How To Fix Nicks On Your Coffee Table

No living room is complete without the addition of a coffee table. It's a functional and stylish necessity that can be used to accomplish a variety of design elements. Need more contrast? Choose a darker table. Is your space lacking a variety of finishes? Using a coffee table is an easy way to present a new material. However, a furniture piece that sits in a living area is always susceptible to some type of damage. Whether it gets nicked by a child's toy or scratched by a pet, it's important to know how to fix your furniture rather than throw it away. 

We've found a few techniques to prevent any unnecessary trips to a furnishings retailer. According to The Commons Cafe, the average price of a coffee table is about $200 to $400, depending on how luxurious the material is. So, instead of dropping a few hundred dollars just because your table looks a bit beat up, we suggest taking a look around your home for a few inexpensive supplies that will have it looking brand new again.

According to Grain and Frame, there are a plethora of techniques available to repair different types of wooden coffee table damage. If you're dealing with small scratches, all you'll really need is a sanding sponge or block. But, you'll initially want to use something more coarse, such as sandpaper with 180 grit. As you softly glide the tool across the scratch, it's important that your strokes go in the same direction as the wood grain, otherwise, you'll end up creating more damage. 

Once your scratch has disappeared, you'll be left with a bunch of small abrasions created by the sandpaper. To blend it in with the table, you'll then have to swap out your tool with something that has 240 grit. Follow the same directions listed above to ensure you finish with a perfectly blended surface. After you're done, complete your project by cleaning up any dust you may have created. However, if you're dealing with a deeper scratch, you'll be surprised by the next tool we're about to show you.

For this next technique, walk into your child's playroom and pull out a box of crayons! According to The Furniture Specialist, crayons are a useful tool in eliminating deeper scratches that you can't remove with sandpaper. Due to the strengtheners found in the wax of crayons, they're able to fill in scratches without crumbling apart later. And don't worry, since crayons are meant for children, the ingredients are non-toxic, making them safe to use on the surface of a coffee table.

You'll first want to wipe away any debris that may affect the crayon application. Next, select a color similar yet darker to your coffee table to ensure it properly blends in — lighter colors are prone to standing out. Then rub the crayon back and forth across the scratch until you've entirely filled it in. Once that's done, use a credit card to scrape away any excess wax, as well as a cotton swab to smooth out the surface. This technique can be repeated a few times until you've acquired your desired look.