How to fix dent in edge of dinner table?

[chickensoup64]

The edge of our dinner was dented while moving furniture around and it is quite visible. There appears to be a slight dent and some minor splinting, along with the coating removed (doesn't look like paint, maybe veneer? This set was just from Harvey Norman). The dent isn't very long or deep, a picture has a drink coaster next to it for reference.

I'd like to at least remove the splinted wood and dent. I'd imagine painting such a small patch might be difficult to look right and honestly I'd be ok with even a marker to colour over it so that it's overall less visible to the eye. 

Thought I'd ask for feedback before I try to sand the splinter away and make things worse. 

How can I fix this the correct way so it looks as close as possible to original condition?

[MitchellMc · Accepted solution]

Hi @chickensoup64,

You can lightly sand away the splinter with 240-grit sandpaper to smooth the area. Be gentle to avoid making the dent worse. Filling the dent might make it more noticeable, as it can be tricky to get the repair to blend in with the surrounding wood. Instead, your idea of using a marker is a good one, or you could consider Waxstix crayons. These are excellent for recolouring damaged timber, and they can help disguise the dent and splinter while blending the repair with the rest of the surface. 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[chickensoup64]

Thanks @MitchellMc for the response. 

I've never heard of the waxstix so I'll look into them. Do you know if there is anything specific to look for so that the finish closely matches the colour and sheen of the table top?

Regarding filling the dent, instead would the iron and damp cloth trick be useful here to make it pop back into place?

I think it's gotta be less than 1mm of indentation here and more likely the colour finishing has come off

[MitchellMc]

You can certainly try the iron and damp cloth method @chickensoup64. I've found that in most cases it with help.

With the Waxstix, you'd select the colour that most closely resembles the finish of the table. That would potentially be Ebony, but it's hard to tell through images. There will be a slight sheen from the crayons, but it would be worth doing a test section, perhaps under the table, to see how closely they match.

Mitchell

[chickensoup64]

@MitchellMc you're a legend! The waxstix was the trick and with an extra little dab of a marker rubbed on top to darken. Attached a photo of the result.

Sharing for others: I ended up melting and dripping the wax to get in the crevice a bit more due to the table design have small ridges throughout. 

I also forgot to lightly sand the surface but seemed to be fine anyway.

(No idea what that other discoloured stripe next to it is but that's a separate issue, so don't look)

[MitchellMc]

Love your work, @chickensoup64!

Many thanks for the update and well done.

Mitchell