How to Repair Candle Damages on Fireplace Mantle - Part 1 of 3 - Clean and Sand

Emery Cloth

By Gary Boutin
 
Supplies and Tools: 
Cordless screwdriver with Phillips tip
Emery Cloth (Sandpaper) 2-inch wide 100-grit
Diagonal "Dikes" cutters 
Rubbing alcohol

My home suffered from the holiday cheer. A Christmas candle was left lit and it burned almost past its bottom. The candle thankfully did not burn down the house, but it did damage the white fireplace mantle paint.The surface was left blistered and peeling.

This post shows four steps to clean and sand the candle damage on a white fireplace mantle. 

Step 1: Fig.1 and fig.2 shows the damage fireplace mantle from a Christmas candle. 

Fig.1 Fireplace mantle

Fig.2 The damage

Step 2: Fig.3 shows that rubbing alcohol was used to removed the wax from the fireplace mantle.

Fig.3 Alcohol

Fig.4 Damage after cleaning

Step 3: Fig.5 through fig.8 shows that Emery cloth sandpaper was used to sand the top paint edges. Fig.5 shows the Emery Cloth sandpaper 2-inch wide 100-grit. Fig.6 shows the paint bubbles being removed from the area. Fig.7 shows the paint dust left from the damage. Fig.8 shows the final sanding job all smooth on both sides of the damage.  

Fig.5 - 100 Grit sandpaper

Fig.6 Remove the bubbles

Fig.7 Sanding dust

Fig.8 Final sanding job

Step 4: Fig.9 through fig.11 shows the paint chips are vacuumed from the mantle and the rug around the fireplace. This ends this post and the next will look at the painting the fireplace mantle.

Fig.9 Portable vacuum cleaner

Fig.10 Vacuum paint chips

Fig.11 Vacuum floor

How to Repair Candle Damages on Fireplace Mantle:

• Part 1 of 3 - Clean and Sand
• Part 2 of 3 - Taping and Priming
• Part 3 of 3 - Sanding and Painting

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