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1. 
   Michael_Richwine | Oct 06, 1999 05:33am | #1

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   Here are a few ways, all of which I have used at one time or another repairing furniture.

   Colored pencils are probably the cheapest way. Buy a set at an art supply store and just draw in the color and grain. This works under shellac and lacquer, haven't tried it under waterborne.

   Artists colors. Acrylics dry fast and hold under anything. You can paint the color on with a brush (thinned way down) and smudge it back off with a rag or fingertip.

   Touchup colors. You can buy dry pigments at any refinishing supply house. Mix a LITTLE dab with a few drops of almost any finish (I usually use shellac or lacquer) and paint the color in. Paint the grain in darker over the base color. This is my favorite method.

   Stain. Take some of the thick stain from the bottom of the can and paint the spot in. Give it plenty of time to dry before recoating.

   Whichever method you use, build your color slowly,in at least three layers, and confine your repair to the discolored area ONLY, working just up to the edge of the "good" part. Overlapping will leave a dark edge that looks bad. You can always go darker, but if you get too dark, you usually have to take it all off and start over.

   I usually spray a very thin coat of finish over each layer of color so I can see how it will look under finish.

   This takes longer to describe than to do. You can generally do this on bare wood to match the wood, or between coats of finish to match the overall finish.

   If you know what to look for, you can find touchups on most decent factory furniture that were done in the factory. Once you get the hang of it, it's pretty quick and easy to make "invisible", or at least unnoticeable touchups.