How to Fix Chips in the Veneer on Furniture

A piece of veneer furniture has a non-wood or particle-wood core and a sheet of wood covering the surface. With use, the veneer can chip and scratch. Because the wood portion is very thin, simply sanding will not reveal a fresh layer of wood underneath. Repairing chips in veneer requires some patience and care, but you could easily do it yourself with materials commonly available in home improvement stores.

Utility knife
Wood veneer
Wood glue
Masking tape
Wax paper
Wood blocks, 2
Clamp
Sandpaper
Wood stain or paint

Instructions

- 1
  Cut out the area of the veneer with the chip using a utility knife. You could cut out a triangle or a diamond, as long as you make simple, straight lines that you could easily replicate.
- 2
  Scrape off the old glue from the furniture with the utility knife.
- 3
  Place the cut piece of veneer on a new piece of veneer, adjusting the position so the grains match. Once you are happy with the grain match, tape down the cut piece of veneer.
- 4
  Cut the new piece of veneer according to the shape of the old cut-out veneer piece.
- 5
  Apply wood glue to both the underside of the newly cut veneer and the surface of the furniture, then put the new veneer in place. Tape it to keep it in place.
- 6
  Cover the patched area with wax paper or a sheet of plastic. Clamp the patched area, wedging a block of wood under each of the two jaws of the clamp.
- 7
  Remove the clamp, wax paper and wood block once the glue dries. Sand the edges of the patched area with a 120-grit sandpaper so it blends better with the surrounding area.
- 8
  Apply wood stain or paint to the patched area to match the rest of the furniture.

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