how do i get a cigarette burn off my wood table ?

Answer 1

remove the finish, sand away the damage, hopefully leaving a fairly level and not dented look, and then refinish. No short cuts there.

Answer 2

Many tables are a wood veneer over top of a composite wood substrate. Before you go crazy with sanding and refinishing your table, you should first assess what kind of material your table is made of. If you have a veneered tabletop, your options are limited and sensitive. The wooden veneer can be as thin as a fingernail, so you can easily sand through this thin layer into a unappealing composite wood (kinda looks like cardboard).

You should assess the extent of the burn. When you rub your finger over it, how slight of a burn is it? Can you easily feel it, or do you think it is deeper than say the thickness of a postcard? If it is very minor in depth, and more of a discoloration, you may simply be able to buff the burn out. You can use 0000 steel wool wetted with a bit of furniture polish to buff area. This will gently sand away the top layers of your table, giving you time to stop if you find yourself sanding past the Finish on top and into the wood (therefor committing yourself to resanding/staining/laquering the entire top of the talbe). You may be able to buff out the burn if it is superficial enough, other-wise you may have to refinish.

Another option you might want to think about is a touch-up guy. There are many very talented furniture repairers that can paint over top of your burn and fill it in to once again be smooth. Calling for a quote on your burn, and maybe adding a few other items that need repair maybe be the safest route and not find yourself in over your head on something little. Either way, at least you will have an idea of what a burn repair would cost, and therefore you have something to compare to before you commit yourself to something your not sure you want to get into.

Answer 3

If the burn is not deep, try using a fine steel wool (not the soap pad) from a hardware store. Rub lightly to remove the mark. Then refinish the area. Steel wool will not produce gouges like sandpaper.