recess with a woolen rag. Then - treat the surface with another layer. If a tubercle appears at the processing site, remove it with a light grinder. To fix the result, apply polishing paste.

Method number 3. For very deep scratches with wood damage

For deep scratches, a thorough repair is necessary:

1. If a single scratch and wood fibers are not visible to the naked eye, then mix the finishes and solvent in equal proportions.
2. Soak the damaged area with the prepared mixture.
3. You can restore color with a stain: apply the product on a stick or brush and gently smear the damaged areas.
4. Dry the treatment area well.
5. Apply varnish so that the gloss of the treated area coincides with other parts of the furniture.
6. If the damage is multiple, sand most of the surface in such a way that clean wood appears, and then treat with stain.

Important! Choose an abrasive with a large grain size, as after a fine surface will be lighter. Do not overdo the grinding, so as not to get a recess in the place to be treated.

Helpful hints:

• If the damage is severe, to get rid of scratches on the furniture, it is necessary to sand the entire surface and re-coat. You need to start with the restoration of color, applying a stain to a clean tree. Make sure that the stain does not fall on the border of the workpiece and the old coating, otherwise - a dark halo will remain near the repair site.
• If in the process of processing more stain than necessary was added to the area, immediately rinse it off with white spirit and let the surface dry completely.
• Do not strive to achieve the desired color in one go. Strengthen the result gradually.

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Specialized products from manufacturers

The modern household industry is very attractive to consumers in that for the solution of any problems you can choose the right tools. No exception is the removal of scratches from furniture. If you decide to complete all the work as quickly as possible, with a high-quality aesthetic result, using professional tools for this purpose, one of the options below will suit you.

Furniture Wax

If you are the owner of furniture from particleboard and MDF, then furniture wax will help you hide scratches on lacquered furniture. Buy the product in the store, matching it to the color and tone of your table or chair. Wax can be soft or hard:

• Hard wax is a little more difficult to buy and it costs more than soft wax, but this tool is more resistant. Before use, it must be melted and then applied to the damaged surface in excess. After a couple of seconds, after cooling, the surplus must be removed, sanded if necessary.
• Using soft wax is a lot easier: rub the scratch.In case of more serious damage, it is better to apply wax with a spatula, and get rid of excess with a knife or a piece of plastic. After processing, polish the surface.

Furniture touch

Furniture companies also face defect problems that appear even on new products during transportation or assembly. Specialists deal with minor defects with a furniture touch. This tool can be purchased at furniture hardware stores. It is necessary to use in this way:

1. Shake the product well.
2. Put a piece of furniture on the damage.
3. Depending on the depth of the scratch, several layers may be required.
4. Let the treated surface dry for 5 minutes.
5. Use a damp cloth to remove excess.

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Removing scratches on furniture with folk remedies

Special mortars for removing scratches from furniture are, of course, very convenient. But it is not always possible to purchase them, and sometimes the problem must be urgently resolved. For this purpose, folk remedies are suitable, which will no less qualitatively mask the defect and forget about it for a long time.

Walnut

You will need half the walnut kernel. Treat the problem area with the core and wait a while. The surface will begin to darken to match the lacquered wood, masking damage. After processing, gently wipe the area with a napkin and cover with a colorless varnish.

Important! Strong pressure is not necessary. The main task is to fill the groove (scratch) with the oils that are contained in the nut.

Iodine

You can also use, instead of iodine, engine oil. Such removal of scratches from furniture is suitable for items made of oak, mahogany or walnut:

• Take an old toothbrush or any small brush.
• Dilute iodine with water so that a solution of weak consistency is obtained.
• Apply iodine solution with a brush to damage. Scratches will turn dark and will not be evident.

Important! To get rid of minor scratches on furniture, you can use tandem: iodine with nuts. These two products will correct the color and remove the damage: first treat the scratch with iodine solution, and then rub it with a nut.

Mayonnaise

Fats and proteins contained in the product contribute to the swelling of the wood, and as a result - the closure of small cracks or scratches. Use the product as follows: carefully apply mayonnaise on the damaged area (the amount of product should completely cover the damage). Wipe off excess excessively.

Important! Leave the furniture as it is for several days. During this time, the tree will swell and the scratch on the tree will disappear.

Vinegar and Olive Oil

Prepare the following mixture: ¼ cup vinegar to ¾ olive oil. Wipe the damaged area with the resulting product and, after a while, wipe it dry with a clean cloth.

Colored pencil, wood color marker, children's wax crayons

Manufacturers have developed special pencils for furniture from scratches. Finding a suitable pencil is not very easy, as the color scheme is limited. In extreme cases, use a simple pencil or marker of the appropriate color. Mark minor damage with a marker, and then wipe the furniture with polish or wax.

Black Tea

An extraordinary method is very effective in practice. Brew a bag of black tea in 30 ml of boiling water and let the liquid infuse. Wash the scratch with a cotton swab, repeating the procedure after a while until the desired result is achieved.

Ashes from cigarettes

Stir the cigarette ash with water until a thick paste is obtained. Rub the mixture into damaged areas. Remove excess material from the surface with a soft cloth.

Important! Together with ashes, you can use toothpaste.

Shoe polish or shoe polish

Nowadays, shoe care products are available in various colors.It can be used both in liquid form and as a cream to fill in scratches.

Important! If you apply cream, then use cotton buds. When applying liquid paint - use a dry brush.

Homemade mastic

At home, you can independently prepare mastic to remove damage on wooden surfaces. You will need:

• Wax.
• Kerosene.
• Alcohol.
• Turpentine.
• A piece of woolen cloth.

Make mastic according to the following recipe:

1. Put 40 g of wax in an iron bowl.
2. Put the product on fire.
3. Once the wax has completely melted, carefully pour 30 g of turpentine into a container.
4. Shuffle.
5. After a couple of minutes, add 20 g of alcohol to the container.
6. Stir the contents.
7. Turn off the fire.

Important! After the mastic has cooled, apply it to the damaged area with a wool dampened with gasoline. Spread the product evenly over the surface and rub it with a cloth to shine.

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Stock footage

We hope that our tips and tricks have saved you from an unpleasant situation, and you have returned your favorite table or headset to an impeccable appearance. If the defect is very complex and yet the result did not satisfy you, then contact specialist restorers.