What wood filler do you use?

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phil
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Re: What wood filler do you use?

Post by phil »

GibsonGM wrote:That's a great technique, Phil, but this is both outdoors on a porch windowsill, and also there are like 25 cracks...you know, from the sun and having been neglected. Can't go to that level, LOL! But I would do what you suggest for an indoor issue, definitely.

Probably would use the Elmer's wood filler, which I've used before with good results. No negatives on my latex stain and so on. Caulk leaves too much of a 'dip', I really don't like that.


yea it doesn't make sense for everywhere for sure. I think you are on the right track.

what I do with floors is use masking tape either side of the crack then use a 1" putty knife and sort of overfill it, it will kind of mound up along the crack behind the knife as you push down and slide. Pull the tape when it is wet. that way it leavs a mound when it is wet, it pulls back but the shrinkage doesn't pull it right down below the surface and cause the dip you speak of. If you use something you can sand like filler you could try that. I find it helps not get the filler over too much surface where not needed and I can place the tape pretty accurately. I do the same with nail holes. Just punch a little hole in the tape then you can place it over the hole , overfill it then move the tape to the next hole. I just use a leather punch to make suitable sized holes in my tape and re-use the piece until it won't stick any more.

if the wood is finished already and I am just hiding a hole in a finished piece then I do the same but when I come back to level it out after it's hard I put a strip of tape either side and use a little card scraper. that way the card scraper runs on the tape instead of marking the surface and leaves the filler proud by the thickness of the tape. Then its very minor finger sanding with fine paper to finish it flat that last .005" or so.

the wood filler shrinks too so I found myself refilling a second time until it came to me that this works easier for me. I can get it dead flat in one go despite a little shrinkage this way. Also the filler looks bad on a clear finish so the secret is to get as good color match as possible and don't cover any surface that doesn't need putty. Minor dips I leave. I'd rather see a small dip than putty. of course you dont' need to be so bloody fussy with outside sills that you are obviously painting. different if it is a table top.

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GibsonGM
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Re: What wood filler do you use?

Post by GibsonGM »

Nice technique, thanks! Yes, outside is a lot less critical for sure. Just don't like the obvious caulk thing - I see it every day at work, don't want it on my house, ha ha!

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