Why Buy? Fixing your Current TV Stand
It happens. You have a perfectly good TV stand you are perfectly happy with, and one day out of the blue “BANG” - your pet Rottweiler chases your little kitten Snowball through the plate-glass doors and into your expensive stereo equipment. After you rescue Snowball from the pool of blood and glass, you take a breathless look at the centerpiece of your living room, begin to tear up, and start evaluating your options. You can toss your wrecked furniture in the trash (gut reaction) and go buy another one (expensive endeavor), or you can attempt to fix it (bold move) and go on a cruise with all the money you saved. Well, assuming you chose to take the road less traveled, here are some tips on repairing the more common issues with TV stands.
Broken Glass
In the scenario we outlined above, you have been left without glass doors on the front of your entertainment center - not the best look. In order to replace the doors, your first place to look would be the manufacturer of stand in question. This is going to be your cheapest option and will result in a perfect fit - no measuring required. Most manufacturers will have replacements available for order on parts - such as glass - which may break or wear out over time. Your second option, though significantly less desirable, would be to contact a local glass company. You should be able to locate one through a web search or the phone book in most urban areas. When you co-opt a company to replace your glass doors, it is critical that you get the measurements exact, in all dimensions. Let them come out and measure if possible. You will also want to keep the metal hardware from your broken doors, such as the hinge pieces and the magnetic plates, so you can reattach the doors when your glass arrives.
Cleaning Spots
Another common ailment affecting TV stands over time are spots and stains. Particularly on a wooden stand, some spots can be very difficult to remove. Your first option would be to use a stain remover. On wood, try a combination of linseed oil and salt, or for tougher stains try 1-part petroleum jelly and 2-parts turpentine. Remember to test your mixture on a small hidden area before use. If that doesn’t work, more drastic measures must be taken. You can opt to strip and re-stain it. This will leave the wood grain in place and make your stand look brand new. You can also choose to go darker with the stain, though lighter may be more difficult. Remember to sand thoroughly before you attempt to refinish it. If that seems like too much work, you could always paint it a color darker than the spot. This will not be nearly as elegant, but for a game room or spare bedroom, it may be all that is needed.
Scratches
“What if my media center is just scratched?”, you ask. Well, there are several ways to fix a scratch depending on its depth. For very small surface scratches, try rubbing the meat of an oily nut (walnuts or pecans) on the scratch. The oils will coat the scratch and lessen its appearance. For shallow scratches, apply paste wax with a No. 0000 steel wool pad. For deeper scratches, try using one of the wax sticks you can buy at your hardware or furniture store specifically for patching wood furniture. If neither of the options above work for you, it may be time to look at doing a full refinish job.