Rotten frames of windows, scratched flooring and dented furniture are just some of the common problems that we encounter at home. Often, these can be time and effort-consuming. Plus, they are quite expensive to fix. However, did you know that you can deal with these issues right away while still maintaining your budget? Luckily, here comes the use of wood fillers for homeowners.
If you have never worked with a wood filler before, do not ever panic. It may become one of your favorite items in your toolbox. The rule of thumb when applying it is easy, and it works wonders when it comes to repairing imperfect surfaces at home. You can use it to fix chips, scratches, and gouges in your furniture. Also, they are efficient for trim works. So, read on to know more about the list of the best stainable wood filler you can use to deal with the common problems at your home.
Image | PRODUCT | DRY TIME | CLEAN UP | RECOMMENDED USES | STAIN APPLICATION | MOST UNIQUE FEATURE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 12 to 24 hours | Wipe the edges of the material, Cannot use soap and water because it is waterproof | For filling holes, cracks, gouges, and splits | As soon as the filler has dried up completely | 100 percent waterproof. You can use it for interior and exterior areas that need fixing at home. | |
 | 15 minutes | Wipe the excess material with a soft cloth. It is water and rot-proof, so you cannot use water when cleaning it. | For rebuilding, repairing, and restoring rotten or damaged wood | After the wood filler has dried up | You can use it as an adhesive to wood, ceramics, fiberglass, and metal. Moreover, it is weather, water, and rot-proof. | |
 | 15 minutes | You can use soap and water to clean up the surrounding areas. | For doing small damages and repairing different items | After drying up the wood filler | It is water-based. So, you can wash it off with water and soap. | |
 | 15 to 25 minutes | You can wipe off the excess materials. However, you cannot use water and soap because it is not water-based. | For rotten wood and woodwork | After 60 minutes, or when the material dries up completely | As it is stronger than wood, the product can dry up to a light tan color. | |
 | 15 minutes | You can clean it up with soap and water. | For wood cracks and scratches | When the wood filler becomes dry completely | After drying up, it can imitate the color of the real wood. |
Types of Wood Fillers
But, which type of wood fillers should you choose to use? Well, this will all depend on the kind of problems you have at home. Here are the types of f materials you may want to consider for the job:
- Stainable wood filler: It is accessible when it comes to staining. Once you put the product on an item, you may stain over it to make sure that all of the pieces match with the section you are fixing.
- Water-based wood filler: You can still stain or paint this type of material. However, unlike any other products, it has a formula that suits well indoors. You can use them for paneling, molding, and cabinetry.
- Solvent-based wood filler: It is a filler meant for outdoor use. So, you can use them for exterior trim and siding.
Basic Tasks of Wood Filling
Before we talk about how you could apply fillers, here are two basic tasks wood fillers tackle:
- Filling Voids: These include nail chips, holes, and dents. Filler for filling voids are quite thick. Also, they may not work well when you use them for filling grain pores because they have particles huge enough for these openings. Then, you cannot thin them down to a consistency that is suitable for filling pores.
- Filling Pores: These include tasks for open-grained wood, including mahogany and oak. Fillers for this task have a viscosity that you can compare with a pancake batter. They may not fill large voids because they do not have the body. However, you can still use them for small voids and grain pores on a wood surface.
How to Apply Wood Filler
For the application of fillers, here’s what you need to take note:
Tools and Materials You Need to Prepare
- Sandpaper
- Tack cloth
- Putty knife
- Wood filler
- Stain or paint
- Polyurethane sealer
When you work with wood fillers, you may start off with a haphazard and messy blush strike. Also, accurate results may be impossible at first. But, when you get used to it, you will realize that it is easy to accomplish.
However, you should remember that wood fillers are for small problems only, including gouges and scratches. If the damage is to an extent, then you may call an expert to repair it properly. During this time, wood fillers won’t be a great substitute. But, for decorative and practical means, you can surely improve your home with the use of wood fillers. For proper application, here are the steps to follow:
Step #1: Prepare the Surface of the Item
Whatever it is that you want to fix, make sure that its surface is ready for the application of wood filler. So, this means that you have to remove loose parts of the wood and cracking paint. Then, you have to smoothen the rough edges using sandpaper. You need to make the broken parts smooth enough for the project.
Next, clear all of the lingering debris and dust using a wet tack cloth or a shop vac such as the ones found on Home Depot or here. Make sure that the parts are arid before proceeding to the next steps.
Step #2: Apply the Wood Filler
The next thing you have to do is the actual application of the wood filler using your putty knife. Begin at the tip of the affected area. Then, press the wood filler into the depressed part. Overfill it with the material to enable the filler to occupy the full depression when it dries. After putting the desired amount as necessary, smoothen the entire area with a putty knife.
Step #3:
Allow adequate time as needed for the wood filler to dry completely. It will all depend on the depth of the depressed area. So, it may take from approximately 15 minutes to a few hours. Once it is dry, you can make the area smooth so that the height is the same with the vicinity. When you touch the filled areas, you should feel that whole parts are smooth and even.
Step #4: Apply the Finish You Choose
After sanding the parts, you can complete the project by putting your finish. In general, your goal is to make the broken parts unnoticeable. So, if you are working on something with white paint, conceal the repair by repainting the whole item.
You have to take note that stained pieces are quite complicated to fix. So, experts recommend that you put some wood filler into the after area. Then, wait for it until the parts are dry enough. Then, check out the stain and see if it looks proper and even. Depending on the results, you may want to thicken or thin out the stain or use various colors. Then, proceed by staining the area you have repaired. It will take you less than an hour or so to quickly and cheaply fix the item.
5 Best Wood Fillers
Here is a list of the best wood filler for your furniture and home repair:
The System Three wood putty kit comes with a spreadable yet solvent-free epoxy. It is perfect for crack, gouge, split, and hole repairs. Also, you can use it for architectural aspects of the wood. What makes it even better is that it has a buttery, soft consistency that is easy to work with and to mix.
When it dries up, it is also quick to smoothen. Plus, it will not become brittle or shrink so quickly. It can bond to a lot of substrates, including ceramic, wood, fiberglass, brick, steel, and concrete. Moreover, you can assure that it is waterproof and safe to use for exterior or interior parts of the house. You can even use the System Three wood putty kit to chance chipped and rotten wood, as well as cracked and defective window, frames, doors, railings, and furniture.
For convenience, you can mix a ratio of this product 1:1 with hardener and resin using your hands. It will not become susceptible to breaks after the curing process.
Pros
- It is easy to mix and to use. That way, you won’t have a hard time executing the whole process of filling the depressions in an item.
- Also, it is spreadable all throughout the gaps, cracks, splits, holes, and gouges. In fact, it can mold well with the depressed areas.
- You can easily sand it after letting it dry. You do not have to wait long enough just to make the surface smooth.
- Moreover, it won’t become brittle after the whole process.
Cons
- However, in most cases, this product may have dark streaks on it. So, when it dries up, it doesn’t match the item’s color.
- Also, it takes a longer time to dry up compared to other products available on the market.
The Minwax high-performance wood filler may come in a can of 12-ounce. It is ideal for rebuilding, repairing, and restoring rotten or damaged wood. Also, it is an efficient wood adhesive. But, it can also fix damaged wooden windowsills, decks, chairs, tables, doors, and woodwork.
Moreover, it is excellent to anchor screws and making sure that the joints of the furniture are not too loose. What’s even great is that it is rot, weather, and water-resistant. So, it can bond to your wood smoothly and forcefully. In fact, it can also fix your ceramics, metal, concrete, and fiberglass.
The Minmax wood filler can just dry up in 15 minutes. So, in the next 30 minutes, you can smoothen the edges. You can also use it on wood, and other porous materials. It won’t leave cracks and should not shrink. You can even drill, carve, and plane the material.
Pros
- The product can help you fix almost everything in your home, including rotten and damaged woodwork.
- Also, it can serve adhesive for chairs, tables, doors, decks, etc.
- It is quite durable. So, you can use it to bond your wood, ceramics, concrete, fiberglass, and metal.
- Furthermore, you will only wait 15 minutes for the wood filler to dry up. Then, after 30 minutes, it is already sandable.
Cons
- When you mix it without reading the labels, it may become too fluid to work on. In fact, it took me five tries before I got the right consistency.
The Famo Wood is a water-based wood filler that offers high-quality results without any solvent fumes. It is perfect to mask small damages and to repair different items. Also, it also contains a high percentage of wood flour. So, it can imitate the wood because its component is wood. Once you dry it up, you can treat it with real wood. Plus, it is water-based. So, you can just clean it up using water and soap.
Furthermore, this wood filler is available in 10 different colors. And it can dry up in just 15 minutes. It is more durable and stronger than the wood it can replace. Also, it can show no signs of cracking, crumbling, and shrinkage. Once dry completely, you can nail, saw, paint, stain, plane, and sand the item.
Pros
- The product makes a smooth application. In fact, it doesn’t leave any grits and bumps.
- It is a water-based wood filler. So, it makes it easier for you to clean it off with soap and water.
- Also, the Famo Wood results with no solvent fumes.
- It has a high content of flour in it. That way, it can copy wood correctly. Then, you can treat it later on with wood.
- It can dry up in just 15 minutes, and you can sand it after.
Cons
- My concern here is that it doesn’t hold up stain quite well. Once the putty dries up, it is no longer porous. So, it makes it hard to stain
Kwikwood’s epoxy putty stick is a handy product. In fact, it can fit small storages, even your pocket. Also, you can mix the formula hassle-free. The putty stick is of rotten wood and woodwork. So, it can restore all items made of wood, including windows, doors, chairs, and tables.
For both interior and exterior applications, it does not have any solvents, and it won’t rot, crack, and shrink. You can set Kwikwood in just 15 to 25 minutes. Then, after 60 more minutes, you can drill, sand, file, tap, stain, paint, and use a machine on the item. As it is stronger than wood, the product can dry up into a light tan hue.
Pros
- The Kwikwood is easy to use. All you have to do is to apply it on the affected areas.
- It is such a convenient and handy product that you can carry anywhere you like.
- Also, you can mix the material quickly. So, it won’t take too much effort and time to put together the product.
- You can even use it for both exterior and interior applications.
- Plus, it can dry up easily. In fact, it will just take 15 to 25 minutes to set.
- After it dries up, you can smoothen its edges right away.
Cons
- The product may only be suitable for wood damages. So, you cannot use it in glass and metal.
- It is quite expensive than its other counterparts.
- Also, a downfall is that it cannot hold onto stain properly.
The Famo Wood latex wood filler can dry up in just 15 minutes. Also, it won’t show any cracks and scratches. Plus, it won’t shrink so quickly. The wood filler is solvent-free. So, it doesn’t have a strong odor, and it is easy to clean up with water and soap.
You can even drill, sand, and plane it after the whole process. Furthermore, the Famo Woof is both a paintable and stainable wood filler. It can even take the color of the real wood after drying up completely. The material won’t leave cracking, crumbling, and shrinkage. So, you will have a smooth and even item.
Pros
- It is solvent-free. So, it doesn’t leave a strong odor, which I do not like when it comes to other materials.
- Also, the Famo Wood can dry up so easily. You just have to wait for 15 minutes before it dries up.
- Unlike other wood filler, the Famo Wood is stainable and paintable.
- Then, after the entire process is complete, it will leave you with a smooth surface.
Cons
- The only problem I have with Famo Wood is that when I received the product, it was almost impossible to mix it because it was so thick.
Conclusion
You may have spent days, weeks, and months just trying to figure out the best wood fillers that will do its job efficiently. But, you won’t search far and long no more because we have found the best wood filler for repairing and rebuilding different items at home.
The System Three 1600 K10 Brown Sculp Wood Putty Kit does the job without any doubt. In fact, we just love the fact that it is 100 percent waterproof. A plus is also that you can paint and stain the material hassle-free. So, if you are looking for a cost-effective yet efficient wood filler, this is the product you should pick first hand for various tough jobs at home.
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