A part of the rubberwood and veneer coffee table got damaged and I would like to learn what are the tools and materials used to refinish/fix this type of issue.
The manufacturer says that it's a 'mahogany finish', but I wonder whether if I just buy a mahogany stain at HD/Lowe's would it match it or not.
Another approach -- one a pro furniture repair tech might use for a flaw this size or smaller -- would be to use "burn in" lacquer, blended to match the color, to both tint the damaged area and fill it level with the undamaged area surrounding it. (I haven't done this; I've watched it being done and he swore it wasn't that hard a skill to learn if you practiced on scrap first.)
You need to start by sanding. Be very careful not to sand through the veneer. Is it a polyurethane coat or similar "plastic" finish? If so, only sand through that. I'd start with 120 grit with a random orbit sander. Wear necessary safety gear of course including a particle mask.
You can try only sanding a feathered area around the damage. To match the finish, try sanding off some finish on the bottom or less visible area and applying a few stains. When these are completely set, sand them back off and reapply the one that matched best. An inside surface of the solid wood might be best to reduce risk of sanding through the veneer.
Or, just sand it smooth and paint it.
