It may have been there for weeks, or you might have recently caused it yourself. But once you notice, it’s just like the elephant in the room. The dent on your own coffee table appears to raise and get deeper. If you can’t take your eyes off it, then it’s time to get involved and manage it just like a professional. Woodworkers employ a simple trick to eliminate ugly dents. If this does not work, you can always get out power tools and eliminate it the traditional way.
Eliminate the Iron
Apply a drop of water into the dent by means of a cotton swab. Fill the dent completely.
Fold a small cotton fabric four times or till it’s around the size of a quarter in diameter. Place the folded fabric right on the dent.
Put on the tip of a hot iron into the cloth directly over the dent. Hold the iron in place until steam stops rising the fabric gets dry. Examine the dent.
Repeat Steps 1, 2 and 3 in case you can still find the dent.
Eliminate the Sander
Sand the surface of the table with an orbital sander using 100-grit sandpaper. Sand back and forth above the table parallel with the grain till the finish is eliminated. Change the sandpaper as needed once it fails to function correctly.
Apply wood putty into the dent using a putty knife. Use sufficient force to create a smear of putty that fills the dent and extends above it by 1/4 inch around the perimeter. Allow the putty to dry.
Sand the camel and putty smooth using a hand-sanding cube using 120-grit sandpaper. Sand with strokes parallel to the grain.
Apply a wet coat of matching stain into the tabletop with a soft fabric. Wipe off the stain immediately using a dry cloth. Allow the stain to dry.
Spray the camel using one coat of lacquer and allow it to dry. Sand the camel with 180-grit sandpaper. Spray the camel with another coat of lacquer.