The elegance of timber furniture is unmistakable. Once placed in a room, it exudes a unique sense of charm that is hard to copy. New timber furniture pieces can be amazing conversation starters, and its natural material ensures that it lasts throughout generations with proper care and maintenance. But as with most things, usage over time of wooden furniture can show the wear and tear if one is not careful. Timber dining tables are no exception to this, as these arguably get the most wear out of timber furniture. But don’t fret! It is not just stripping back the finish that you can do to restore the beautiful look of your timber. There are quite a few methods you can use to remove or fix scratches on the finish of your furniture. Below, how to remove scratch marks from timber furniture, like marri dining tables.
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How to get scratches out of a dining room table?
1. Teabags
While you may be thinking – the number one rule of taking care of any piece of timber furniture marri dining tables is to minimise moisture contact, if you steep a black teabag in a couple of tablespoons of hot water, and dab the scratched area with a cotton pad, it can repair the scratches and help you rematch the shade surrounding the damage. Just make sure to wipe away the excess so that only the affected area is stained. Depending on how long you steep the tea for, and the shade of your furniture, you may need to reapply to get the right colour.
2. Crayon wax, oil-based craft paint, artist’s tube paint
Scratches can be repaired by rubbing a similarly coloured crayon onto the scratch. Rub with your finger to help blend the wax into the finish. If your marri dining table does not have a polyurethane finish, oil-based craft paints can work just as well to cover up the damage.
3. Instant coffee
Make a paste with instant coffee – the granules mixed in with the water will work wonders to cover up the scratch. However, you can only use this method if your furniture has a darker stain, as the coffee stains wood quite quickly and darkly.
4. Walnut meat
Something as simple as cracking open a walnut and rubbing it onto the scratch can work to remove it. This is because the oil from a walnut’s meat can naturally conceal damage in the surface of your marri dining table. Wipe away the excess with a soft cloth and the scratch should be minimised, if not removed fully.
5. Steel wool and furniture polish
Perhaps a last resort method, this needs to be done with care as if done incorrectly, it can cause damage to the surrounding area. Only use this method for oil-based finishes, as it will scratch the surrounding areas of a polyurethane finish. Use the steel wool to sand the damaged area as lightly as you can, and rub in an oil-based furniture polish in a similar shade as your wooden furniture, and let dry. To soften the shade, you can come back in and rub steel wool lightly over the surface to blend in the polish.
