How To Repair Wooden Cabinet Molding
Wooden molding can be hard to work with. It is made out of hard woods and it usually has a high-sheen finish. This means that dings, scratches, holes and dents in your molding can be difficult to fix. You can't just patch them with spackling paste and paint over them. The process requires a lot more patience and specific tools in order to look professional. The article explains how to fix hardwood molding blemishes on your wooden cabinets.
Fixing a Hole
If you are fixing a hole, you need to inspect it before you patch it. Make sure that the hole is smooth. You want to create a smooth cavity so the putty sticks well. If the hole has splinters or peeled paint, the putty will not bond well. The best way to clean out a hole is to just use the corner of a piece of sandpaper.
Also, make sure you use hard wood putty. If you are able to identify the species of wood on the molding you are fixing, look for putty that is made for that specific wood type. To spread the putty into the hole, it is often best to just use your finger. Push it in, so it fully fills the hole and creates a dense filling.
Sanding the Patch
Now that the hole is patched, you will need to hide the patch. You want to sand the patched area down until it is seamless. Try to get the patch to match the shape and smoothness of the original hardwood.
Painting the Patch
The patch won't look perfect until it is repainted. However, try to avoid just painting the patched spot. You should repaint the entire piece of molding. This helps hide the patch and reduces issues with paint not matching. Paint hard wood molding is also tricky because you can leave behind brushstrokes that look bad. If you can, you should paint the fixed area with a spray gun. If you are patching several spots on a door frame (for instance) it might be a good idea to do all the patching and sanding at once, and the painting the entire frame with a spray gun.
If your molding is seriously rotted or damaged beyond repair, you might need to completely replace the piece. This is obviously a much more difficult process and you will need to find the right replacement molding. Try to patch and repair the molding before you resort to outright replacement. If you have questions about cabinetry, visit McKoy's Quality Interiors.
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