The sanding process does differ a bit depending on the type of surface you will be fixing up. Both products are acrylic, so they retain some flexibility and expand and contract with wood movement. The extent of the damage can play a big part in deciding whether a workpiece is worth saving or not. The putty does not harden and cant be sanded, so it is not recommended for painted work. These one-part nitrocellulose fillers are designed to hide minor surface imperfections in automotive bodywork. One-part putty doesnt harden, which means its easier for you to correct any mistakes or misapplications, unlike the two-part variant, which you will likely have to drill and/or sand to smooth. This being said, we have created a quick tutorial to help you plug up the holes in your workpiece as quickly and as easily as possible. These products shrink very little, can be sanded in 30 minutes, and retain some flexibilitya perfect combination to topcoat nail holes. Well, wood stain has been around for a number of years as an alternative to surface coatings, a term that refers to things like paint and epoxy resin coatings that cover the surface of a wooden workpiece for protective or aesthetic purposes. Common applications for filler include outdoor walls that have had exterior lighting removed, outdoor furnishings that have been remodeled, wooden decks that need to be resurfaced, and even outdoor plumbing installations like runoffs and gutters. Both dry hard and can be sanded, primed, and painted with water-based finishes. To understand the value of epoxy, remember that it is the only filler that is also a reliable adhesive. Become a member and get unlimited site access, including the This then is a quick, easy, and effective solution to gouges on your wooden flooring, scuff marks on the legs of your furniture, or a way to touch up older furniture thats seen some mileage. If there is a good reason to use this product, its because it remains flexible, making it a worthy choice for exterior woodwork and window glazing. I choose between putty and filler based on the size of the hole and if it is sandable work, he says. Johnson recommends staining the wood first, using a color-matched putty, and then applying the top coat. If you are looking for a tenacious bond and structural characteristics to repair damaged wood, particularly outside, use a product that is 100% epoxy solids. How replaceable a workpiece is plays a big role in whether to repair or replace it. There are some differences between the two products: Most notably, Bondo is marketed for a speedy repair and can be sanded in 15 minutes and painted in 25. Elmers exterior fillers include their stainable exterior Carpenters Wood Filler and their ProBond line. But when the team at Abatron realized that epoxies were being adopted for home-restoration projects, they decided to give it some attention and developed their Wood Restoration Kit specifically for this application. A 4-lb. If you have a spare board laying around, we recommend giving the product you have selected a test run to get a feel for it and the range of motion you will need to apply your wood filler effectively. It can also be tinted with a universal colorant. While the process doesnt particularly require patience, it does require some precision and practice. Wooden furniture is attractive and durable and can remain so if unused. First, wood filler dries hard and can be sanded, while putty remains flexible. Read More Rot-Resistant Wood Naturally Weather-Resistant WoodsContinue, What do you imagine when you think of white-washed wood? How long does wood filler last? While I tend to value the experience of pros who work with them every day, some education on the products chemistry is also helpful in understanding how to use them. This substance is fairly common in the drywall industry in particular, allowing contractors to quickly correct any unsightly errors that may ruin an otherwise perfectly good drywall sheet. The wood around the repair will just continue to degrade and the repair will fail. ONETIME spackle inherently forms in clumps, so if you were to say, drop some on your floor, carpet, clothing, or hair, it is easily removed simply by picking it up! Epoxy doesnt just stick to wood. No discussion on nail hold filler compounds would be complete without mentioning putty in some way shape or form. If you want to enjoy a long lifespan from your wood, then you will probably need to apply a wood filler at some stage. Filler differs from putty in being graded and designed for outdoor use. A 12-oz. If youre going to choose a product that claims they are the best in the business, you should consider one made by a company that has been around for nearly 80 years. Repairs often just hide aesthetic blemishes on the surface of a workpiece. This putty can be sanded and painted like the wood filler we mentioned previously, but also like the wood filler it cannot be used for outdoor or particularly robust applications. Keep in mind that the cure time of epoxy increases in colder temperatures and decreases in heat. A 334-oz. Unlike other two-part products, you should never add extra hardener to speed curing with epoxy. Beyond these distinctions, it is not a good idea to generalize the differences between wood fillers and wood putties. This being said, wood filler for nail holes doesnt do too well when exposed to direct sunlight beyond two years, which means that it needs to be replaced regularly. He says that non-hardening putties are the best choice for filling small holes in stain-grade work. Its not just the application of their wood filler that the Ellmers team has paid attention to though, the filler itself dries extremely quickly and can be both sanded and painted once fully cured. They both also have very short dry times: about 30 minutes for the water-based product and 15 minutes for the solvent-based product. Use your first swipe to fill the hole with your spackle or wood filler and the second one to wipe up any stray filler left behind. This being said, lets have a look at some hole fillers, what theyre all about, and what specific applications they have been designed for. These products not only fill voids, but have a tenacious grip that can add structural integrity back to the woodwork. On the far ends of the spectrum are lightweight spackle, which can be used successfully for filling holes and making cosmetic repairs, and two-part epoxy systems, preferred by the pros for serious restoration work. Knowing what wood filler is and the different types of wood filler available is all well and good, but unless you know how to use it effectively, this information wont do you much good. Available in two formulations, Plastic Wood Latex Wood Filler is water-based, and Plastic Wood Professional Wood Filler (shown here) is a solvent-based, cellulose polymer. Thankfully, there are ways and means of repairing all the little holes that have accumulated in your walls over the years without breaking your wallet.
One-part putty is ideal for beginners or if you simply need a quick and effective solution to filling a gap. There is a reason though, wood staining is an easy and affordable solution not only to making your wood look great, but protecting it from various forms of damage. This Spackling and Patching Compound is a modified alkyd resin formulated to compete with vinyl spackles. Everything you need to know to get the perfect finish, from choosing the right paint to applying the final coat. Green Building Advisor editor Brian Pontolilo describes the differences between fillers, putties, epoxies, and spackle, as well as when each is most appropriately used. One quart of Zinsser Ready Patch sells for about $10. But that doesnt mean that putties cant be used for painted work, she explains. Whether hes used just Elmers or a mix for the first round, the second application of filler is always the lighterweight spackle. These fillers are acceptable for repairs of all sizes inside and outside. All of the aforementioned is great but spackle is not the ideal choice of hole filler for beginners as it dries pretty quickly and doesnt leave much margin for error, but if you insist on trying to hit the ground running the learning curve shouldnt be that steep. Wood putty on the other hand is completely synthetic and does not dry out. Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox. Now that you know why filling nail holes is important, how to fill nail holes, what the best hole-filling products on the market are, what each product can be used on, their strengths and weaknesses, and even when and when not to repair your wooden workpieces, its time for you to get out there and put your new-found knowledge to the test. On the most demanding projects, Eidsness will shine raking light on the primed trim to inspect the filled holes and may sand more and apply a final round of filler to fix subtle imperfections. Yet Ive been warned to proceed with caution. Bruce Johnson is a woodworker and consultant for Minwax. Expect to spend about $85 to get started with West System products. Spackle is graded for us on a wide variety of materials, namely wood, wallboard, metal, brick, and even masonry! It has a peanut-butter-like consistency and is easy to spread according to Green, who appreciates its fast drying time. Once your first layer of filler has been applied and sanded you should wait for a while before painting over the holes you have filled. If a furnishing is designed for structural integrity and a key point has been corroded or damaged, its probably best not to repair it with filler or spackle. In this kit, youll find their Board Defense borate powder, which is a water-soluble insecticide, termiticide, and fungicide used for treating rotting wood. Fortunately, wood filler isnt your only option, and thanks to the team over at Minwax you have access to prime wood putty. A 4-lb. Second, fillers are applied before paint or finish (sometimes over primed wood), and putties are applied after finish, usually stain and/or clear coat. What is wood stain? People get bent out of shape about using Bondo for woodwork, says Brunick, But Ive never had a problem with it. He is quick to remind me that unless you first fix the problem that is causing the rot, you are wasting your time. Its a solvent-based filler and Brunick likes that he can change the consistency, and reactivate an old can that is drying out, by adding acetone. The manufacturer does not recommend this product for stain-grade work. But its also an acceptable wood filler for nail holes, surface scratches, small cracks, and other surface imperfections. You can start with the 105 Epoxy Resin. Just dont use it where you shouldnt!. Instead, to slow the setup time, you can spread your mixed epoxy out on a flat surface like a paint-roller pan; to speed things up, add heat with a blow dryer. Unexpected surprises make life exciting, but they can also leave you scratching your head, trying to figure out how these things happen. It turns out that the only distinction that holds up the majority of the time is this: Most wood fillers dry hard, while most wood putties are nonhardening. What is the Best Brand of Hole Filler for Each Type? The process of replacing drywall or having part of a wall replaced is time-consuming, not to mention expensive. Some nonhardening putties can be used to fill nail holes in painted wood because they develop a skin. To ensure that you dont ruin the area you have filled, check online reviews or DIY forums about how the product you have chosen works with wood treatment. Its linseed-oil based, so it dries slow but hard, and can be painted in 60 to 80 hours. Ensure that you do not try to smoothen the spackle or wood filler with your hands or fingers. Elmers Color Change stainable interior fillers are purple when applied and dry white (or one of many other available colors) to signal that they are ready to be sanded and finished. In short, fillers and stains dont go together well, and if youre wondering why, its because most wood stains contain some amount of volatile organic chemicals which react poorly with the base substances of wood filler and/or putty. RotFix also acts as a primer for their SculpWood Putty, which is used to fill the void. White-washed wood offers a clean yet rustic and textured look to the wood. Wood stain is also a lot less messy to apply than paint, and in most cases, all you need is a rag and a well-ventilated workspace to get going. Either way, putty has your back in filling all of those unsightly holes and scratches on virtually any surface you can think of. They also have a filler meant for specifically for wood. What I found is that there are way too many products to fit into one article, and that preferences vary almost as much as the products do. This substance binds with the wood particles it comes into contact with and hardens with the surface over time. As with putty and filler, you can paint over spackle without the need for preparation beforehand. Crawfords specifically calls for a primed surface for their Vinyl Spackling Paste. If youre looking to even the playing field a bit, you could use a wood conditioner to reduce the amount of stain that the wood filler absorbs. These two-part products combine a resin and a hardener and cure through a thermal chemical reaction. There are wooden items you use extensively every day, however, and these are often prone, Read More How to Remove Heat Stains from Wood Eradicating Heat Marks on WoodContinue, As technology has improved, we have found innovative ways to replace materials that were simply too expensive to manufacture or unsustainable in the long run. Perhaps their detractors dont realize that Bondo doesnt just make autobody products. South Dakota woodworker and remodeler Ben Brunick has done extensive repair to damaged window sashes and other exterior trim with epoxy. Well, if this is your first-time filling holes there is a good chance of either over or underfilling your workpiece and if the product you are using dries up quickly it doesnt leave much margin for error. Epoxy putty is typically applied after a soaking coat of wood consolidant, which reinforces damaged wood. Well, wood filler tends to absorb more stain than the wood around it, this means that the section of the wood that has been filled will be darker in appearance than the rest of the board which can be off-putting and annoying, to say the least. Spackle is now a generic term used to describe a number of different products from a number of manufacturers that, like fillers and putties, are difficult to categorize. Wood filler for nail holes can also be used for filling holes in masonry and drywall, which makes it the handyman and professional contractors best friend, especially when working with surfaces that have seen a lot of remodeling or harsh weather conditions. container is about $7. This is why we recommend applying a second layer of filler over the spots you have filled to take care of any gaps in the circumference of the holes you have filled. You can clean it up with soap and water, and linseed oil can be used to rehydrate the putty when it begins to dry out in the container. Crawfords, a family-owned company, prides themselves on making environmentally safe products, and their website lists the harmful ingredients found in competitive brands that they wont use in theirs. Once you have allowed the second coat of filling to dry for the manufacturers recommended time period its time for you to decorate your workpiece with the coating of your choice. Brunick has similar opinions. For a durable, color-matched repair in stain-grade surfaces, like a stair tread, Brunick says that he sometimes mixes fine sanding dust into the epoxy until the color is close to what he is looking for and the epoxy has the right consistency for the type of repair he needs to make. The folks at System Three want you to remember that before you make repairs to rot-damaged wood, its important to stop the rot from continuing. And Marsha Caporaso, president of Abatron, another epoxy manufacturer, warned that people can get carried away when making repairs with epoxy. Connecticut remodeler Chris Green takes a tiered approach to filling holes and making repairs, and has a few go-to products. Eidsness, who can be found online as XC Painter, also insists on cleaning and vacuuming all holes prior to filling, and, expecting some shrinkage, prefers to overfill the nail holes, using a putty knife to feather the filler into the surface of the trim. By tweaking the mixing ratio of two-part fillers, holes can be filled and ready to finish at whatever pace is necessary, and multiple thin coats can be built up quickly. Putty is one of the most tried and true methods of filling nail and screw holes, whether it be on your walls at home of on a workpiece that youre updating. He blends premixed colors until hes created a few shades that match the color variations in the wood hes working with, using different shades depending on the particular spot in the wood.
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