The word “veneer” has gotten a bad reputation for referring to cheap, ill-made, ready-to-assemble furniture, but this is really a recent conceit. Veneers simply are thin layers of wood placed above less-expensive timber or other substances. The most beautiful Hepplewhite and Chippendale antiques were produced with veneers. Whether you have a valuable antique or a treasured flea-market discover, caring for veneers correctly keeps them looking priceless.
Use a tablecloth or placemats at every meal to shield your veneer tabletop from water rings and spills. This also can help keep your veneer from being damaged by steam which can build up beneath very hot plates, which can loosen the adhesive holding the veneer to the surface underneath it.
Put coasters under glasses to prevent water rings. Water rings hurt bunker tables by soaking the finish and changing its opacity, much how cracks make ice cloudy. Dampen a clean, lint-free fabric with naptha and gently rub the watermark to take out the finish above it. Massage a tiny bit of oil soap or oil jelly to the mark till it disappears.
Put trivets under hot serving bowls to prevent high heat causing the veneer to blister. Ensure your trivets have felt bottoms to protect the tabletop from the heat and scratches.
Immediately wipe up spills, especially on faux wood shingles since liquids can seep through the top of the veneer and loosen the adhesive underneath it. Use paper towels or a clean cloth dish towel to clean up spills because a damp sponge can simply spread them.
Wash your table with a damp cloth if it isn’t faced with wood veneer. Dish liquid diluted with warm water is an excellent cleanser for non-wood veneers because it’s formulated to cut through oil and grease. Use a clean cloth and furniture polish to clean real wood veneers. Maintaining your table free of dust helps minimize microscopic chips and scrapes which can add up to degrade the finish with time.
Fix very mild scrapes and chips in veneers with oil shine. Rub it in with a soft cloth until the scratch is no more observable. Fix deeper scratches with a pair of wax mend crayons. Use a lighter coloured one to fill in the crack. Use a putty knife to fill the surface of the breakup with a color that matches your table. Hold the edge of a rubber scraper at a 90-degree angle to the table and then run it above the filled crack to guarantee that the repair is perfectly level with the camel.