How to fix a dented wood frame

By Christy Johnson, founder & CEO of United Goods

Are you an annual "spring cleaner"? It's (finally!) that time of year when you throw open the windows and begin scrubbing, decluttering, and organizing.

This season, before getting after it with your broom and mop, I'd like to suggest a slight shift in perspective. What if spring cleaning became less about simply clearing out, discarding, and replacing, and more about restoring and taking care of what you already have?

In this culture of convenience and consumption, oftentimes the default response when something in your home incurs minor damage is to toss or replace it.

But isn't there something deeply satisfying about breathing new life into objects you already own? Especially those with sentimental value or craftsmanship that are difficult to replace—like your State Icons!

Sometimes, life happens and your mini print's frame gets damaged. Maybe it was knocked off a shelf or wall and now has a tiny gouge or a dented corner. It has happened to me!

You'll be happy to know that if you do find yourself with a dented frame, there's a simple yet effective technique to fix it. And the method uses items you likely already have in your home.

I'll show you what you need and how it's done. Just keep reading!

Applying this little DIY trick on the minor dents and dings on your wooden frames is the perfect way to practice "mindful mending." And I think this mindset is gonna transform your spring cleaning routine.

The magic of steam

First, a teeny science lesson. Did you know that wood has "memory"? When dented, it becomes compressed but not broken. And that means it can easily be fixed. So cool, right?

And when you apply moisture and heat to wood, its fibers can often be coaxed into returning to their original position. This is because water penetrates the compressed wood cells, heat causes them to expand, and the wood heals itself.

This principle forms the basis of my easy-peasy frame-fixing technique.

Let's get after it!

How to fix a dented wooden frame

The items you'll need:

• A regular ol' household iron

• Paper towel (or a damp tea towel would also likely work)

• Water

• Your dented wooden frame (womp womp)

The process:

1. Most important, as you work, take care to not get any moisture under the glass of your little framed print. I'm demonstrating with an empty State Icon frame, but you can do this trick with your art and glass in place. Just be sure to keep your fingers dry, and don't apply water/the damp paper towel to any area but the frame itself.

2. Dampen a paper towel (not soaking wet, just barely damp).

3. Set your iron to medium heat with no steam. (I still needed to click the toggle to "no steam" when I took this pic. This step is important because you don't wanna burn yourself with steam while you work.) I usually put my iron on the "Cotton" setting.

4. Place the damp paper towel over the dented area of your frame.

5. Gently press the iron onto the damp paper towel, holding it over the dent for about 30 seconds.

6. If your dent has impacted more than one side of the frame, as they often do, you may need to work all sides of the dent: the face of the frame, the top, and/or the side.

7. If your dent is still visible, keep repeating these steps. After a few rounds, you may need to lightly re-dampen the paper towel if the iron has dried it out.

For deeper boo boos, you'll need to repeat the process several times, and allow the wood to cool and dry in between attempts.

When you're satisfied with the smoothed-out results, gently rub off the fuzz left by the paper towel. After that, it should look good as new!

Beyond the fix

I feel that this simple trick represents something greater than just repairing a frame. It's about developing a relationship with our keepsakes that places care over convenience.

Plus, when you take the time to fix rather than replace, you create a more sustainable home environment—and often save money in the process.

And now that you know how to fix your frames, you'll probably find other wooden items around your home that can benefit from this treatment. How about small dings in your furniture, wooden utensils, and decorative objects?

Spring cleaning with intention

This year, as you move through your spring cleaning routine, consider using this "mending mindset" on a broader scale:

• Before discarding anything damaged, ask yourself: "Could this be repaired?"

• Set aside a bin or basket to place items that need attention, and make time to tackle them on a regular basis

• Learn one new repair technique each season (there are tons of how-to videos on YouTube!)

• Celebrate the imperfections that come with use and repair—they add character and tell stories. For example, I love fixing my jeans with visible mending. Each pair is so unique and truly one of a kind!

This approach can turn spring cleaning from a boring chore into a creative act of renewal. To me, it's deeply satisfying to give new life to something that someone else might have discarded.

So if you have a dented wood frame that's been bumming you out, grab your iron and a damp paper towel, and get repairing!

You might find that, like me, the satisfaction of mending becomes part of your new spring ritual.

Try it out

Give this frame-mending technique a whirl, and let me know whether or not it worked!