Repairing Dented Wood

Repairing dented wood is one of those do it yourself projects that tends to confuse people. The reason that it is so confusing is that while the overall project is relatively easy, most people aren't really happy with the results. While it is true that you can remove most of the dent, you won't really get a seamless result. Simply put, this means that while most of the damage will be gone, you can still tell where a problem was if you look close.

• Pull it out. Most dents, whether they be in wood or some other kind of material, are typically caused by something hitting a single spot. If a dent appears in metal a common repair method would be to pull the dent out, well you can do that with wood as well. In order to raise the compressed area of wood, you will need to use some steam. Place a damp or wet towel over the dented area, and then lay a hot iron on the wood. Allow the iron to sit for at least five minutes, and then take a look. If the dent still remains, replace the iron and towel, and allow it to sit for another 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat the process, checking periodically, until the dent has been removed. Allow the area to dry before you do any additional work.
• Fill it in. If the "dented" wood looks to be more like something sharp (such as a knife, screwdriver, etc.) hit the surface, you may need to fill the area in instead of pulling it out. To do this you will need to use a filler material such as epoxy putty. This material is designed to be shaped, molded, or even sculpted as it fills in the missing area. In a lot of ways, this material is like auto body filler, and can actually be treated much the same. Simply sculpt it into the area that you want it to, and then allow it to dry.
• Either way, refinish the area. Regardless of the method you use, once the area is dried you will need to do a bit of sanding. The sanding will allow you to ensure that the area you just repaired is completely level, and at the same time preparing the area for painting, sealing, or otherwise refinishing.

While these methods for repairing dented wood will also work on other types of damage, there is a limit to what they can do. For particularly extensive damage, you will either need to consider other possible methods. These other methods can include replacing the damaged section of wood, refinishing, resurfacing, or any combination of these and other methods.