Anyone know how to take a scratch out of wood?

Question

I just bought a beautiful dark wood table & my kitten slid across it with his claws out...scratches all the way down to the wood...any suggestions...other than kill the cat of course...lol!!!

Answer 1

Here's a trick not too many people know. I just completed my woodwork course for my HSC and here's a little tip for getting scrathes out:
1)Grap a damp cloth.
2)Grab a hot iron.
3)Place damp cloth over scratch.
4)Place iron over cloth and leave for 10 seconds.
5)Repeat untill scratch is gone.
When you place the rag over scratch with hot iron the steam it produces pulls the dint out so it looks normal. I promise it works!

Answer 2

Depends upon the finish that is on the wood now as you could simply re-coat it, carefully, (Soft rub the scratches with light amount of solvent?) with the same kind of finish if the scratches are not penetrating into the wood itself.

Otherwise light sanding with a light sandpaper (120 or higher grit) and then refinishing with a coating.

In the second case, if the scratches are deep enough resanding the entire surface ensures an even-unblemished finish.

Answer 3

Quote from Al

"Here's a trick not too many people know. I just completed my woodwork course for my HSC and here's a little tip for getting scrathes out:
1)Grap a damp cloth.
2)Grab a hot iron.
3)Place damp cloth over scratch.
4)Place iron over cloth and leave for 10 seconds.
5)Repeat untill scratch is gone.
When you place the rag over scratch with hot iron the steam it produces pulls the dint out so it looks normal. I promise it works! "


I can vouch for this working as i too have used this method. The only time this method cant be used is if the furniture has had a finish put on it e.g. Laquer

Answer 4

Because the wood is dark it could be difficult. A dark wax could fill in the little gaps if you were lucky to get a colour match. The only other way to remove the scratch is to sand it back and revarnish.. sorry.

Answer 5

At a paint or hardware store, you can buy markers in colors of wood stains. These are real time-savers. They also sell waxy pencils in different wood colors, but I have better luck using thse on a bigger dent, not a long, shallow scratch.

Answer 6

you could try using a crayon the color of the wood, most of the time you can find them in a hobby shop or ask the people at a furniture store about it. But if they don't know where to find them your last place would be a hardware store. Good luck!

Answer 7

obtain a very fine steel wool and gently rub the scratch and then obtain some wood polish liquid in the same colour as your table and polish into the woodgrain.

Answer 8

I read earlier today that you can put a pea sized blob of shoe polish(yes SHOE POLISH) where the damage is and rub it in with a rag.
P.S. use clear shoe polish.
P.P.S. PLEEEEEASE don't kill the kitten, I'm sure he didn't mean to do it!

Answer 9

sounds disgusting, but use ash from a cigarette, rub it into the wood, leave a little while, then polish it off. My Mum swears by it!!!
good luck

Answer 10

Yes

Your cutting something strong on a chopping board on that table of yours and oops the carving knife you have been using has gone through the table and wrecked it.