Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/Cigarette burns

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Expert: - 12/22/2009


Question

burns
I have inherited a Willett bedroom suite I would like to sell whenever I get the pricing info wherever that is. The triple dresser has recently been burned on the top edge 4 times with a cigarette and yes I am furious for it is in pristine condition or Was. Is there anyway these can be removed or repaired either by myself:( or a professional in order to get the price it deserves? If not, will I have to sell it like a garage sale item so to speak? Thanks so much.

Answer
Hi Marsha
So sorry this has happened. You are rightfully mad. I would be too.
This is pretty severe burn damage and it will be hard to disguise.
The E-how site details how to repair this damage.
Here are the instructions from their site (saves me a lot of typingLOL).
Step 1 Scrape the blackened wood out of the burned area, working carefully with a utility knife or razor blade.

Step 2 Sand the edges of the burned area with fine granite sandpaper. Dab the area with a cotton swab dipped in chlorine bleach to remove the last traces of blackening.

Step 3 Use colored wax or a shellac stick in a shade slightly lighter than the existing surface of the wood to fill in the damaged area. To use wax, soften the stick with your hands until the wax feels like putty. Tear off a small piece and work it into the hole. To use shellac, hold the stick over a smokeless flame such as a kitchen propane torch or spirit lamp, with a putty knife in between the shellac stick and the heat source. The melted shellac will drip onto the putty knife, and you can use the knife to work it into the hole.

Step 4 Fill the damaged area to a level slightly above the surrounding surface.

Step 5 Let the wax cool, and shave off any excess to level the surface. If you are using a shellac stick, scrape off the excess before the shellac cools.

Step 6 Seal a wax repair with a coat of clear polyurethane or spray acrylic. A shellac repair will only need sanding with fine granite sandpaper to finish it.

Good Luck with this.
Eileen  

Eileen Cronk

Expertise

Hi..I can answer most questions about the repairing,stripping and refinishing of all your old furniture and wood items(the things we call antiques)I can give advice about what to buy/avoid at auctions/flea markets. I do not give appraisals on antiques.

Experience

I have been refinishing antiques for the past 30yrs. While I have taken several courses over the years,I have found that "hands on" learning is the best teacher. Perhaps I can help you avoid some of the mistakes I made while learning.

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