How can I fix this wooden chest?

Question

My husband recently brought home a large wooden chest/trunk from Afghanistan, and it got damaged along the way. The wood is cracked in several places on the corners of the trunk. I want to use something to mend the cracks, without having a hazy gluey look to it. Any advice on what I can use to fix these cracks?

Answer 1

Use very small amount of "Gorilla Glue", be carefull as it expands-get a little way in there and clamp it somehow using rubber booted camps. Carefully remove excess as it, if it,emerges. This stuff is messy so be careful but the repair will last.

Answer 2

Agree w/ advice on climate changes.

Looks like some filler material  has chipped  of the joints & taken a little finish with it.

On a piece like that , would do as little as possible.

The apparent fix is cheap , easy & will not cause further damage.

If it is just chips, try Minwax tinted wax pencils used to conceal

scratches on  furniture.

Match the color  & rub it into the cracks to fil them in & buff.

If there are separations in the joints & they move, work some hide glue into the cracks & clamp the joints closed until it dries.

Any oozing will wipe off w/ water before it sets,

It does not fill gaps well & if any that still show can be filled in w/ the wax pencils.

Either or both of these fixes will not cause additional damage

& since the piece  appears to have an oil  finish should  blend in & not be noticeable.

After you let the trunk "settle in " a pastewaxing from time to time should be all that is needed.

Avoid the d**n Gorilla glue.

The stuff is strong but not for this type of thing.

Same goes for wood putty.

Nice piece.

Best regards

Answer 3

Don't do anything to this trunk until it had gone through the climate changes where you are currently living;  it will just crack and split again along the glue line.

I would suggest taking it to a proper furniture re-finisher, they will be able to help you choose the best solution for this problem.

Answer 4

Lovely chest.  I'd ignore the cracks ... unless they make the chest unstable when I open it or move it.

How are the wooden pieces held on? If they are nailed, you can often gently tap them back in place.

To do a proper repair you have to carefully remove the molding, scrape off the old glue, apply new glue and then clamp it into place, and use a couple of brads. Anything else looks crappy.

Answer 5

i don't think the cracks look that bad, they kind of add an old effect to it!

unless it begins to fall apart, i wouldn't worry about the cracks

but if you still want it fixed there are some wood glues that you would apply into the cracks to prevent more damaged or a hazy look.

Answer 6

unfortantly I wouldn;t recomend repairing.    there is no real way to bond the wood as far as I can see from the pictures of the location of the damage.  and if you fill it with putty you will need to refinish the trunk.   I would bet that the places that cracked were probely puttyed before.