Expert: Kirk Ryan - 7/8/2008

Question
We have a ~10 year old Bassett Dresser and a scented oil diffuser bottle just
spilled on the dresser and the oil pulled the stain off (where the oil hit the
surface).  How can I fix this?

Answer
Sorry, but it looks like you will need to contact a professional to have that top refinished. They will sand down the whole thing and re stain it. You can try to re stain it yourself, but it can be tricky.

I would recommend you get a piece of practice wood first. Try staining that to see how it is applied. You want to apply even amounts to each area to get the same look. You will notice that it is like painting, if you go thicker in one area you will get a different look.

So first you will have to sand the dresser down. Sanding can be tough, you just want to make sure it is even in all places. Then you can apply a new stain. Hopefully you can match the stains. Someone at a local hardware store should be able to help you. I would take a picture of the stain, so you can show them what you need.

Good luck!