Repairing Scratches in Wood

When we have pets, we treat them like we would our own children. After all, they’re special members of our family. Our babies! However, with pets tend to come household damages to our furniture, clothes and even interiors such as our carpets. With cats, those little felines LOVE to scratch whatever it can get its little paws on, including your walls. If you have claw marks engraved in your wooden beams, there’s no need to panic! We have an easy and more importantly, inexpensive solution.

What You’ll Need

• Fine Grit Sanding Sponge/Sander
• Matching Gel Stain or Original Stain/Finish
• Dry Brush
• Dry Cloth
• 2 Rags
• Paint Thinner
• Optional: Clear Finish

Steps to Repairing Scratches in Wood

1. Using your sanding sponge, lightly sand the damaged area. While doing this, feather into the surrounding area so you create a natural looking blend on the surface.
2. With a dry cloth, you’ll want to carefully wipe off any dust that accumulated from sanding on the damaged and surrounding areas to prep for spackling.
3. If you don’t have the original stain on hand, use a matching gel for the colour of wood you’re repairing. A good practice is to obtain a piece of matching wood and test your gel on that first.
4. Once you’re ready to spackle, dip a rag into a little bit of a paint thinner and wipe onto the recently sanded area. This will avoid blotchiness once you apply the stain.
5. Pour a small amount of gel stain onto a separate rag. Using your dry brush, dip it into the stain and brush gently on the damaged area. To test the colour, quickly wipe it dry.
6. Wait for the stain to dry and apply another coat. Repeat as needed.
7. Optional: If you’re unhappy with the vibrancy of the finish, you can choose to add a “clear finish”.

Damage caused by your pets can be stressful and frustrating. However, often times, these issues have easy, quick and affordable solutions. If you have damaged wood due to cat scratches, follow these simple steps and your wood will look as good as new!

If you have questions on how to conduct repairs or general home maintenance, Lloyd at C4U Inspections is always happy to give out advice using his expertise!

Need the C4U Eyes? Lloyd doesn’t break the rules for anyone and as a leading chief home inspector in BC, that means he follows industry requirements, government regulations and licensing codes of conduct to the letter. He offers unbiased, ethical and professional home inspections and building consultation services. Contact Lloyd from C4U Inspections today and he’ll be happy to help you out.