Care and Repair: Can Non-Professionals Really Repair Scratches? Yes!
For some time now, a video has been making the rounds on social media that promises to show you how to remove scratches in wooden furniture by rubbing a walnut into the scratch. Does it work? Sure – for a little while. Other self-described “weird tricks” for scratch removal include rubbing the scratch with mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar, tea, coffee, and other foodstuffs. Like a walnut, they work for a short time and then the scratch returns.
Why do these “cures” seem to work? Most of the items contain oil that seeps into the scratch, darkening it (except for vinegar, which coagulates existing dirt and wax and carries it into the scratch). When the moisture evaporates and the oil dries out, the scratch will return.
Is there a way to permanently and invisibly repair scratches to finished wooden furniture? Yes. Is there a quick and easy way for vintage furniture dealers and homeowners to get professional results? No. But there are ways for non-professionals to repair scratches that give better results than foodstuffs.
Professional furniture restorers have special tools, supplies, and skills to spot-repair scratches and (in most cases) make them disappear for good. A substantial profit center in my restoration business was scratch & dent repair for van lines and furniture retailers. Nary a household move is made anywhere in America that a piece of wooden furniture doesn’t get scratched or dented. But what I did to fix these, you shouldn’t try. Professionals take colored shellac or hard wax sticks, melt the material into a scratch using a hot knife, level the repair, and adjust the color and sheen to match the surrounding area. Invisible scratch repair is a skill that takes years to master. You don’t want to test these methods on a nice piece of furniture: you’ll ruin it.
Are there durable techniques that amateurs can use to “cover up” scratches without doing permanent damage to their furniture? Yes there are. Below, I offer a few tips that will give you permanent (albeit imperfect) solutions to scratch repair.
Rule number one of scratch repair is borrowed from medicine’s Hippocratic Oath: first, do no harm. If the scratched item is a valuable antique (or if you think it might be) call a pro. Don’t risk ruining it. Also, realize that scratches are visible because they reflect light. The more light you have on your table/chair/dresser or whatever, the more visible a scratch will be. You might want to consider a few simpler solutions, like moving the piece to a less-well-lit location in the room, turning it around to face another direction, or covering it with a table runner.
If you’re opting for a repair solution, there are three “scratch” issues to analyze: level, color, and sheen. Traditionally, furniture is finished in three stages: preparing the surface of the raw wood, applying a stain to highlight the grain, and coating the wood with a clear finish. Which of these three layers has the scratch damaged? When you look at the scratch, do you see raw wood? If so, the scratch has gone through the clear coat and stain and into the wood. To mitigate the scratch, you will need to restore the color, fill the gap, and adjust the sheen. To the degree that a repair method satisfies these three requirements, the scratch will be invisible to casual observers (you, however, will always see it).
Let’s have a look at how well commonly available repair products meet these requirements.
Oils, waxes, and polishes
Oils, paste waxes, and polishes are thin, and don’t do anything to fill a scratch. Some of them – like Old English Scratch Cover – are a stain & polish combination that will darken and somewhat blend a scratch (on dark furniture). In general, these products are not a fix-it-and-leave-it solution; they need to be re-applied regularly to maintain their effect. Don’t confuse these products with one-step “furniture refinishers,” which are essentially lacquer thinner and will strip the finish from your furniture.
Coloring mediums
“Scratch repair” markers are popular, but not very effective. They will color a scratch, but do nothing to level it or adjust sheen. They are available in standard wood colors: walnut, mahogany, pecan, oak, cherry, and so on, but it’s unlikely that any of these shades will actually match your furniture.
Although they seem easy to use, a marker’s tip is invariably wider than a scratch, and rubbing a marker over a scratch may make it more visible, not less visible. So, when using one be sure to rub the excess color from the surrounding surface before the stain dries. Use a cloth moistened with mineral spirits (too moist will pull color from the scratch) or, in a pinch, lick your thumb and rub the excess color off. Universal solvent (saliva) is my preferred technique.
If you’re artistically inclined, you can get a better color match with artist’s acrylic paints. You’ll need four colors: burnt sienna, raw sienna, burnt umber, and raw umber. Squeeze a little of each onto a paper plate, and, starting with the lightest color, mix various combinations until you have a satisfactory match. Always go a bit lighter than the actual color because the paint will darken slightly as it dries. Use a fine artist’s brush and keep the paint in the scratch. If you make a mistake, acrylic paints are very forgiving and you can wipe them off without damaging the furniture finish (as long as they are still wet).
Wax sticks
Colored wax sticks are a favorite item for quick scratch repairs; they will color and mostly fill a scratch. A fast rub with a soft cloth and a little lemon oil will brighten the sheen if needed. These sticks are usually available at home stores under a variety of brand names. Online, search “furniture touchup products.” If you are unable to find a suitable matching wax stick, crayons work just fine; they are just a little softer.
To use, choose a matching color and rub the stick into the scratch. Of course, you’ll make a mess on the surface because (like the markers) the tip of the product is wider than the scratch. To remove the excess, you’ll need more than just a damp rag. Take an old credit card or piece of hard plastic and gently scrape the excess wax from the surface surrounding the scratch. Rubbing directly over the scratch will tend to pull the wax out, so be careful. If there are light scuffs from the plastic, rub the area lightly (in the direction of the grain) with a piece of 0000 (four-ought) steel wool to polish and remove the scuffs.
Wayne Jordan is a Virginia-licensed auctioneer, Certified Personal Property Appraiser and Accredited Business Broker. He has held the professional designations of Certified Estate Specialist; Accredited Auctioneer of Real Estate; Certified Auction Specialist, Residential Real Estate and Accredited Business Broker. He also has held state licenses in Real Estate and Insurance. Wayne is a regular columnist for Antique Trader Magazine, a WorthPoint Worthologist (appraiser) and the author of two books. For more info, visit Wayne Jordan Auctions or Resale Retailing with Wayne Jordan.
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