Fixing dents and replacing latch on wooden chest?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Fixing dents and replacing latch on wooden chest?
Hi!
I bought this used wooden chest at a nice discount.
How do you recommend fixing the dents? Should I sand down the splintered wood, try to match the stain and then stain just the visible unstained wood?

How do you recommend replacing the missing latch? I would try to match the latch and then screw it in, but since there are no screw holes I'm not sure how the original latch would have been attached. I'm also not sure if there was ever a latch since the metal doesn't seem to have any broken edges and there are no holes.

Thank you!
I bought this used wooden chest at a nice discount.
How do you recommend fixing the dents? Should I sand down the splintered wood, try to match the stain and then stain just the visible unstained wood?

How do you recommend replacing the missing latch? I would try to match the latch and then screw it in, but since there are no screw holes I'm not sure how the original latch would have been attached. I'm also not sure if there was ever a latch since the metal doesn't seem to have any broken edges and there are no holes.

Thank you!
#2
If this is an older chest, then I would sand down the boogers and restain and poly for protection. As far as the latch, it would be an historical replacement, and a little research would be in order. Is it an antique? Is there history to it? Small tight pictures don't tell us much.
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Thank you for your reply!
There's no history to the chest. It's a newly made chest that would have sold at a medium tier furniture like crate and barrel but it was either damaged on the floor or during a delivery so the original buyer returned it.
Here are bigger versions of the pics.

There's no history to the chest. It's a newly made chest that would have sold at a medium tier furniture like crate and barrel but it was either damaged on the floor or during a delivery so the original buyer returned it.
Here are bigger versions of the pics.


#4
Forum Topic Moderator
Sometimes you can do a good job of filling the chipped out spots with colored putty followed by a fresh coat of poly. Often it's best to just sand and repoly. Puttied up areas will look good if done correctly but can look bad if not. Depending on the type of use/abuse it gets the putty could come loose.
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Thank you! Do you have any advice on the latch/hasp question? Is there a better forum for that question?