Help needed to rescue piece of furniture marked badly on top

juliebunny

Thanks for reading!


So I'm finally getting round to sorting out the JUNK room and want to make it into my little Oasis of calm so I can do crafts, reading and work there.


Unfortunately I have this beech effect cabinet and on unstacking all the junk piled on top of it, the top is very badly marked. I really don't want to have to replace it, seems a waste. I would welcome any ideas on how to make some sort of new top for it?


It's nothing fancy, very like this item: http://www.argos.co.uk/product/6173481


I actually have 2 of them which I was handed down by family and both tops are marked, but one very badly. Obviously I'll have to match up both!

bouicca21

What sort of mark?

euronorris

We had an ikea coffee table that was badly marked on the top. I bought some recycled black leather from ebay, cut it to size and then glued it on top. Looks great and is still going years later!

PollyWollyDoodle

I think we need more information about what sort of mark - heat rings from hot cups, stains, water damage or actual bits gouged out? It also depends what effect you want, for example if you're prepared to paint them then you have more options.

If it's like the one you linked to then if it's melamine or similar (not actual wood) then your options are probably to paint it or cover it in some way.

Working_Mum

You could cover in a nice piece of wrapping paper or sticky back plastic and pop a glass sheet over it to protect the surface. You could place a nice lace doily over it and cover in a piece of glass to protect the top from future scratches etc.

I used a silk scarf underneath a glass top of a Lloyd Loom laundry basket and that looked nice.

I think it is MDF so maybe spray the top with a colour which suits your colour scheme. The leather is a good idea as that is hardwearing.

Do you like to change things up a bit? If so go for something you can change as and when you fell it.

-taff

That stuff is not real wood so sanding is out of the question. I'd do as above and cover it with something. A leather top with fine bead edging would look good.

juliebunny

Wow there are some great suggestions here!


I honestly dont know what the marks are, more like some sort of water damage than anything else (can't figure out how though?!) but the covering has perished although doesn't seem to be dented.


I like the ideas of attaching a new covering, (although I'm not really a leather kind of girl, and vegetarian, more silver butterflies and flowers LOL) rather than spraying as I find that can be hard to match in with the rest of the unit plus I'm very clumsy and not at all arty. Covering with glass would be fantastic, I'd like to get that done for my bedroom furniture to protect that from damage too. Wanders off to Google places nearby to get this done....


I've got a friend who uses wrapping paper to cover things a lot, but didn't think of this in this instance as was thinking wouldn't be durable, but with a glass cover, it could work.


I don't want to paint the whole units as I have other furniture which matches it.


Working mum - wow those laundry baskets bring back some memories! I'm definitely going to be looking for pretty baskets to put along the top, so whatever I do will be partially covered anyway.

dreaming

Glass would be lovely but can but quite expensive to have the edges rounded etc. A couple of coats of varnish on top of wrapping paper or decoupage would work as well.

maman

dreaming wrote: »

Glass would be lovely but can but quite expensive to have the edges rounded etc. A couple of coats of varnish on top of wrapping paper or decoupage would work as well.

You might be able to buy cheap clip frames from Ikea or similar and use the Perspex sheet as a cover for the wrapping paper underneath.


I'd wait until you've got the room as you want it and decorated then match up to your colour scheme.


You could even just put your pretty baskets on top to cover the marks!:rotfl:

bouicca21

If you use glass then it really needs to be toughened glass. I've bought toughened glass cut to size from a local glass shop and used it to protect the tops of my bedside cupboards. But they are solid wood and I'm not sure it would be worth it for MDF, so I vote pretty baskets.

MandM90

What about some fablon from Wilko? Either wood or a pretty pattern. E.g.:

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/decorating-diy/wall-coverings/sticky-back-plastic/c/501