Wood Dents
By: Amanda Campbell
Updated: August 30, 2010
If you have a dent in some wood furniture, don’t throw it away and don’t use it for scrap wood. Here are some quick tips that will help you save it.
All you need in order to raise that dent are several layers of fabric or some brown paper and an iron. First you will need to dampen the fabric or brown paper. Then just touch it with a hot iron. The steam will make the wood fibers swell and they will pop right back into place. You may need to repeat this a few times so that you are sure the dent is level with the surface. Be careful when you remove the cloth, because it becomes quite hot.
Once the area is dry, sand it thoroughly to repack the grain. If you don’t the area will absorb more stain and you will have uneven color. If you have a dent that is so big that it’s cracked the wood fiber the steam and iron won’t work. You will need to fill it with wood filler.
Remember a few quick tips can give you options when it comes to saving those old pieces of wood furniture.
Here are a few more refinishing and woodworking Tips
To remove grease and oil stains from woodworking projects, spray them with automobile starting fluid, which contains ether. The stains come off and the wood dries almost immediately. However be sure to always work in a well-ventilated area and use extreme caution when working with chemicals.
To keep your protective eyewear free from fog, try applying a drop or two of liquid detergent to the lens, smear it with your finger and wipe it dry with tissue or cloth. The fog is caused be tiny droplets condensing on the lens,
Use a charcoal white pencil, which is available at an art supply store when tracing a pattern on dark wood
When working with screws try a little rubber cement to attach the screw to the screwdriver blade. This will help you to start screws in tight corners and other hard to reach locations.
Don’t Throwaway Mixing Containers
If you have a cat, or eat a lot of tuna fish don’t throw away the food cans. They make nice mixing containers for glue or stains. Measuring cups from powdered detergent boxes are made from a solvent-resistant material and are good for stains and finishes. Glass baby food jars usually have tight fitting tops and can be used to store finishes or stains that evaporate quickly.
Comb Your Brush
After cleaning a paintbrush with solvent, comb through the bristles with a cheap hair comb. This straightens the bristles and removes hardened particles of finish left in the brush.
Here is a tip for squiggles on curlicues.
If you use too heavy grit of sandpaper on a palm sander, you’ll be surprised when you add the stain to your hard work. Little squiggles and such usually don't show up until it’s almost too late. Try stepping down a size to perhaps 220 and re-sand. It should disappear. Remember that squiggles will never go away on their own, you have to work to get rid of them.
Stain Before You Glue
Especially a problem on finishing rather than refinishing pieces, always remember to stain before you glue. No matter how fast you wipe off excess glue, it has a tendency to "seal" the wood and when it comes time to stain, the stain won’t penetrate the where the excess glue was left. And unfortunately no amount of sanding "unseals" the wood.
All you need in order to raise that dent are several layers of fabric or some brown paper and an iron. First you will need to dampen the fabric or brown paper. Then just touch it with a hot iron. The steam will make the wood fibers swell and they will pop right back into place. You may need to repeat this a few times so that you are sure the dent is level with the surface. Be careful when you remove the cloth, because it becomes quite hot.
Once the area is dry, sand it thoroughly to repack the grain. If you don’t the area will absorb more stain and you will have uneven color. If you have a dent that is so big that it’s cracked the wood fiber the steam and iron won’t work. You will need to fill it with wood filler.
Remember a few quick tips can give you options when it comes to saving those old pieces of wood furniture.
Here are a few more refinishing and woodworking Tips
To remove grease and oil stains from woodworking projects, spray them with automobile starting fluid, which contains ether. The stains come off and the wood dries almost immediately. However be sure to always work in a well-ventilated area and use extreme caution when working with chemicals.
To keep your protective eyewear free from fog, try applying a drop or two of liquid detergent to the lens, smear it with your finger and wipe it dry with tissue or cloth. The fog is caused be tiny droplets condensing on the lens,
Use a charcoal white pencil, which is available at an art supply store when tracing a pattern on dark wood
When working with screws try a little rubber cement to attach the screw to the screwdriver blade. This will help you to start screws in tight corners and other hard to reach locations.
Don’t Throwaway Mixing Containers
If you have a cat, or eat a lot of tuna fish don’t throw away the food cans. They make nice mixing containers for glue or stains. Measuring cups from powdered detergent boxes are made from a solvent-resistant material and are good for stains and finishes. Glass baby food jars usually have tight fitting tops and can be used to store finishes or stains that evaporate quickly.
Comb Your Brush
After cleaning a paintbrush with solvent, comb through the bristles with a cheap hair comb. This straightens the bristles and removes hardened particles of finish left in the brush.
Here is a tip for squiggles on curlicues.
If you use too heavy grit of sandpaper on a palm sander, you’ll be surprised when you add the stain to your hard work. Little squiggles and such usually don't show up until it’s almost too late. Try stepping down a size to perhaps 220 and re-sand. It should disappear. Remember that squiggles will never go away on their own, you have to work to get rid of them.
Stain Before You Glue
Especially a problem on finishing rather than refinishing pieces, always remember to stain before you glue. No matter how fast you wipe off excess glue, it has a tendency to "seal" the wood and when it comes time to stain, the stain won’t penetrate the where the excess glue was left. And unfortunately no amount of sanding "unseals" the wood.
