I wanted to find out what a good wood filler would be. I had one of my customers ask me what a good wood filler or putty would be to cover up screws. Any suggestions or replies would be helpfull.
I'm interested in the responses to this question. I either make my own from sawdust and glue or use the cheap junk off the bigbox shelf (Minwax, etc.) If there are some really good ones out there, I'm all ears.
If the screws are sunk deep enough (?), you could use wood dowels. Just put a little glue on the dowels, tap the dowels in, let dry for a bit, and cut them off flush with a Dozuki, or flushing-cutting saw. You didn't say what type of wood, so it depends on the wood filler (color) you use if the dowels are not feasible.
Bertha suggested using sawdust and glue, but I don't find that to work too good, for me anyway. I'd countersink the holes deep enough to use the glue and dowels myself, but that's just me and what I do….
Yeah Rick, dowels are always better. I've got a log home and all the trim was put up with big trim nails. I've been walking around the house dabbing at the spots with a fingerful of putty. Dowels would look better but I'd be buying them by the bushel
Nate, a screw head is pretty big to fill with putty. It often cracks and breaks out and look real bad. It is best to countersink the holes a little deeper and then press/glue in a plug of the same kind of wood and sand it smooth. If I'm are staining the piece, I make a plug from the same wood so the grain is going across the diameter of the plug and then carefully place the plug in with the grain going the same direction of the wood. If you are using a wood like oak where you have different grain patterns, I like to pull the plug out of the same kind of grain pattern and you almost can't see it when you are done .
If you just want to fill a hole and paint it, epoxy glue with sawdust works good and you might get away with using water putty on smaller screw heads. The epoxy and sawdust works real good on turned pieces. It really holds!
Bertha,
In your case dowels would not work. Just filling nail holes the way you are doing is much better…that's the way I do it too, especially on trim work…...so I see your point of this conversation….lol.
And by the by…..I also meant to sugesst matching plugs to whatever wood you're using…..but I got a phone call about that time, and it left my mind…...hell to get old and that forgetful that quick…....
Don W was spot-on with the plug sugesstion….Wish I would of thought of that….Oh wait….I did..I just didn't remember to write it down…..no… type it in…...
LOL Rick, I can lose my train of thought midway through typing a sentence I think Cr1 already answered the question but is there a brand of filler that's the "least" hellish?
I had some free walnut Kreg hole plug covers that I was planning to use on my plane till. I made the six pocket holes, grabbed the contrasting plugs, and there were 5 of them. Fail.
I think as others have mentioned, I would use a dowel or plug of some sort. A screw hole is pretty big for filler. In any event, if you need filler for a standard finish nail or wood chip, I usually use Famowood. You can get it a Rockler. It dries quick, doesnt shrink, and you can get in it a variaty of colors to match the wood.
I have found Rock Hard putty to be the best. It comes in a dry powder and you mix with water to the consistancy you want. But I use plugs to hide screws it always looks better.
I use Famowood for filling smaller holes in wood that will be stained. Bondo for larger paint grade filling and Murolo's high proformance spackle for smaller nail holes in paint grade projects. For screw holes in stain grade pieces either a plug made from the same wood, contrasting wood or a decorative cover so things can be taken apart.
For small fills, I use Minwax Wood Filler available at Home Depot. It is soft and easy to work with, and you can sand, stain or paint it, no problem. Just my 2 cents worth.
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