Quick DIY Fixes for Minor Furniture Damage

The furniture in your home makes up a significant part of the appearance of your home’s interior which means that the condition of your furniture can either make or break a room. We use our furniture on a daily basis and this consistent use leaves our furniture vulnerable to minor damages from regular wear and tear such as scratches, dents, watermarks, and worn out upholstery. While this type of damage does not usually warrant a full restoration or replacement, it can be annoying for homeowners to see these damages on their furniture. Fortunately, there are easy, DIY ways to handle minor furniture repair to restore the look of your furniture without calling a professional.

The following are DIY furniture repair tips for the most common types of minor damage. Please follow these tips at your own risk because we cannot guarantee results.

Scratches

Wood furniture is often chosen for its beauty but it can become easily scratched, diminishing its allure. The easiest method of furniture scratch repair on wood furniture is to color in the scratch to blend in with the finish. Scratches on furniture made from light or medium colored woods can be fixed with a paste made from a walnut or Brazil nut or by using a crayon that matches the color of the wood. If using a walnut or Brazil nut, make a paste with the meat of the nut and rub the paste into the scratch to darken it and fill it in. If using a crayon, fill in the scratch and use a blow dryer to melt the crayon into the scratch. To complete both methods, buff the scratch with a cloth after application.

If your furniture is made from darker wood such as mahogany or cherry wood, iodine can effectively cover surface scratches. Iodine can be applied to the furniture as much as necessary and should be wiped off with a cloth when finished.

Dents

Dents are a little more complicated to repair than scratches but they can still be done if you do the repair carefully. If the piece is made from wood with a varnish, the finish will have to be removed or pierced to allow moisture to reach the wood. Start by putting a moist cloth into the dent and covering the surrounding area with a dry towel for protection. Then place an iron or similar hot item over the moist cloth to release steam into the wood. This will cause the wood to swell up and fill in the dent. You can finish the job by sanding the area and reapplying the finish.

Water Marks

It is common to get watermarks on wood furniture from spills or condensation and if the mark is white, that means that only the varnish has been affected. If you have a surface water mark on your wood furniture, you can remove it with one of the following tips:

• Rub the spot with a lint free cloth and some rubbing alcohol.
• Rub the spot with camphorated oil and a lint free cloth.
• Rub the spot with turpentine and a lint free cloth.
• Rub a little bit of toothpaste with a brightening agent on the spot along the direction of the wood grain with your finger or a cloth pad until it disappears.
• Put some table salt over the spot and rub it out with a cloth moistened either with mineral oil or lemon oil. Use salt and vinegar if the spot isn’t completely removed.
• Buff and polish the area when finished.

If the water mark is darker than the surrounding wood, than the moisture damage has reached the wood fibers which will require stripping and refinishing. It is best to hire a professional such as Furniture Medic by MasterCare Experts for wood furniture refinishing services.

Worn Leather

If the leather upholstery on your furniture appears worn out or discolored, you can restore it with saddle soap or neatsfoot oil. These cleaners can darken natural leathers however so use them carefully. If you are not comfortable repairing the leather finish yourself, contact a professional for leather furniture repair.

Holes and Tears in Leather Upholstery

Small holes and tears in the leather can be repaired using contact cement and leather conditioner. Carefully apply a small amount of contact cement underneath the flap of the tear and replace the flap, smoothing it out and wiping away extra cement. Give the cement about an hour to dry and then apply some leather conditioner to the tear, but do not lift up the glued edges. The leather conditioner will help hide the stain by softening the leather around it.

If you have noticed any of these minor damages to the furniture in your home, you can attempt to fix them yourself with these furniture repair tips. However, if you do not feel comfortable attempting these repairs on your own, you can contact the professionals of Furniture Medic by MasterCare Experts for our furniture repair services. Our highly skilled craftsmen provide the most trusted furniture repair and refinishing work in the industry.