How to Fix Chipped Wood Furniture

Written By: Anne

Comments: 1

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

1 day

Introduction

Use this repair guide to fix any chipped wood furniture that may be ruining the aesthetic of your room.

For many, buying second-hand or vintage furniture has become the latest trend in trying to enjoy a more sustainable lifestyle. Wood furniture, especially, can be easily damaged over time. Therefore, knowing how to fix minor scratches or chips on them is an essential skill to possess.

Before using this guide, it is critical you choose the right wood stain that matches your furniture exactly. Additionally, it is equally vital to familiarize yourself with a cordless drill, in case you need to use one.

Make sure to be patient and wait for the wood filler to be completely dry before sanding. Otherwise, it causes the filler to be uneven and increases your repair time as you may need to restart the process.

Be sure to work in a well-ventilated area, free of clutter to avoid any accidents. It may also be productive to lay down a plastic sheet and perform the restoration on top. This ensures an easy cleanup and averts the possibility of getting wood stain on your floors.

Tools

Step 1

Clean the affected/damaged area of the wood and remove any dust or small wood particles using a clean brush or a paper towel.

Step 2

If the damage is affecting a larger area, use an electric or cordless drill with a small to medium sized drill bit and create small and shallow craters onto the chipped wood
This process is done so that the wood filler, used later on, has more surface area to adhere firmly
The drill should only be used to create small, shallow craters not holes in the furniture.

Step 3

Using a sheet of 150-grit sandpaper, slightly sand away any wood pieces protruding from the damaged area.

Step 4

Apply a generous amount of wood filler to the chipped wood and let it harden completely before continuing with the remaining steps.
This part may take a while depending on how much wood filler is applied
If the chip/ damage is deeper apply the wood filler in layers and let each layer dry completely before applying the next.

Step 5

While waiting for the wood filler to dry, you may choose to fix the other chips or scratches on the wood that do not require the use of wood filler.
Make sure to clean the smaller scratches and slightly sand them using the 150 grit sandpaper.
Then use a wood stain of your preferred shade that matches the rest of the wood and carefully fill in the affected areas

Step 6

Once the wood filler completely dries, once again use the same 150-grit sandpaper to sand down the ragged edges of the now hardened wood filler as close to the original shape of the wood.
You may additionally use 220-grit sandpaper for a finer/smoother finish.