How to Repair Chinese Lacquer Furniture

Clean the furniture of any dust with dampened soft cloths. Do not saturate the cloth with water, and avoid using harsh cleaners on lacquer as they can strip the finish.

Select a scratch remover pen in the appropriate color. Use the pen for very minor scratches only as the color may not quite blend in, displaying a visible repair.

Apply a small amount of paste wax with a soft cloth in a circular motion to restore the sheen of the furniture. For deeper scratches, follow the next step.

Dissolve a tablespoon of blending powder into a tablespoon of padding lacquer. Mix with an artist's brush. Add more powder or padding lacquer as needed to match the color of your furniture. This process may require a little experimentation to get it just right.

Apply the lacquer mixture to the scratched furniture with the brush or some folded-over cheesecloth working with the grain. Allow it to dry overnight.

Examine the furniture in a bright light after the lacquer mixture dries. If the color is off, mix up some more blending powder and padding lacquer and try it again. Combine several colors of blending powder if necessary, and allow it to dry.

Buff the repaired area with fine steel wool if the results are too glossy. Use a very light touch.