How to Get Nicks Out of the Woods

Furniture manufacturers, such as Thomasville, give consumers a care guide that includes the following tips for disguising minor damage by re-coloring:

* Use an artist’s brush or cotton swab to dab wood stain on the spot. Blot the excess and buff.

* Try wood-colored wax sticks found in the hardware store. If the color is too dark, use mineral spirits to partially remove the treatment until the spot blends in.

* Use shoe polish, but only on high-luster finishes; it might leave a shine on low-luster finishes. Use brown for walnut, cordovan for mahogany, tan for oak and neutral for natural woods. If the resulting color is too dark, use mineral spirits.

* Apply artists’ oil paints to the blemish with a cotton swab or toothpick and wipe dry with a soft cloth. Felt-tip pens developed to re-color furniture can be purchased at paint stores.

You can try your hand at re-coloring, but large areas might need the services of a restorer.