Help! How do I fix this scraped table?

fatbhoy

A table and chairs set that I bought secondhand has been scraped along the ground. Can anyone tell me, who knows nothing about things like this, how I can repair it myself, or get someone to do it, cheaply? I'd need the exact steps and materials, because I'm pretty clueless about it.



https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R4Q_AFfvKl6zBaDYlr2DaztcECckGTnS/view?usp=sharing

Zebbedee

It depends how perfect you want the finish.
If you want that scrape to simply be not noticeable I would gently sand by hand with a little bit of 120 grit paper first.
Then some 180 grit sandpaper and then 240 grit.
Then I would rub on some sort of similiar woodstain with a cloth until you get the desired colour.

fatbhoy

Zebbedee wrote: »

It depends how perfect you want the finish.
If you want that scrape to simply be not noticeable I would gently sand by hand with a little bit of 120 grit paper first.
Then some 180 grit sandpaper and then 240 grit.
Then I would rub on some sort of similiar woodstain with a cloth until you get the desired colour.

Thank you, that sounds like what I want. Can you recommend a wood stain, and a colour?

recipio

fatbhoy wrote: »

Thank you, that sounds like what I want. Can you recommend a wood stain, and a colour?

I would use 'Rustins scratch remover ' in a dark shade. Its great stuff and seems to melt the surrounding finish into the scratch. A polish with a dark wax would top it off.

my3cents

I wouldn't touch it with anything as course as 120 grit even 240, in the hands of someone who needs instructions is likely to make a bigger problem.

Why not just turn the table around so you can't see the scrape?

fatbhoy

my3cents wrote: »

I wouldn't touch it with anything as course as 120 grit even 240, in the hands of someone who needs instructions is likely to make a bigger problem.

Why not just turn the table around so you can't see the scrape?

Well, my idea at first was to just do something to colour it to match its surrounding area, and accept the result as being part of the "character" of the table.

fatbhoy

So, as an alternative to DIY, can anyone recommend someone I can pay to fix this a little better than I could? If you'd feel more comfortable PM-ing me names, I'd welcome that. It might be worth it: it's a lovely dining-room set (Willis & Gambier) that I got on adverts.ie for an incredible bargain of €120, between 1/10 and 1/20 of its original sale price I'd say.

Billgirlylegs

fatbhoy wrote: »

Well, my idea at first was to just do something to colour it to match its surrounding area, and accept the result as being part of the "character" of the table.

This might be your best first option. Try a stain that is a shade lighter in colour. If it doesn't match, you can try a second treatment. If you go too dark, it is difficult to "lighten" it.

Is there a bit missing or is it just scraped ? If it looks like there is a bit missing, then it might be veneered, and repair s a completely different issue.

fatbhoy

Billgirlylegs wrote: »

This might be your best first option. Try a stain that is a shade lighter in colour. If it doesn't match, you can try a second treatment. If you go too dark, it is difficult to "lighten" it.

Is there a bit missing or is it just scraped ? If it looks like there is a bit missing, then it might be veneered, and repair s a completely different issue.

Thanks, and thanks to everyone else: you're a very helpful group of people on this forum.

It's just a scrape: not too deep. Do you know where I'd get the woodstain?

Also, maybe someone knows how to get rid of this mark too in the middle of the table (on the right hand side of this picture). It's a similar stain to one that's on a cheap chest of drawers I have, which seems to have been caused by someone leaving wet towels on it for too long.

my3cents

Looks more like its scraped to me rather than missing veneer?

As an amateur job it would definitely be better doing little at a time rather than going over the top and making it too dark.

I'd go with the Rustins Scratch Remover already mentioned iirc its a finish that you can keep applying and then polishing over so you can keep darkening the colour till you get a good match. Its a surface finish so if it needs to be redone later professionally I don't think you would be making that more difficult.

However OP you know its there so YOU will always see it even if you do a really good repair job and no one else notices it.

Edit> I'd avoid using a stain that soaks into the wood because it might make any future repair work difficult. Best to use a finish that has a colour in it that stays on the surface and can be built up to the desired depth of colour.

fatbhoy

my3cents wrote: »

Looks more like its scraped to me rather than missing veneer?

As an amateur job it would definitely be better doing little at a time rather than going over the top and making it too dark.

I'd go with the Rustins Scratch Remover already mentioned iirc its a finish that you can keep applying and then polishing over so you can keep darkening the colour till you get a good match. Its a surface finish so if it needs to be redone later professionally I don't think you would be making that more difficult.

However OP you know its there so YOU will always see it even if you do a really good repair job and no one else notices it.

Edit> I'd avoid using a stain that soaks into the wood because it might make any future repair work difficult. Best to use a finish that has a colour in it that stays on the surface and can be built up to the desired depth of colour.

So I'll get this Rustins Scratch Cover-Dark. It comes in two shades: medium-dark (which seems suitable for my table), and light.

Regarding the polish, how do I do that? And what material would I use?

Also, does anyone know about the other mark on the table?

my3cents

fatbhoy wrote: »

So I'll get this Rustins Scratch Cover-Dark. It comes in two shades: medium-dark (which seems suitable for my table), and light.

Regarding the polish, how do I do that? And what material would I use?

Also, does anyone know about the other mark on the table?

Just use the Rustins lightly then when totally dry polish the table as you would anyway. Then leave it for a few days and if necessary use another coat and polish again. If you have to do the process ten times over a couple of months you'll get a better finish then you will by doing a thick coat in one go.

fatbhoy

my3cents wrote: »

Just use the Rustins lightly then when totally dry polish the table as you would anyway. Then leave it for a few days and if necessary use another coat and polish again. If you have to do the process ten times over a couple of months you'll get a better finish then you will by doing a thick coat in one go.

The only polishing I've ever done is with a can of Mr. Sheen or Pledge. So if that's what you mean for me to do, then how will the next coat of Rustins penetrate that layer of Mr. Sheen and into the wood?

my3cents

fatbhoy wrote: »

The only polishing I've ever done is with a can of Mr. Sheen or Pledge. So if that's what you mean for me to do, then how will the next coat of Rustins penetrate that layer of Mr. Sheen and into the wood?

I've not used the Rustins but iirc it replaced another product and I've used its predecessor. afaik The solvents in the Rustins dissolve the wax which gives you a more natural finish. Mr Sheen is fine.

fatbhoy

my3cents wrote: »

I've not used the Rustins but iirc it replaced another product and I've used its predecessor. afaik The solvents in the Rustins dissolve the wax which gives you a more natural finish. Mr Sheen is fine.

I'll give it a go. I'll come back here later with the results. Thanks!

CelticRambler

fatbhoy wrote: »

Also, does anyone know about the other mark on the table?

From the photo, it looks like a heat-stain. Some of these can be removed, or at least greatly reduced by gently waving a heat-gun over them (paint-stripper type, tip given to me by a professional furniture restorer). You need to be careful, though - too much heat and you'll burn off the varnish.

fatbhoy

CelticRambler wrote: »

From the photo, it looks like a heat-stain. Some of these can be removed, or at least greatly reduced by gently waving a heat-gun over them (paint-stripper type, tip given to me by a professional furniture restorer). You need to be careful, though - too much heat and you'll burn off the varnish.

Hmmm, I think that may be beyond my capabilities. I can probably live with it. Thanks though.

fatbhoy

CelticRambler wrote: »

From the photo, it looks like a heat-stain. Some of these can be removed, or at least greatly reduced by gently waving a heat-gun over them (paint-stripper type, tip given to me by a professional furniture restorer). You need to be careful, though - too much heat and you'll burn off the varnish.

Apparently, placing a white towel over the heat stain, and steam ironing it a little bit works. I'm going to give that a go too.

CelticRambler

Dry ironing. The problem is moisture trapped in the varnish, so the last thing you want to do is add more! The towel is there to absorb the moisture released by the heat. It can be any colour you like!

But using a towel means you can't see exactly where you're directing the heat or how much progress your making (like you can with a heat gun) so be careful you don't overdo it.

Zebbedee

fatbhoy wrote: »

So, as an alternative to DIY, can anyone recommend someone I can pay to fix this a little better than I could? If you'd feel more comfortable PM-ing me names, I'd welcome that. It might be worth it: it's a lovely dining-room set (Willis & Gambier) that I got on adverts.ie for an incredible bargain of €120, between 1/10 and 1/20 of its original sale price I'd say.

If you were to pay somebody to do an absolutely perfect repair job the cost would probably be many multiples of your bargain purchase price.
I would definitely have a go yourself using some of the suggestions on here.
You won't get a totally professional finish but it'll be good enough.
And it'll give you immense satisfaction and hours of story telling during dinner parties around your table.

tabby aspreme

Have you any idea what age the table is, or what type of finish is on it, oil, varnish, cellulose lacquer, or French polish. You could try rub some boiled linseed oil on the scratched piece.

fatbhoy

tabby aspreme wrote: »

Have you any idea what age the table is, or what type of finish is on it, oil, varnish, cellulose lacquer, or French polish. You could try rub some boiled linseed oil on the scratched piece.

I've no idea. Would the linseed oil do something that Rustins wouldn't? The instructions on Rustins says to apply, leave for a few minutes, rub, repeat.

What are the implications of the finishes you mention?

I've applied Rustins about 5 times so far this evening. It seems to be having a positive effect. I'll continue the applications until it looks well. When it's good enough I'll put up an "after" picture.

tabby aspreme

If it's oil , oil based varnish or French polish, the linseed oil would help.

fatbhoy

tabby aspreme wrote: »

If it's oil , oil based varnish or French polish, the linseed oil would help.

Help in what way? It wouldn't help stain it back to its original colour, would it?

Here's what it looks like now, after about 5 Rustins.

fatbhoy

recipio wrote: »

I would use 'Rustins scratch remover ' in a dark shade. Its great stuff and seems to melt the surrounding finish into the scratch. A polish with a dark wax would top it off.

Can anyone recommend a suitable dark wax?

Something like this, or this maybe?

tabby aspreme

fatbhoy wrote: »

Help in what way? It wouldn't help stain it back to its original colour, would it?

Here's what it looks like now, after about 5 Rustins.

It would help to darken the wood but it will not give instant results like a wood stain. Either of the waxes will be fine.