A few years back, I bought a $500 studio producer desk. It's made of particle board and has been through more than a few moves and has received a proper beating over the years:
Is there any way for me to repair this, now that it's been done? I thought of possibly using something like Bondo, but this seems like overkill. Do I have any other options?
Depending on how closely you're going to try to match the original finish (or if close enough is close enough) you could use wood filler. This product is basically saw dust and glue. Most of them are stainable, so you could fuss with it to match your desk's finish.
This is an example, I am not affiliated in any way with any company in the link, just the first thing on google.
This is a very tough one because it is on an outside corner.
You might be able to fill it using epoxy, and then paint it to match (requires a good eye). Or fill it most of the way with epoxy, and then use a layer of wood filler (which will take stain better).
A better solution would be to cut out a large chunk and make a dutchman. For something like this you would cut out a trapezoid (long end of the trapezoid toward the middle of the table), or a bowtie shape from the table using a fine-toothed saw. Then cut a piece of hardwood to fit, and glue it in place. That way it becomes a design feature instead of an eyesore.
edit: here's one guide to making a dutchman.
Another way to approach this problem is to hide the damage.
Veneer strips, whether wood, vinyl or other material, could be used to edge the entire desk. They are usually sold in flat pieces, but I have seen "corner bead" style as well.
I bought a roll of it for edging some shelves a number of years back and was fairly happy with it, it applied with a glue gun and the particular one I bought was mouldable with a hair dryer.
