Marquetry is a decorative technique made with veneers or solid wood, mainly using wood cut according to a design and glued onto a support in cabinetmaking or woodworking. Damage is frequent, as wood can warp, split, or crack due to heat and humidity in particular. To repair marquetry, follow our 3 valuable professional tips.
The necessary materials to repair marquetry
– Tracing paper;
– A pencil;
– A sheet of wood veneer;
– A sharp utility knife;
– A sheet of 00 sandpaper;
– A clean, thin cloth;
– Wood glue;
– An iron;
– A suitable varnish for staining.
What you need to know before repairing marquetry
If a heavy object has been placed on the damaged marquetry for a long time, the wood may be slightly dented in that area. Remember to get a thin, clean cloth to create an ironing strip. Then slightly dampen your cloth, fold it over the dented area, letting it extend well beyond, and place an iron on it for a short moment. The steam produced by the iron will penetrate the wood fibers to restore their original volume. Repeat this operation several times, as much as necessary, never leaving the iron on the cloth for more than a few seconds.
Steps for repairing marquetry
- Secure a sheet of tracing paper over the area to be restored using tape.
- Reproduce the damaged pattern on the tracing paper with your pencil, then repeat this step with each pattern to be redone.
- Trace the outlines of the design to be repaired on the back of the wood veneer sheet.
- Cut out the outlines of the design continuously, using a guide (rounded glass, ruler, drafter’s pistol…) to avoid cutting breaks.
- Lightly sand the edges to soften the corners, using a small piece of sandpaper.
- Very carefully and without damaging the rest of the patterns, remove the damaged piece of marquetry.
- Scrape off all remaining glue before lightly sanding the entire surface where the design will be inserted uniformly.
- Then glue the area to be restored evenly, avoiding any spills.
- Glue the back of the piece using a brush, without creating any thickness, and wait a few minutes. Place your piece and press firmly with the palm of your hand.
- Remove glue traces using your slightly damp cloth.
- Let the whole thing dry properly.
- Prepare a mixture of water-based wood stains that will allow you to reproduce the colors used on the piece as accurately as possible. Always perform preliminary tests on some wood scraps.
- Apply the stain carefully using a fine brush or cotton swab. Let it dry before repeating if necessary to obtain the right color.
- Once you have repaired all the pieces, you can use a special wood varnish to create a unified finish.
If you have a piece of furniture or flooring with marquetry that is more than 1/8 inch thick, you probably have an antique piece. If this is the case, don’t take too many risks, as old veneers were hand-sawn, while today’s are made with much thinner veneers, cut by modern machines. While repairing the veneer of a modern piece of furniture is a task you can handle, it’s better to leave true antiques to wood experts!
