My veneer sanding blunder ended better than I thought

I got too eager and sanded through the veneer on a mid-century piece. A careful color match made it look like new.

3 comments

3 Comments

Cleaned the spot with mineral spirits to get rid of any dust. Mixed a tiny bit of wood putty with a drop of brown acrylic paint. Pressed that into the thin area and waited for it to dry fully. Sanded it down gently with 220 grit paper. Finished with a clear coat to match the old finish. You have to look close now to even notice the fix.

jake1891mo ago

Mixing the putty with paint is smart, but that can still dry a bit lighter than you expect. I always test the color on a scrap piece or a hidden spot first. Another thing that works is adding a tiny bit of the actual finish, like poly or shellac, into the putty mix instead of paint. It helps it blend with the sheen of the old finish so it doesn't catch the light weird. Letting it dry completely before sanding is key, I've rushed that before and it just gums up the paper.

thomas2751mo ago

Smart move with the clear coat at the end. I've found if you use the exact same finish as the original, like wiping poly over just that spot, it melts into the old finish and hides the repair even better.