Cosmetic furniture repair before the finish ever goes on.
A new finish only looks intentional when the surface underneath is level, stable, and properly prepared. Broken Souls handles minor repairs—such as sticking or broken drawers, chipped edges, and surface gouges rebuilt with wood putty or Bondo—alongside full painting and wood refinishing.
Send a full front photo, close-ups of the chips or drawer issues, and your preferred finish direction. The private photo review is free and preliminary—not a binding quote—and helps confirm whether your piece fits our repair and finishing scope before you move it.
Surface correction makes the finish.
Drag the comparison slider to see how repairing chipped edges, stabilizing drawer fit, and leveling worn surfaces prepared this mid-century nightstand pair for a clean, satin-smooth transformation.
How we handle minor repairs alongside finishing.
Every repair method has to match the final finish direction. A patch that disappears completely under primer and enamel behaves very differently from a repair under a transparent wood stain.
Chip & Edge Rebuilding (Putty & Bondo)
Crushed corners, deep gouges, and missing trim edges on pieces headed for custom furniture painting are rebuilt with two-part Bondo or high-density wood filler, shaped flush to the profile, and sanded seamless before priming.
Localized Veneer & Surface Correction
Small veneer chips, lifting edge banding, and shallow dents on pieces planned for natural wood refinishing are stabilized with targeted glue injection or stainable wood putty and toned to blend calmly with the surrounding grain.
Broken or Sticking Drawer Repairs
Vintage dressers and desks are only enjoyable to use when drawers open smoothly. We re-glue loose drawer boxes, replace missing stop blocks, repair minor guide wear, and clean and wax wooden runners as part of the restoration.
Hardware Bore Patching & Finish Prep
When changing pull styles or correcting torn screw holes during hardware restyling, we plug and level old bore holes, sand out surface scratches and water rings, and prepare a clean foundation for the topcoat.
What determines whether a repair makes sense.
Repair feasibility and restoration cost depend on the underlying material, the depth of damage, and your chosen finish direction:
- Finish compatibility: Heavy Bondo rebuilds and plugged hardware holes require an opaque painted finish or dark toner to hide the filler; transparent stains only suit minor, grain-blended fills.
- Substrate integrity: Solid hardwood and intact plywood cores hold putty, glue, and fasteners reliably; crumbled or water-swollen particleboard cannot be structurally anchored.
- Drawer & runner wear: Loose dovetails, separated drawer bottoms, and dry wood-on-wood runners are straightforward studio fixes during a full restoration.
- Overall piece value: If you are weighing whether a piece justifies professional work, compare options in our common furniture fixes guide or worth-restoring checklist.
What to photograph for a repair review.
Before moving a heavy dresser or table, send four clear daylight photos. Seeing the damage alongside the whole piece lets us give you an honest preliminary read on what can be repaired and how it will look once finished.
Full Piece Straight-On
Show the entire front and silhouette of the furniture so we can see its scale, drawer count, and overall construction.
Close-Ups of Chips or Gouges
Take a focused photo 8–12 inches from chipped veneer, crushed corners, or surface splits so we can judge filler depth.
Open Drawer & Runner View
If a drawer is sticking, dropping, or loose, pull it partly out and photograph the side rails, corner joints, and interior track.
Finish Goal & Measurements
Include approximate width, depth, and height, your city/ZIP, and whether you prefer natural wood tone or a painted finish.
Not sure if the damage on your piece is minor or too far gone?
Send a few clear photos before you decide. Our free, preliminary photo review will tell you whether putty, Bondo, drawer tuning, and a new studio finish will solve the problem—or if the piece is better skipped.
