Home Garden

How to Fix a Crack in a Cherry Wood Kitchen Cabinet

Cherry is a hardwood often used in the cabinet industries. It is durable and provides a unique look that is favored by many homeowners. Unfortunately, it is also quite expensive compared to other types of kitchen cabinets. The high heat and humidity in your kitchen attack your cherry cabinets causing damage that will result in a total loss if not fixed quickly. Fixing a cherry wood kitchen cabinet means bonding the piece back together again and camouflaging the repair. Remember to cover everything in the kitchen with a drop cloth before beginning your repair.

Things You'll Need

  • Two-part epoxy in an syringe-style injector
  • Razor knife
  • Wood putty
  • Fine grit sandpaper
  • Clean, dry rags
  • Steel wool
  • Cherry wood stain
  • Artist's paint brush
  • Spray polyurethane
  • Rubber gloves
  • Safety glasses
  • Dust mask
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Cut the tip off of your syringe-style injector with your razor knife. Place the tip of the injector against the crack in the wood. Push the plunger of the injector and drag it along the crack to fill the gap with epoxy. Leave a 1/16 inch space between the surface of the epoxy and the surface of the wood. Let the epoxy dry for one hour.

    • 2

      Roll a quarter-sized piece of wood putty between your hands into the shape of a pencil. Push the wood putty into the gap above the epoxy. Let the putty dry for an hour. Add more putty wherever it shrinks below the surface of the wood. Let the new layer of putty dry for one hour.

    • 3

      Sand the entire area with fine grit sandpaper with the grain of the wood. Wipe away the dust with a clean, dry rag. Rub the repair and the surrounding area with steel wool. Wipe away the dust.

    • 4

      Apply a coat of cherry wood stain to the dried wood putty with your artist's paint brush following the grain of the wood. Let the stain dry for a half hour.

    • 5

      Apply a coat of cherry finish to the entire sanded area. Follow the grain of the wood with your paint brush. Let the stain dry for a full hour.

    • 6

      Blend the new finish with the old by rubbing steel wool along the edges of the repair. Rub gently to avoid removing too much stain and exposing the bare wood. Remember to always follow the wood grain.

    • 7

      Wipe the repair area with a clean rag to remove any dust or debris. Spray polyurethane onto the entire repair area. Coat the wood using short busts of spray while moving the can along the length of the repair.