Our dining room furniture.

I professionally repair furniture and there are a number of ways to handle this. Some depends on the color and opaqueness of the finish, the depth of the damage, and how particular you are (i.e., how much do you want to spend to get a "perfect repair.")

There are products that you melt and fill the areas. These are typically not for beginners because of the start up costs and skill level required.

A quick and dirty approach would be to fill with Bondo or epoxy putty, then sand to smooth and apply a toner (lacquer with color in it.) You'll have to go to a specialty supplier to get the aerosol toner. Don't be tempted to use Polyshades or some similar "all in one polyurethane product."

Perhaps the best approach would be to contact a local touch up / repair technician who would have all the materials and knowledge to select a method and do the repair.

If you don't know any, Angie's List, local independent furniture stores, or a national service like this one.

Disclosure: I do some contract work with this company, but have no financial interest in them.

A wood filler that is close to the finish color should do it.

Neat topic.

I totally agree with the filler if this is a pride issue or if you were keeping it. I watch out tech do this but when I do it myself it takes a bunch if tries.

How much are you planning on asking for the set and how nice is the top finish?

In this world of disposable furniture I would be tempted to stain pen it and be done. Then again I have built coffee tables myself when I could have ordered new for as cheap when you figure in router bits and any of my time.

Sorry, I missed the fact that you want to sell it. You can probably put as much into a good repair as you can sell it for.

If you want to proceed with repair
- Bondo in the chews
- Sand to level
- Spray on a few light coats of Mohawk "Newport Ebonized Cherry" aerosol toner. Let dry between coats and continue until you have a decent color match.
- Call it good