Scratches

Scratches

Use the Table. Repair What Life Leaves Behind.

Scratches are part of owning a table.

That does not mean we want them, and it does not mean we ignore them. But a custom table is meant to be used. It is functional art, and real use brings some wear over time.

The good news is that most scratches are repairable.

The first step is understanding exactly what happened.

Start With the Scratch

When a client calls and says, “I scratched the table,” I ask a few basic questions.

What caused it?

How big is it?

How deep is it?

Where is it?

Is it in the wood, the epoxy, or along an edge?

And if possible, send me a picture.

Those details usually tell me whether the repair can be handled at home or whether the table needs to come back to the shop.

A light scratch in an oiled or waxed wood surface may be simple.

A deeper scratch in wood requires more careful blending.

Epoxy damage is usually a different repair altogether.

Light Wood Scratches Can Be Simple

For a light scratch in an oiled or waxed wood surface, the client may be able to repair it with the stewardship kit we provide.

Typically, that means using very fine sandpaper—around 320 or 400 grit—and working lightly with the middle three fingertips.

The important part is not to sand only the scratch.

The repair should be feathered outward a couple of inches in every direction so the surface blends naturally intothe surrounding area.

Once the scratch is no longer visible, the area can be cleaned and the oil or wax reapplied.

The goal is to remove the mark without creating a visible depression or hard repair line.

Deeper Scratches Need More Room

The deeper the scratch, the more material has to be removed.

And the more material you remove, the wider the repair has to become.

You cannot take a noticeable amount of wood out of one tiny spot and expect the surface to disappear visually.

The repair has to be feathered over a larger area so the table remains smooth and the correction does not become a dip.

That is where experience matters.

It is also where I would usually prefer to bring the table back to the shop.

We can control the sanding, protect the surrounding surface, and rebuild the finish properly.

Epoxy Is Different

Epoxy is hard, which is one of its advantages.

Most everyday use is not going to create a deep scratch easily.

But when epoxy does get damaged, the repair process is different from wood.

A very light surface mark may sometimes be polished out.

A more noticeable scratch may require sanding, refinishing, or another flood coat.

That is not something I want a client experimenting with in the house.

If epoxy needs real repair, I would rather handle it in the shop where we can control the surface and restore it correctly.

The important point is that epoxy damage is usually repairable too.

It is simply more involved.

Why We Provide a Stewardship Kit

This is exactly why every table leaves with a stewardship kit.

It is not just a can of oil and a sheet of instructions.

The package includes the table’s certificate of authenticity, information about its name and meaning, care materials, the appropriate oil or wax used on the piece, and basic supplies for small repairs.

We provide those things because real furniture gets used.

And furniture that gets used will eventually need care.

That is not a failure of the table.

It is part of owning it.

Do Not Panic Over a Scratch

A scratch is frustrating.

I understand that.

But it does not mean the table is ruined.

The best thing a client can do is send us a photograph and explain what happened.

Sometimes the fix is small enough that we can talk them through it.

Sometimes it can be handled in the home.

Sometimes the table needs to come back to the shop.

The important thing is not to start experimenting before we understand the damage.

Let us look at it first.

Final Thoughts

A custom table should be treated with respect, but it should not become something you are afraid to use.

Scratches may happen.

Most can be repaired.

The important thing is knowing what kind of damage you are dealing with and choosing the right repair before making it worse.

Use the table.

Care for it.

And when life leaves a mark, repair it and keep going.