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How to Fix a Chipped Wood Cabinet

January 11th, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments

I’m going to explain how to specifically fix chipped places on a wood cabinet. There are several ways to repair damaged cupboard parts that are real wood. The areas that I am going to focus are the cabinetry sides and frames.

Most cabinets that have hardwood frames don’t experience much damage in this area. However, if you do get a deep scratch, a chip or gouge in the face-frame, it can be repaired a couple of different ways.

Fix Chipped Hardwood Cabinet Frames

1) Go to your nearest hardware store and get some wood putty sticks. If it is a very small area that is in need of being fixed these small pencil like fillers work well. Usually small chips can be filled in with these colored sticks. You may need to purchase a couple of different shades to get a good match. Also, if you are having difficulty matching the desired color, you can mix two sticks together. These filler sticks cannot be painted over or clear coated because they are made out of wax. Because they are made from wax, you can expose them to a heat source and they will be easier to work with.

2) Purchase wood filler that can be stained, sanded and clear coated. Generally you will use 220 grit sand paper to work the area down flush that you filled in with the putty. This method is usually used on chipped areas that are large. A word of caution, make sure that you allow the wood filler to dry completely before sanding.

Fixing Chipped Real Wood Veneer Cabinet Sides

Both of the above methods can be used when repairing the cabinet side or toe-kick plate area. In extreme cases, you may need to re-veneer the entire cabinet side. If this is the case, a professional cabinet maker should be hired to perform the job at hand. If your cupboard is water damaged, you may have to replace more than just the veneer.

If you want to achieve professional results, when repairing your chipped real wood cabinet, then hire a cabinet company or furniture repair specialist. Learning how to fix a chip in a cabinet can be frustrating and time consuming. I know many cabinet specialists who will not get involved in this type of a situation because of the level of difficulty that can be encountered.

Categories: Cabinet Resurfacing
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