Problem Solving: Patching a Damaged Veneer

So you have an old door and it's in pretty good shape, but the veneer has cracked off in a few places. How do you repair it?

I'm sure there is more than one way to accomplish this type of repair. This is just what we did and it worked pretty well, so I thought I'd share. I really think much of DIY work is made up of logical steps and if you can problem-solve and consult the appropriate resources for information, one can accomplish quite alot. It's comforting to me to think in terms of steps- it keeps things from being overwhelming.



First thing we did was square off the damaged area for patching. It would be next to impossible to cut a piece of veneer to fit jagged edges like this and if you match up the lines on the veneer, the patch will blend even better.



Then we cut out the area using a straight edge and razor knife. We carefully removed the cut out area for patching.





After measuring the area, we cut the piece out of the rolled veneer using a razor knife. Next we tested the fit.



The oak veneer we had was only 1/4" and the veneer on the door was thicker. What to do?



Our solution was to use wood filler to build up the thickness and then place the patch atop a bed of wood filler.

Here we were checking the fit of our precisely measured patch.

We leveled off the wood filler for placing the patch.



Then we carefully placed the patch trying to keep the level of the patch in line with the door panel.



After drying time, which is blessedly short with wood filler, we sanded the area using 100, then 120 grit and a finishing sander.



The end result? A damaged door is solvent again and the patch is barely noticable to the eye after staining. We learned after repairing this door, that if you can match up the veneer grain, your patch will be even more seamless. We've since done this patch a few times and are happy with the results.

Update on 2nd floor etc...

Last weekend, Steve & I worked on installing the stairwell railing. He used manual Jorgenson miter saw to cut the angles. And he installed the hardware. He stained it today and will poly the railing tomorrow.

I cleaned the front entry floor(see left) with an abrasive disc attachment on a drill and Comet. I got up the stains and paint residue, but I didn't want it too clean. After all, it's 100 years old and it shouldn't look brand new.

The only trick to this project was that I had to paper off all the walls and doors because the stuff splatters everywhere.

We also showed the apartment to a couple of youngsters and they absolutely loved it. It's a guy and girl and they've been friends since high school and now are out of college and 23 years old and moving to the city from the burbs.

I had my "quiet building" talk with them and told them some about some of our previous tenants bad behavior. Their eyes got very wide and they were sympathetic. They said they are computer nerds and the only noise they might make would be video games and they would turn them down if asked. I liked them.

We were trying to avoid younger people because they can be more loud we think, but they seem okay and we are willing to give them a try.

They haven't signed a lease yet, but probably will soon. I will be so relieved to have this task accomplished and am hoping for the best.