We’ve mentioned repairing damaged veneer on a couple of our recent furniture projects, but we’ve never explained exactly how we do that. Since then, we’ve received tons of questions asking for details. Some of you even said you’ve passed up gorgeous furniture pieces because you didn’t know that repairing veneer was an option. Well no more of that! Today you’re going to learn how to fix veneer.
So first things first. When I say “repairing” damaged veneer, we’re not actually replacing the damaged pieces with new veneer. What we’re doing is simply removing the damaged pieces and filling the missing sections in with Bondo. This will only work if you’re planning to paint the piece, as you cannot stain over Bondo.
Some links in this post are affiliate links, which are noted with an asterisk. For more information, click here.
Supplies
Putty knife: I like this inexpensive set of 3*
Bondo: This is the exact Bondo product* we use. We purchased ours at a local auto shop.
Sanding Equipment : A sander* or sanding blocks, medium grit* and fine*.
The first thing you’ll need to do is remove any loose or bubbling veneer. I use my putty knife to get under the loose sections and pry it off. You can also use a utility knife to cut out bubbled sections if needed.
Once you’ve pulled off all the loose pieces, lightly sand that area with a sanding block. This just knocks off any little splinters that might still be hanging on. When you’re done sanding, wipe it down to get rid of any dust.
Now let’s talk about Bondo for a sec. This stuff stinks! I only work with it outside because it really does have a super strong odor.
The Bondo comes in 2 parts: inside the can is a gray-colored putty. There’s also a small tube of red colored cream (you’ll find it inside the lid). This is the hardening agent.
Using a disposable plastic knife, I scoop some of the gray putty onto a paper plate. Squirt a little of the red hardening agent onto the putty and thoroughly mix the two together with your knife.
I don’t do exact measurements when I mix up my Bondo, but according to the company this is the ratio for mixing the putty with the hardener:
“For a 3-inch diameter circle of filler (approx. 1/2-inch thick), squeeze out a 3-inch ribbon or strip of cream hardener. Or, use a golf ball size amount of filler, squeeze out a 1 1/4-inch ribbon or strip of cream hardener. Filler should be a pinkish/salmon color when properly mixed, using red cream hardener.”
Important: Do not mix your Bondo together until you’re absolutely ready to use it. It starts to dry and harden very quickly and you have to work fast. If you mix it up before you’re ready, it’ll be hard as a rock within a few minutes.
Use your putty knife to smooth the Bondo into the missing section. You want it to be higher than the existing veneer so you have room to sand, but try not to overfill it too much. It does dry to a very hard finish and it can be a pain to have to sand a ton of it off if you just glob it on there really thick. You won’t have more than a couple minutes to play with it and smooth it out before it starts to harden. Clean your putty knife off immediately when you’re finished.
I’m going to switch dressers in this next picture so I can show you some mistakes I made on my first try.
See the little divot by the blue arrow? I didn’t put enough Bondo there and I had to do a second application to fill that in. And see how I just kind of smeared it on and didn’t try to smooth it out very well? It’s so much easier to sand to a smooth finish if you try to smooth it out with your putty knife when you first apply it.
Once it’s completely dry, just sand it and you’re ready to paint. And if it isn’t as smooth as you would like after the first application, just fill and sand it again (like I had to do my first couple tries).
Here’s a before and after pic of the same dresser drawer and the above photo.
I’ve used this technique multiple times to fill sections approximately the size of my hand or a little bigger. I’m not sure it would work if half the veneer was missing. At that point, you might be better off just removing all the veneer down to the solid wood underneath.
Another thought: although I’ve yet to try it, I’ve read that if you have a small bubbling section of veneer, you can sometimes reactivate the glue with a hot iron. It’s something I need to look into more and try myself before recommending it, but if you’ve used that method I’d love for you to share your results with us.
I hope you found this information helpful and you won’t be afraid to take on a gorgeous piece of furniture just because it has a little veneer damage.
If you liked this post, I hope you’ll subscribe to our blog here.
Or join us on social media: Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & Google+
We link up at these fun parties!
You may also enjoy our tips for painting graphics on furniture
Or our Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Tips.
I’ve got an old dresser that I was planning a re-do for and I’m so glad I found this tutorial first!!! This is brilliant!!!
I’m glad it was helpful! Can’t wait to see your re-do!!
Hey, just came across your page, I have a dresser that is not wood I check it like u suggested but in very good shape, I want to turn it into a buffet, but the top has bulky on the top. How do I fix that.
When working with particle board prices, I usually have good luck carefully sanding the damaged area and filling in with wood filler. If that’s not working you can even cut out the damaged/bubbling section with a utility knife to completely remove it and make filling it in easier. I do the wood filler in stages (fill-sand-repeat) until it’s smooth. When finished I would also give it a good coat of primer before painting. Hope that helps!
Hey Amy – your method is spot on with our method. It’s such a great way to save wonderful pieces of furniture!
Great minds think alike!! 🙂
Very useful information. Now I know how to repair my G-Plan work desk. It should still look pretty with a bit of white paint… Or maybe dark grey? Thank you so much for your generous tips!
Everything looks better with white and/or grey paint! Would love to see it when you’re finished!
Thanks for the tutorial and for showing a photo of what a container of Bondo looks like. On my summer list to re-do is a table with damaged veneer. I am pinning this so I can find easily.
Judith
You’re very welcome, Judith! Can’t wait to see your piece when you’re finished!
Wow this is so useful! I never would’ve thought you could repair something like that! Thanks for sharing this with us at the Merry Monday link party. Hope to see you again next week!
Great Tutorial Amy! You make it look so easy!
Great tutorial! I usually have my hubby do this part for me, but I think you have encouraged me to try it on my own! 🙂
Thank you for this-I have tried Bondo yet but have a piece that I’m currently working on that I’ll use to give it a go!
I have done a removal of an entire top of damaged veneer and used a steam iron. I took a damp towel and laid it across the top and let it sit for about 15 min. Then I applied steam from an iron. This helped to soften the glue. I used a wide (4″ razor blade type of tool-it had a handle like a hammer) and slipped the edge under the lip of the loose veneer. I then tapped the end of the handle with a mallet to work it under the veneer and pulled to remove from there. Still a labor intensive process, but it does work!
Thanks so much for explaining how you completely remove the top! I’ve never tried it because it seems like such a daunting task, but I can see where it would be necessary when the damage is too much for a bit of Bondo patching. I’m definitely going to try your technique!
So good to know, Amy! We have an old dresser with some damage and am totally skated to try it! I’ll have to get some Bondo and try it!
I have an old dresser that has horrible veneer on it that I’ve wanted to paint or do something with but I just didn’t know how to make it look pretty. This is a great tutorial…Thanks Amy!
I think this technique would be perfect for that, Sydney!
Great tutorial, Amy! My first son damaged the edges of our crib (and by damaged, I mean chewed the edges to bits). Right now I have it covered with a fleece crib rail cover, but it’s the kind of crib that can eventually be a full-size bed. The chewed up side eventually becomes the footboard of the full-sized bed. I’ve been trying to figure out how to “fix” it and make it look better when we need it to be a full-sized bed someday. This solution may do the trick! Thanks for sharing at Think and Make Thursday!
Thanks, Carrie! Edges are a little more tricky than a flat surface but it can definitely be done! My 5 year old didn’t leave a scratch on his crib, but once my now 2 year old got ahold of it it’s a hot mess of scratches and bite marks, so I definitely feel your pain :).
Never heard of Bondo but it sounds amazing!! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Bre! It’s perfect when you have a few missing sections and don’t want to remove the entire layer of veneer :).
Hi Amy, I just happened to see this post after starting a veneer repair yesterday. I don’t do a lot of this but your technique looks like a great one. I had just received some Country Chic Paint embossing plaster in the mail and it has a nice consistency and no smell! I decided to try to fill in the missing veneer pieces with that. I haven’t sanded or painted yet but if it worked, I will be super excited! If not, I’m off to buy Bondo!
I’ve been wanting to try their embossing plaster on a project! You’ll have to let me know how you like it and if it works to repair veneer.
This is super genius! I have a mini panic attack anytime I think about trying to refinish furniture, but your step by step guide makes it look easy! I’ll have to keep my eyes open for salvagable pieces I can try this technique on!
Thank you, just what I was looking for to repair the doors on the built-in cupboards!
I’m glad you found it helpful! Good luck with your project! ~Amy
help! what to do if you want to fix veneer and DON”T plan on painting? (will use stain or varnish.) do you have to replace the whole surface or is there a way to patch without getting into fancypants faux finish painting? becuase..i’m just not a professional painter.
Hey Mary! How big is the damaged area and what type of damage is it? Is the veneer missing, bubbling, peeling but still intact? Give me some details so we can figure out some options that don’t include fancypants painting :).
no bubbling, peeling or splintering. it’s more like the top part of the veneer got scraped off in a couple of places. I think I have two 3-4 inch long “stripes” , maybe a half inch wide, where the veneer was gouged.
hey, since I’ve finally got the attention of somebody who seems to know what they’re doing, I’m also going to be building this: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/444660163181823637/
using these: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/444660163181495563/.
any tips on how I should paint the vinyl?? i like the antique look but am new to painting.
I would fill in the missing stripes with a stainable wood filler. I like this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JM86LT0/?tag=canastrecraf-20. There’s 2 varieties of the wood filler I linked to and you can find it at pretty much any hardware store. One dries white and one dries natural (tan). I’d get the natural one since it’ll be closer to the color of wood. Wood filler can shrink a bit when it dries, so I sometimes have to fill, sand, then fill and sand it again to get a completely smooth finish. If you’re trying to match the existing stain, it helps to use 2 colors of stain. First, apply a lighter stain to the wood filler, then use a small paint brush to feather some of the darker stain over it to mimic the wood grain. This will make the patched sections less noticeable. If you want to re-stain the entire top a new, darker color, I really love General Finishes gel stain in Java.
For the vinyl panel you linked to, I would probably spray paint it, or if you want it to use chalk paint I would spray a couple coats of Zinsser shellac on it first http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009X8HWG/?tag=canastrecraf-20. Chalk paint sticks to just about everything but vinyl is super slick and the shellac with give the paint something to stick to.
To get an antique look, you can use a glaze or dark wax over the paint to give it an aged look. You can also take a darker color of chalk paint and water it down a lot, brush it on then wipe it off with a damp cloth. This is called a wash, it’ll leave a hint of the watered down color and creates a lovely aged look. Or if you want to distress it with sandpaper, you’ll want to paint it with a base color (that you want to show through the distressing) first, then paint it the main color. That way when you sand it your base color will show instead of the white vinyl (unless you want white to show through). Clear as mud? 🙂 Please feel free to message me if you need clearer directions. Best of luck and I would love to see a picture of your project when you’re finished!
As a previous faux finisher and all around D IY gal I save all those fake plastic credit cards that come in the mail. They are great for spreading putty, wood filler, resin, window glazing, plaster to fill holes, you name it. Much better than a putty knife as they are more flexible.
thanks for this tutorial on mending veneer. 1 thing though, any chance you can change the colour of your intext links, they are really really pale and difficult to read.
thank you 🙂
Hey Cherie! I’ve actually already changed the links to black in my more recent posts, I just haven’t had time to go back and revise all the older ones. I agree they’re hard to read and I need to find time to fix them :).
Hi Amy you should be able to change them in the style.css of the wordpress themes folder 🙂
I’ve tried that! I can’t get it to work. I even emailed the place I bought my theme from and followed the step by step directions… I need to look into it more.
Do you typically sand veneer before painting? Is it too ‘glossy’ for the chalk paint to properly adhere?
Any idea if Bondo can later take screws? Our movers broke out the attachments for my Vintage Sewing Machine by not removing them properly and now I have a machine that won’t sit in it’s lovely table! Wondering if I Bondo’d those holes, then rescrewed them, it would work. I don’t think wood filler is strong enough for this.
I’ve never tried it but I imagine it would. It dries rock hard. Much harder than wood filler.