Shoutout to the guy who told me to try coffee grounds on a scratch

I was fixing a deep scratch on an oak table for a friend and remembered a tip from a guy at a flea market in Austin. He said to rub wet coffee grounds into light wood scratches. I tried it, and after letting it sit for about ten minutes, the scratch was way less visible, almost gone. I was sure it would stain the wood, but it just darkened the scratch to match. Has anyone else used this trick, or is there a better way to hide scratches on oak?

2 comments

2 Comments

brookebailey24d ago

Works surprisingly well on lighter woods like oak or maple. The trick is to use finely ground coffee, almost like a paste, and really work it into the grain. For a deeper scratch, you might need to do it a couple of times, letting it dry completely between coats. It's a good quick fix, but for a permanent repair on a nice piece, you'd still want to use a proper wood filler and finish.

jesse_lewis23d ago

That coffee trick works best on dark woods like walnut, not oak.