Be careful not to pry the veneer too far up since you could cause it to break or snap.
Palette knives have flat, flexible heads so you can easily spread glue in tight areas. You can buy them from an art supply or hardware store. If you don’t have a palette knife, you can also spread the glue with a toothpick.
Push lightly for the first few times to help flatten large bubbles of glue underneath the veneer. Avoid leaving the wood glue on furniture since it will be more difficult to remove later on.
If you don’t use wax paper, the glue may ooze out and stick to clamps later on.
Clamping the veneer down ensures it’s flat against the furniture so it’s less likely to develop blisters or damage in the future. You can buy C-clamps from your local hardware store. You can use any scrap piece of wood as long as it has a flat surface and covers any section you glued.
Avoid applying firm pressure while you’re removing glue since you could scrape through the veneer’s surface and make it discolored.
Blisters occur when you set something hot on the veneer, which separates the adhesive from the wood to create a bubbled area on the surface. Always cut away from your body so you don’t injure yourself if the knife slips.
If you don’t have a wood glue syringe, you can spread wood glue with a toothpick or palette knife.
If any excess glue comes out from the slit, wipe it away with a damp shop cloth.
Wax paper helps prevent the clamps from sticking to the veneer if glue oozes out from the blister.
Avoid removing the clamp or wood block any earlier since the veneer could still raise off the furniture and form another blister.
Don’t press too hard with the sandpaper, or you may sand through the veneer and cause discoloration. Blow the dust away or wipe it off with a damp cloth periodically so you can see what you’re doing.
Painter’s tape helps form straight, clean edges with the wood filler. This works well if you’re fixing chips in the corners of drawers or along a table’s edge. You don’t need to apply tape if you’re filling chips that aren’t along the edge.
You can buy wood filler from your local hardware store. You can also use a matching-colored wood putty for this. [16] X Expert Source William & Shannon LatilFurniture Refinishing & Home Remodeling Specialists Expert Interview. 29 October 2021. Make sure to use a stainable wood filler if you want to match the color of the original veneer. If you plan on painting over the veneer later on, then you can use any wood filler. Work quickly after combining the wood filler and hardener since it will start setting with 15 minutes and be difficult to work with.
If you have trouble scooping or pressing the wood filler into the chipped sections, it may have dried out before you were able to use it. Scoop out as much as you can before combining more wood filler with hardener.
Wood filler may take up to 2 hours to completely set if you filled in large areas.
Be careful not to oversand since it will make the surface look uneven.
Try using a wood stain marker if you’re filling in sections smaller than 1 square inch (6. 5 cm2). You don’t need to apply stain if you plan on painting over the veneer and wood filler.
Be sure to use veneer that’s the same thickness as the original, or else it won’t look cohesive. You can buy new pieces of veneer from most furniture supply stores. [24] X Expert Source William & Shannon LatilFurniture Refinishing & Home Remodeling Specialists Expert Interview. 29 October 2021.
Diamond-shaped patches help you hide the seams between the replacement and original veneers since they’ll be at an angle.
Always work directly from the patch rather than taking measurements since you may cut the shape or position it incorrectly.
If you press too far down with the blade, you could damage the wood underneath. Always move the blade away from your body you don’t get hurt if the knife slips.
If you have trouble guiding the chisel through the veneer, lightly tap on the end of the handle with a hammer or mallet to help force it through. If you accidentally gouge into the wood underneath the veneer, fill it in with wood filler and allow it to cure before attaching the patch.
You can buy hide glue from your local hardware store. Avoid using wood glue since it may not adhere as well.
Wax paper prevents the hide glue from sticking to any clamps or pieces of wood holding the patch down. If you place the patch incorrectly, try lifting it out of the glue and repositioning it as soon as possible.
Make sure to distribute pressure evenly on the piece of wood or one side of the patch may set higher than the other.
