How to Repair a Scratched Dining Table

No matter how hard you try to protect your furniture and your dining table, scratches are inevitable, especially if you have children. However, do not get discouraged over small or even deep scratches. They can be repaired. You can temporarily fix the scratches to hide them, or completely remove them. Either way, you and your guests will never know the scratches existed. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Small Scratches

1

Hide small scratches to repair the dining table. If the scratches are only on the surface, marring the looks of the table and not the tabletops smooth texture, repair the scratches by attempting several methods of covering the scratches.

2

Rub walnut meat into the small scratches, rubbing with the length of the scratch to fill and stain the inside of the scratches. Try rubbing a mixture of linseed oil and boiled lemon oil into the scratches as well to produce the same effect.

3

Color the lightened scratch marks with crayons matching the wood color. Color the scratches and rub the crayon wax into the scratch to prevent fading later. You may also try felt markers, shoe polish or dark iodine in a matching shade painted into the scratches with a thin-tipped, artists paintbrush.

Deep Scratches

4

Refinish tables with deep or numerous scratches. Sand the tabletop and legs of the dining table until all visible scratches are removed from sight and the texture of the table is smooth and unmarred.

5

Fill any deep scratches with shellac. Rub the shellac on gently, applying very little pressure with a lint-free cloth. Keep the cloth over the surface to prevent the shellac from exposure to air and clouding as it dries.

6

Repaint or stain the table with several coats of paint or stain to prevent scratches from recurring as quickly. Cover with a coat of clear polyurethane to further protect the surface of the dining table from scratches accumulated from daily usage.