Use sandpaper to smooth out deep scratches in cherry furniture.
Solid wood furniture is as durable as it is attractive, but even the careful and loving caretaker can end up with scratched wood furniture. Cherry is one of the harder woods, but even it can be chipped and gouged during everyday use. It's not hard to fix scratched cherry furniture. A little time and attention--and a few surprisingly simple tools--is all it takes. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Fill in shallow scratches with a crayon. Get a big box with at least 64 colors, then experiment on the underside of a chair arm or inside of a drawer until you find one that matches. Buff the crayon into the scratch with a staining sponge or soft cotton rag.
2. Purchase a furniture marker from your supermarket, specialty store or home improvement center. They are usually offered in three basic colors. Fill in the scratch then buff it with a clean, lint-free shop cloth to feather the edges into the existing finish.
3. Sand deep scratches very lightly with 220-grit or even finer sandpaper. Be very gentle and stay as close to the edge of the scratch as you can. Fill the sanded area with wax stain on a staining sponge. Rub it in thoroughly and buff it well with a clean cloth.
4. Strip very damaged cherry furniture with a chemical stripper. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and work in a well-ventilated area. Use a palm sander to smooth out all scratches, chips and gouges, then re-stain the furniture with water-based stain. Once you've applied enough coats of stain to get the look you want, let the last coat dry overnight, then seal the furniture with two to three coats of water-based polyurethane.
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