Repairing Damaged Cabinet Wood

Repairs to the cabinet itself depend on whether the damage is structural–say, at a hinge location–or cosmetic, such as on a door face or visible part of the cabinet carcass. Structural repairs are easiest if the wood has cracked or even split away.

If it’s a clean break, a little wood glue can make the repair area stronger than the original piece. If a chunk has been gouged out, or the wood is shattered beyond reassembly, you can often fix it in one of two ways:

1) Cut a new piece of the same size and the same wood species, if possible, and mechanically fasten it with dowels, screws, glue, or whatever means is most effective. Carpenters call this replacement piece a “dutchman.”A piece that’s slightly oversized can be sanded down to match the original, and if the cabinet is stained or painted you may be able to do some artistic retouching to blend it all together and make the repair nearly invisible.

2) Use an epoxy wood repair kit to fill the damaged area, and then sand and stain or paint to match. This material works amazingly well and the repair is often as strong as the wood. An added benefit is that the epoxy filler is also waterproof, so it can be used where the original wood damage was caused by wet conditions.

If the damage is to an area that’s prominently visible, it may be difficult to do a “seamless” repair. Small nicks and chips can be filled with plastic wood filler. This is sold in colors to match most wood stains, and it’s available in putty consistency or in wax-like sticks. Experiment blending and color-matching in an unseen area before attempting a repair on a cabinet face.

Taken From www.hometips.com.