How to Repair Trim & Molding in a House

Furniture and pets can easily damage house trim and molding. You can fill small nicks and scratches with wood filler, which dries hard and makes the repair as strong as the existing wood. Once the filler is dry you can paint it and stain it to match the existing trim. Contact a finishing carpenter or cabinet maker to replace warped and severely damaged trim and moldings.

Things You'll Need

• Clean cloth
• Stainable wood filler
• Putty Knife
• Fine grit sandpaper
• Stain, primer or paint

Show More

Instructions

1. • 1

     Clean the damaged area with a clean cloth to remove dust and debris.

   • 2

     Apply stainable wood filler to the damaged area with a putty knife. Over fill the damaged area with the wood filler. Let the wood filler dry two to six hours until it is hard.

   • 3

     Sand the damaged area with fine grit sand paper until it is flush with the surrounding area. Remove dust with a clean rag.

   • 4

     Match the repaired area to the existing area by staining or priming and painting it.