How to Repair Chipped Paint on Wood?

We had a few pieces of wooden tables in our storehouse that my husband wanted to give away to a scrap dealer. I suggested we should get it repaired instead of wasting it. The paint had peeled away, showing the bare wood and they looked extremely weathered but I thought we could still repair or repaint them, so we researched a bit on how to repair chipped paint on wood. I am sharing my learnings below for your reference. 

How to Fix Chipped Paint on Wood?

It’s not complex to repair a chipped paint. You just need a few necessary tools to get the work done. Here’s how you can fix a chipped paint on wood.

1. Scraping and Brushing: Scrape away the loose edges of the painted surface. Make sure you’re gentle but put enough pressure to remove the edges without damaging the wood. Then, use a wire brush to brush off the remaining debris from the area to ensure the surface is smooth. 

2. Application of Wood Putty: Spread across the wood putty into the damaged area with a putty knife. Make sure you apply only in the damaged areas and not spread out unnecessarily. 

3. Drying Time: This usually takes 45 minutes to an hour, but it also depends on the manufacturer’s instructions. Let it dry completely before you sand off, otherwise the putty will shed off when you sand.

4. Sanding: You can use an oscillating sander to sand away the wood putty until it’s thoroughly smoothened out. It has to be flush and unwrinkled enough to apply the primer. If it’s not, it means the surface is damaged and you might have to repeat sanding or replace it altogether.

5. Primer Application: Prepare the surface for painting by applying primer to even out the surface. This is to ensure the damaged surface is blended in perfectly with the other areas for the paint to easily stick. 

These are the steps we followed to repair the chipped paint. I hope this answers your query on how to fix chipped wood paint.