How to Repair and Refinish Wooden Legs on Mirror

Introduction

If your beloved furry friend (either dog or cat) decided they wanted to chew through your wooden furniture, use this guide to repair and refinish your furniture rather than throwing it away.

Before using this guide, inspect the amount of damage to the piece of wooden furniture and assess how much wood filler, stain, and polyurethane you will need to purchase to complete the project.

You might want to think about bringing a wood piece with you to match the stain or have a picture on hand to match the color. Also, using gloves to stain the wood avoids your hands from becoming messy during the staining process.

There is an option to purchase the stain and polyurethane all in one, but be aware that this step speeds up the process, and you cannot remove the stain. Purchasing the stain separately allows you to add the required coats to match the furniture thoroughly.

Before beginning, make sure you have a tarp or old sheet underneath the wooden furniture to collect debris from sanding, wood filler, and stain.

What you need

Step 1 How to Repair and Refinish Wooden Legs on Mirror

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Inspect the damage from the chew marks.
If you have a mirror that is attached to the wood, be sure to cover the mirror to prevent damage. You can use painter's tape and cardboard to secure the mirror from damage.
Look for finer areas with smaller chewed up marks.

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Step 2

Sand and clean the wooden legs in need of repair.
Be sure to wipe away all excess dirt and debris before applying stain.

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Step 3

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Apply the wood filler using a putty knife or your fingers.
If you use your fingers, be sure to press the wood filler into the chewed marks
Then smooth over with your finger.
Wood filler does dry quickly, so work fast if you are not using gloves.

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Step 4

Allow the wood filler to dry (anywhere from 15 minutes to 8 hours).
Be sure to read the instructions on the wood filler for the allotted amount of time.

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Step 5

Sand the filled area that its height is level the surrounding wood.
Sand the wood filler until it becomes smooth.
Be sure to sand the wood filler to match the same height and angle of the shape of the legs or furniture.

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Step 6

Match the stain to the wood using a scrap piece of wood.
Minwax is the best brand to use with a variety of stains.
If you are not using gloves, be careful when staining because it can take multiple washes to get the stain off your hands and clothing.
Use gloves when staining.

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Step 7

Apply the stain to the wood using a small paintbrush.
Be sure to use a staining brush, you can find them in the aisle next to the stains.

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Step 8

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Allow the stain to dry (depends on the stain; oil: 12 hours avg or water-based: 3-4 hours).
It may appear shiny and wet, so keep the wood out of the way.

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Step 9

Repeat steps 7-8 for the desired stain.
On this particular guide, the staining process took three coats.

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Step 10

Apply polyurethane sealer and let dry completely for 24 hours before reassembly.
Be sure the read the back of the polyurethane sealer for the allotted time.

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