Now that you’ve decided to start being a Doer, you’re probably noticing a lot of things around your home and office that are looking a little well-loved. You know the ones, the coffee table with a dent from having your son’s Matchbox cars dropped from the alien tractor beam, the dresser with the beautiful curved detail work around the bottom that has a few reminders of the times you and your sweet little cherbus were vacuuming as though in a demolition derby, or the dining table that you use on holidays that has a sweet memento of the day Aunt Shirley not only dropped the homemade Black Forest Cake on your white linen tablecloth and white carpet, but broke the antique crystal footed cake plate when it slipped from her hands and plummeted the 18 inches to the tabletop (not that we’re speaking from experience or anything).
Every piece of wooden furniture is subject to those little love taps and scars of their lifetime with their owners, past or current. The question is, what can you do about it?
Before becoming a Doer, you probably would be tempted to find a way to mask those dents with a beautiful vase of flowers, or laughingly chalk it up to Junior being a boy, or jokingly accuse Aunt Shirley of indulging in too much of the vino. After this, you will no longer need to make those comments to feed a therapy session, because you’ll be armed with the knowledge to remove those dents yourself!
The first thing to understand is that the dent is a result of the wood fibers being smashed.
The next step is to realize that if there is ANY finish on the piece, it must be removed prior to attempt any repairs at all.
The removal can be accomplished using the same techniques we applied in Tips & Tricks 2. Determine the type of finish using our solvents, then remove carefully – being sure to remove only a small amount around the dent if possible. Once the finish has been removed, let the piece dry thoroughly and then get out your clothes iron. Yes, you read that right – the clothes iron. You’ll need a towel, some water and, of course, power for your iron.
After plugging in the iron and setting it to High heat, wet a towel and wring it out so it is damp, not dripping. Lay the cloth over the dent and then apply the iron in a circular motion over the dent, using a bit of pressure. After about 3 minutes of using these circular motions, remove the iron, carefully lift the cloth – it will be hot! – and check the progress. It may take several minutes and moving to a wet portion of the towel to see good enough results.
Because some of the fibers may have actually been broken, the steam may not fully repair the dent.
Once you’ve achieved your results, it’s time to refinish the spot. After letting it dry and cool thoroughly (several hours to overnight), lightly sand the area using a grit 220 or higher. Wipe the surface clean of any dust and apply your stain, being careful to blend the new with the old. After allowing the stain to dry according to manufacturer specifications, apply your finish.
As usual, we recommend sanding with 220 or 320 after the finish coat is completely dry, wiping clean with a dry cloth, and applying another 1 – 2 coats of finish. Once your finish coats are dried, use a quality paste wax, apply and buff to protect your piece further.