How to Repair a Cigarette Burn on Wood Furniture

Finding a cigarette burn on wood furniture is upsetting to say the least. When careless cigarette smokers miss the ashtray or allow ashes to haphazardly fall, they can cause extensive damage to wood furniture, but damage caused by a careless cigarette smoker isn’t irreparable. If you have discovered a burn on your wood furniture, you don’t have to take it to a professional for repair. Although a repair isn’t entirely invisible, it is possible to successfully repair a cigarette burn on wood furniture without paying a small fortune.

The following information provides step-by-step instructions on how to repair a cigarette burn on wood furniture. With a few inexpensive materials, a little ingenuity, and the motivation to repair your furniture, you can restore it to its original condition. All it takes is time to sand out the cigarette burn, fill the depression, and a good eye for matching varnish.

Tips for Choosing Wood Filler and Varnish

To successfully repair a cigarette burn on wood furniture it’s important to match the color of the wood as closely as possible when choose a wood filler stick. Instead of guessing and making multiple trips to the store in an effort to match the wood, buy several different shades, and take them home to match against the color. Save your receipt, and return the unused wood filler sticks for a full refund.

Correctly matching original varnish is as important to the appearance of the repair as is the color of the wood filler. Oil-based varnish is available in many different varieties that vary in luster, so consider purchasing a few different options, and test them in an inconspicuous location to obtain the closest match. It’s worth the added expense when striving to achieve a professional looking repair.

Necessary Supplies

Besides matching wood filler and oil-based varnish, you’ll need a pencil or a dowel rod with a diameter slightly larger than the burn, fine-grit sandpaper, a small paintbrush, a putty knife, heavy-duty scissors, duct tape, number 0000 steel wool, and orange or lemon oil.

If the furniture has an obvious grain in the area of the cigarette burn, you might also want to try your hand at applying false wood grain after completing the repair. Consult instructions for applying false wood grain to blend the repair into the surrounding area on the piece of furniture. The flaw will be less apparent when taking your time and making every effort to hide the repair.

Procedure

Begin by cutting the sandpaper to fit around the tip of the pencil or dowel rod, and secure it with tape. Roll the pencil or dowel rod between the palms of your hand while putting pressure on the cigarette burn. Continue grinding out the cigarette burn until it’s no longer visible. Blow out any dust, and fill in the area using a filler stick, and carefully smooth off the top with a putty knife. Apply matching varnish of your choice, and allow it to dry completely before applying orange or lemon oil to the entire piece of furniture. After properly completely the repair and polishing the furniture, the repair should blend right in, and the cigarette burn should no longer be visible. The repair on your furniture probably won’t even be noticeable unless you point it out to others.