5 Tips on Repairing Wood Furniture

Gone are the days of finding cookie-cutter furniture in the local furniture shop. Let’s face it, quality wood furniture is expensive and not always easy to come by. Most good, wooden pieces are custom built or specially ordered for each person. People no longer want one style --  they look toward places like Makers Wood Shop to design showcase pieces that give character to their home and become a conversation piece. After spending the money for solid furniture, the last thing you want is for something to happen to it.

Unfortunately, despite our best attempts, signs of wear and tear or accidents can happen, leaving our furniture in need of repair. Before you groan thinking about the cost of repair, most wood furniture can easily be repaired right at home, for a very small cost.

You Don’t Have to be a Pro to Repair Your Furniture!

In the DIY era, anyone can do anything with a little help of the internet, right? Repairing your wooden furniture is no exception to that! The most important thing you will need to do is decide which approach will work best for the area you are repairing and then gather the supplies necessary. Sounds simple, right?  You’re in luck – it pretty much is as long as you have a basic understanding of how to follow directions and use simple tools.

So, let’s get to business with five tips on repairing your wood furniture.

1. Reinforce Loose Joints with Glue 

Oftentimes it is a simple joint that is loose causing you to not be able to use a table, chair, or sofa. The problem with ignoring this problem is over time, the one loose joint weakens the others and then the piece is unsafe to use. Instead, you can repair the joint with glue.  It is as simple as taking it apart, applying the glue, and then putting it back together. However, the way things should line up and the way that they do once taken apart are not always the same. It is strongly suggested that you practice lining the two pieces up before applying your glue. That way you know what to expect once the glue is on the joint. Let the glue dry for 24-48 hours before returning furniture to the upright position to ensure the glue has dried and the furniture is secure.

2. Use Steel Brackets to Reinforce Joints

Sometimes glue is not enough to correct your loose joint. This doesn’t mean it’s not fixable, it just means you need to take a different approach. This is especially the case if you used glue on a prior fix and then the glue wore out or didn’t hold as well as you had hoped. Applying a steel brace to the joint holds it together with a force that glue just can’t provide. It completely stabilizes it so there is no movement. These are available in straight, T shapes and L shapes in various sizes to fit every size joint. Once you identify the spot that needs to be fixed, you attach the bracket with four flat-head screws. 

3. Replacing Damaged Wood

Unfortunately, sometimes your only option with damaged wood is to do a replacement. Things like legs and spindles are not as hard to repair as it seems. The first thing you need to do is to find a wood with similar grain and texture to your existing piece. Cut out the damaged wood and replace it with new wood using either glue or steel brackets, or a combination of both, depending on what part you are replacing. Once it has set, you can stain or paint the new wood you just added to match the rest of the piece.

4. Touch Up Paint and Wood Filler

Sometimes all your furniture needs is a touch-up. This is especially the case with tables and other large surfaces that are very visible or furniture in high-traffic areas that might get bumped often. Wood filler can be applied to any hole or crack in your wood. Simply fill the area over the top to make sure you have enough on, but don’t go overboard. Once it is dry, lightly sand the area you applied the filler to, careful to not sand any of the wood that isn’t being touched up, and then apply to touch up paint to match. Let dry and you are done!

5. Gel-Staining Your Wood

When your furniture has nicks and scratches that take away from its beauty and exposes the hardwood, it’s time to take some action to correct that. With so many stains to choose from, finding a color to match should be no problem at all. Once you have that, brush the stain on, always following the grain so it doesn’t look awkward and gives you a smooth, polished look. Once the stain dries you should not even be able to see the scratches!

Repairing your wood furniture is not only cost-effective, but it also ensures the work is done to your liking and it is relatively easy. Have a piece that needs help? Head out and get your supplies today and go to work!