Removing scratches on furniture

Each of us has one or another wooden furniture. It can be a table, a bedside table, a coffee table or a wardrobe. Such furniture is good for everyone, but inaccurate treatment, shifting, frequent operation or moving can leave even the best furniture ugly scratches. If such a nuisance happened to your interior items, then you just need to know how to remove the scratches on the furniture.

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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, purchased at the store of household goods. Completely, of course, get rid of damage will not work, but making them less visible is fairly easy. Consider the most popular and effective methods to combat scratching 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 lacquer film can be damaged, and in the other, the entire coating is damaged to the tree.

Step 1

To determine the type of scratch, moisten the tampon in the 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, after the procedure, evaluate the result:

1. If the color of the surface has not changed, then only the lacquer film is damaged( restoration according to method No. 1).
2. If the color has changed slightly - this means that the lacquer film is scratched, but the base underneath is whole( restoration according to method No. 2).
3. If the place of damage has darkened, it means that the structure of wood fibers is broken( restoration according to the method No.3).

Step 2

One more step on how to get rid of scratches, determine the type of coating, that is, a specific kind of lacquer.

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

• If the coating becomes soft under the action of the solvent, this is nitro-lacquer.
• If the surface has softened under the action of the agent, it is shellac.
• If, after exposure to the solvent, the furniture coating has remained the same hard, then a varnish treatment with a polyurethane base was carried out.

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How to get rid of scratches on furniture?

Removing of scratches from furniture is not a complicated procedure, therefore it is quite possible to perform it yourself, and not to contact professional restorers. The main thing is to be careful and apply suitable means.

Important! Before you get rid of the scratches on the furniture, be sure to clean the surface of the object from dirt and polishing residue, wiping it with a soft rag soaked in white spirit.

Method number 1.For small scratches

Small scratches can be hidden with a wax paste. Choose it is necessary for the color of the product. Apply the paste with a soft cloth for damage. With deeper damage, removing the scratches from the furniture will look like this:

1. Prepare steel wool.
2. Apply wax on wool.
3. Treat the scratch.
4. Wait until the wax solidifies.
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 treat all furniture with wax.

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

Method number 2.For deep scratches

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

Important! This method will be effective first of all on the surface where the nitro-lacquer coating is used, as well as water-based coating.

To get rid of scratches on furniture:

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

Important! Fundamentals of polyurethane are poorly soluble, so use this method for such coatings need a little different: gently apply one layer of the mixture and walk on the remaining groove with a woolen rag. Then - treat the surface with one more layer. If a bump appeared on the treatment site, then remove it with an easy grinding machine. To fix the result, apply polishing paste.

Method number 3.For very deep scratches with damage to the wood

For deep scratches, repair is necessary thorough:

1. If the scratch is single and the fibers of the wood with the naked eye are not visible from the outside, then mix the finishing composition and solvent in equal proportions.
2. With the mixture prepared, soak the damaged area.
3. You can restore the color with a stain: apply the product on a stick or brush and gently pat the damaged areas.
4. Place the treatment well dry.
5. Apply a varnished coating so that the gloss of the treated area matches other pieces of furniture.
6. If the damage is multiple, then grind most of the surface so that clean wood appears and then treat it with stain.

Important! Choose an abrasive with a large grain, since after a shallow surface will be lighter. Do not overdo it with grinding, so as not to get a groove in the treated area.

Useful tips:

• If the damage is strong, to get rid of the scratches on the furniture, it is necessary to grind the entire surface and re-make the coating. Begin with the restoration of color, applying stain to a clean tree. Make sure that the stain does not get on the border of the treated part and the old coating, otherwise - a halo of a dark color will remain near the repair site.
• If in the process of processing a larger amount of stain is ingested on the site than it is necessary, immediately wash it off with white spirit and allow the surfaces to dry completely.
• Do not try to achieve the right color at the same time. Strengthen the result gradually.

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Specialized tools from the manufacturers

The modern consumer industry is very attractive to consumers in that it is possible to select suitable means for solving any problems. No exception is the removal of scratches from furniture. If you decide to complete all the work as quickly as possible, with a qualitative aesthetic result, using professional tools for this purpose, one of the following options will work for you.

Furniture wax

If you are the owner of furniture made of particle board and MDF, then furniture wax will help you hide scratches on lacquered furniture. Buy the product in the store, picking it up under the color and tone of your desk or chair. The wax can be soft or hard:

• Hard wax is a little harder to buy and it is more expensive than soft, but this product 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, you need to remove excess, if necessary, grind.
• With soft wax it is much easier to work: wipe the product with a scratch. For more serious damage, the wax should be applied with a spatula, and the excess should be disposed of with a knife or a piece of plastic. After processing, polish the surface.

Furniture Bar

Furniture companies also face defects problems that appear even on new products during transportation or assembly. Specialists with minor defects cope with the help of furniture strokes. This tool can be purchased at furniture accessories stores. Use is necessary in this way:

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

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Removing scratches on furniture with folk remedies

Special construction mortars for scratching furniture are, of course, very convenient. But it is not always possible to acquire them, and the problem sometimes needs to be resolved urgently. For this purpose, folk remedies that will not less qualitatively allow to mask the defect and forget about it at all for a long time will do.

Walnut

You will need half the core of the walnut. Work through the problem at the core and wait for a while. The surface will begin to darken in tone to the lacquered tree, masking the damage. After treatment, gently rub the area with a napkin and cover with a colorless varnish.

Important! Strongly to press it is not necessary. The main task is to fill the groove( scratch) with the oils contained in the nut.

Iodine

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

• Take an old toothbrush or any small brush.
• Dilute iodine with water so that a solution of poor consistency is obtained.
• Apply iodine solution with a brush for damage. Scratches will turn a dark color and will not catch your eye.

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

Mayonnaise

Fat and protein contained in the product, promote the swelling of the wood, and as a result - the closure of small cracks or scratches. Use the product as follows: gently apply mayonnaise on the damaged area( the amount of product must completely cover the damage).Wipe gently with excess.

Important! Leave the furniture in this form for several days. During this time, the tree will swell and a scratch on the tree will disappear.

Vinegar and olive oil

Prepare the following mixture: ¼ cup vinegar per ¾ of olive oil. With this product, wipe the damaged area and, after a while, wipe it dry with a clean cloth.

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

Manufacturers have developed special pencils for furniture from scratches. Find a suitable pencil is not very simple, because the color gamut is limited. In extreme cases, use a simple pencil or marker of the right color. Treat the marker with minor damage, and then wipe the furniture with polish or wax.

Black tea tea brewing

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

Ashes from cigarettes

Mix with cigarette ash to the consistency of thick paste. Rub the resulting mixture into damaged areas. Remove excess material from the surface with a soft cloth.

Important! With toothpaste, toothpaste can also be used.

Paint for shoes or shoe polish

Nowadays, the shoe care product is available in a variety of colors. It can be used both in liquid form and as a cream to fill scratches.

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

Mastic of own preparation

In home conditions it is possible to prepare mastic on its own for removal of damages on wooden surfaces. You will need:

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

Make the mastic using the following recipe:

1. 40 g of wax is placed in an iron bowl.
2. Place the product on a fire.
3. Once the wax has completely melted, gently pour 30 g of turpentine into the container.
4. Stir.
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 cools down, apply it to the damaged area with a woolen cloth dampened in gasoline. Evenly distribute the product over the surface and rub it with a cloth until it shines.

We hope that our tips and recommendations saved you from an unpleasant situation, and you returned your favorite table or headset with a perfect appearance. If the defect is very complicated and yet the result does not satisfy you, then contact specialist restorers.