Problem: I dropped my sander onto my freshly sanded tabletop. Is there a way to remove the dent without having to start over?
Solution:
Nothing lifts up little dents like a little steam. Steam softens and expands the wood fibers, allowing them to return to their original shape. For raising a dent, you have a choice of tools. Wood burning pens and clean soldering guns are commonly used and are good for supplying heat right where you want it. When using these tools, puddle a few drops of water on the dent. After allowing the water a couple of seconds to sink in, touch the tip of the pen or gun to the water and steam away the puddle. The trick with this technique is to not touch the wood with the heat element – you don’t want to scorch the wood.
Another tool and one I prefer is a small travel iron. Although it tends to raise the grain more around the surrounding surface, an iron is easier to hold and you can adjust the temperature, which reduces the chance that you’ll burn the wood. I set the iron to “cotton” apply a damp cotton rag over the dent, and iron away. Don’t let the iron touch the wood itself; it’s not as likely to burn as the wood burning pens and soldering guns, but it can stain certain woods like oak. After steaming the wood, allow the piece to dry overnight. Then lightly sand the surface with 220 grit or finer grit sandpaper to knock off any whiskers raised by the extra steam.
