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Apply wood filler or putty to fill in a gouge or deep scratch on furniture.
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Wood furniture is a broad category of living equipment around your home. It includes chairs, tables, beds, desks, and free-standing cabinets. Because built-in cabinets are similar in design and repair, we'll cover them here, too. Sofas and upholstered chairs are fixed in a separate Fix-It Guide.
The components of wood furniture and cabinets include doors, shelves, drawers, frame, and finish. A furniture door is a swinging or sliding barrier that opens or closes to offer access; doors are attached with hinges and some use hardware to make opening them easier. A shelf is a thin, flat component fastened at intervals within the cabinet. A drawer is a sliding box or receptacle opened by pulling out and closed by pushing in; it uses runners or tracks on the bottom or side to allow movement. The furniture frame is functional, holding components together, and the finish is decorative and protective.
Repair a gouge in wood furniture:
- Using a putty knife, fill gouges or deep scratches with wood filler, slightly overfilling so you can sand down to a flat surface. Let the filler dry thoroughly.
- Using coarse sandpaper, sand the area nearly flush to the furniture surface. Finish sanding with fine-grit sandpaper.
- Clean away any dust with a tack cloth or clean rag.
- Paint or restain the repair as needed.
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Metal tracks in furniture drawers can easily be aligned, reinforced, or replaced.
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Repair a blistered or separated veneer:
- Place a damp cloth over the blister and apply a hot iron to steam-heat the veneer. Smaller blisters typically are removed by this process. If the blister remains, continue with the next step.
- Use a utility knife to carefully slit the veneer.
- Insert wood glue under the edges of the slit veneer, slightly overfilling.
- Use a small roller to force out excess glue and to flatten the area. Clean away any excess glue. Don't use a weight because it could stick to the veneer.
- Allow the glue to fully dry before reusing the furniture.
Reinforce a furniture joint:
- Disassemble the loose joint.
- Clean both parts of the joint of old glue or wood.
- Reglue the joint and clamp in place, following the glue manufacturer's recommendations. If the fitting is loose, add a small wedge of wood for additional support.
Repair a scratch or spot on wood furniture:
- Carefully clean the marred area with mineral spirits and a clean rag.
- Use very fine steel wool and high-quality furniture oil to gently rub the marred area, rubbing with the grain.
- Once the damage disappears, remove any residue with a rag or tack cloth.
Service loose, bent, or worn door hinges:
- Tighten the hinge screws. Replace the hinges if they are bent or worn.
- If the door still does not work properly, remove the door.
- Fill the screw holes with wood putty.
- Once the putty is dry, replace the screws.
Realign a wood drawer guide:
- Use a small square to check alignment of the guide; it should be perpendicular to the drawer front.
- Use recessed screws and wood glue to secure the guide. If the screws spin in the holes, use wood filler in the hole before replacing the screw.
Realign a metal drawer track:
- Remove the drawer from the furniture or cabinet.
- Inspect the metal drawer track for adjustment screws.
- Loosen, adjust, and tighten adjustment screws as needed to realign the track.
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