Wood provides a stable and secure base for furniture such as chairs, tables and even pianos. To protect wood from weathering, moisture damage and other potential harm, some manufacturers finish their projects with lacquer, a thin barrier of shiny material that forms a protective skin around the furniture. Lacquer comes in a variety of colours, and if you have furniture finished with black lacquer you may notice that scratches, dings and dull spots are painful evident under direct lighting. There are a few methods you can follow to repair the black lacquer and return it to its original beauty.

  • Wood provides a stable and secure base for furniture such as chairs, tables and even pianos.
  • To protect wood from weathering, moisture damage and other potential harm, some manufacturers finish their projects with lacquer, a thin barrier of shiny material that forms a protective skin around the furniture.

Wipe down the black lacquer surface with a damp rag. Follow this immediately with a dry rag to prevent water from soaking into the damaged lacquer. This quick cleaning will remove surface dirt and dust and will expose the damaged area.

Fill in small faded areas of the black lacquer with a scratch remover marker. These markers are available in a variety of colours, so be sure to match your lacquer carefully. Colour in the faded area with the marker. Allow it to dry overnight and add any necessary touch-ups again the following day.

  • Fill in small faded areas of the black lacquer with a scratch remover marker.

Cover large faded areas and scratches with a mixture of blending powder and padding lacquer. Like the markers, blending powder comes in a variety of colours, or you can mix powders to create your desired colours. Mix enough powder and lacquer to create a black, paint-like product.

Paint padding lacquer onto the wood surface with an artist's brush. Cover the entire damaged area with new lacquer. Allow the product to dry overnight and inspect your work in the morning. Apply a second coat or touch-ups if necessary to achieve your desired look.

  • Paint padding lacquer onto the wood surface with an artist's brush.
  • Allow the product to dry overnight and inspect your work in the morning.

Mix powder and lacquer as before, but use twice the amount of dark powder to achieve a darker coloured lacquer. Using a fine-point artist's paintbrush, paint in the grain marks to match the rest of the wood on the product. Allow the lacquer to dry overnight.

Sand your repaired area with #0000 steel wool to restore shine to the repair work.

TIP

Find markers, blending powder and padding lacquer at furniture supply stores and some home improvement retailers. Excessive damage and deep scratches may require more intensive repair methods, such as burn-in sticks, which use extreme heat to remove scratches and dents. Do not attempt these methods unless you are unafraid of causing damage to your furniture or you have experience with them. Contact a professional woodworker or furniture maker for more extensive repairs.