How to Repair Chewed Furniture

Chew Marks on Wood

• 1

  Remove splintered pieces of wood by hand.

• 2

  Sand the teeth marks with fine-grit sandpaper to flatten uneven or rough edges.

• 3

  Press wood putty firmly into the teeth marks with a flexible putty knife. Build the wood putty up slightly higher than the furniture's surface. Allow the wood putty to dry, usually one to two hours. If possible, choose a colored wood putty that matches the existing furniture finish.

• 4

  Sand the wood putty to smooth and level it with the surface of the furniture.

• 5

  Apply wood scratch cover to the putty to match and blend with the existing surface. Wood scratch cover is available as a marker, crayon or liquid.

Chew Marks on Veneers

• 6

  Heat the veneer with a hair dryer or heat gun to melt the adhesive holding it in place. Scrape the veneer and adhesive from the surface with a metal scraper.

• 7

  Sand the surface with medium-grit sandpaper to remove remaining adhesive and smooth the chew marks. Follow by sanding with fine-grit sandpaper. Clean the dust off the surface with a small broom or vacuum. Wipe the surface with a tack rag to pick up small pieces of dust and debris.

• 8

  Press wood putty into the chew marks. If larger pieces of the furniture have been chewed away, extend the wood putty to cover the entire area. Mold the putty with your fingers to recreate the missing pieces. Allow the wood putty to dry. Sand the wood putty smooth and level with the existing surface.

• 9

  Trace the entire area from which the veneer is missing onto a sheet of heavyweight paper to create a pattern. For example, if a tabletop veneer was removed, turn the table over, place it on top of the paper and trace around the edge of the tabletop. Cut the pattern out with scissors. Place the pattern over a new piece of veneer and trace the pattern. Cut the pattern out of the veneer with a utility knife.

• 10

  Apply a thin, even coat of wood glue to the surface of the furniture with a paintbrush. Lay the veneer on top of the surface with the finished side facing up. Run your hand over the surface, pressing the veneer down to gain good adhesion with the glue. Place weight on top of the veneer to hold it down firmly while the glue dries, usually four to six hours.