Repair Your Scratched Butcher Blocks With A Tool You Already Own

Butcher block is a great kitchen countertop option for budget-conscious homeowners who also want a stylish kitchen. If you are considering this option, there are a few things you should know about butcher block — not the least of which is that wood countertops are easy to ding and scratch. Still, if you really want the warm look of butcher block in your kitchen, all is not lost.

Butcher block may be easy to damage, but it can also be easy to fix. Regular maintenance will help keep your countertops in tip-top condition, as does sealing butcherblock with a natural finish like tung oil. However, even if you scratch or dent your counter there is a quick easy fix that uses nothing more than a damp towel and an iron.

Place a damp towel over the scratch or dent you are targeting, heat up your iron, and apply heat for about 20 seconds. Be careful not to burn your countertops, and check in regularly to see if your problem spot has disappeared. That's it! This fix is that simple.

Fixing damaged countertops with nothing more than common household items may seem too good to be true, but it's not. This really works! In fact, there is science behind it.

As woodworkers know, heat and humidity make wood swell. This is one of the things you should consider before installing wood floors in your home and you may want to think about the impact of humidity before installing those butcher block countertops in the first place. However, if you already have scratches or dents in your countertops all you have to do is strategically apply heat and humidity to your imperfections to make the wood swell and fill in the gaps.

Simply put, using an iron to fix your butcher block is like pulling a dent out of it. You may need to sand the surface after the fact to completely remove any evidence of the previous marks, or you can leave them to provide a little character. It's all about your personal preference. If you sand, you may need to reapply your chosen finish, so keep that in mind.

Now that you know this easy hack to fix scratches and dents in wood, you may be eager to use it all the time — and you can! Remember we mentioned that wood floors can swell and warp? Well, they can also be easily scratched and dented, especially if you have softer wood floors. The good news is you can use this same hack on any scratches and dents that happen over the years. This process won't be quite as easy, as you may need to remove the polyurethane finish, sand, and ultimately refinish your floors. Still, it's possible.

From cutting boards to trim to furniture, now that you know all you need is an iron and a damp towel to fix small dings and scratches in wood you will be searching your house for things to fix. For some items, it may not be worth it to remove the finish just to fix a scratch. So, you may find these other ideas to erase scratches from wood useful. Before you know it, all the wood in your house will look brand new.