Wood has been humanity's basic building material throughout
recorded history. It's versatile, easy to work with, and unlike
money, it grows on trees. If the wood is painted, repairs are
simple. Dents or other flaws can be filled with wood filler, and
then painted over. Repairs to wood that's been stained,
varnished, or otherwise finished to show the grain is as much an
art as a skill. You want to repair the damage, but in a way that
blends in with the original grain. For minor scratches, you can
buy touch-up sticks that are a lot like crayons. Find one in a
shade that matches the wood, and then rub the stick along the
scratch. Repeat this procedure until the scratch disappears.
More severe blemishes might require a shellac stick. If the
surface is burned, scrape away until only bare wood shows. Mask
off the area and use a hot knife or soldering iron to melt the
shellac stick. It will drip down into the depression, filling
the hole. When it's dry, carefully scrape it down to the level
of the original surface a