# Help with wood filler.



## Krudwig (Nov 20, 2012)

I have always struggled to get a wood filler that staines well. I also have trouble with a wood filler when finishing natural. I know your supposed to have such perfect joints as to not need fillers but for me I always have something that needs filling. I have used wood glue and sawdust but it seems too clumpy if that's a word. So lets hear your tips on fillers that work. Thanks Larry


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## woodsmithshop (Sep 10, 2008)

I looked at this hoping to find an answer to your question, no luck yet, lol.
I use sawdust and glue, and just try to get it as close as I can, there is usually some imperfection in wood , so I hope my repairs look like an imperfection that is natural.


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## Melanie (Jan 18, 2013)

I have never found any fillers that took the stain as I would have wanted. Though they will say they are stain able, they never absorb enough stain to camouflage itself. What I have found that works better than the stain able putty's are they pliable ones that do not harden. They come in an assortment of colors & you can intermix them to match. Wait until you have finished what ever is in need of putty. Occasionally when I have used the "stain able" fillers & they did not stain, I have lightly faux painted before applying the final finish. 
At one time, I bought every filler I could find on the market, only to be disappointed with all of them.


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 18, 2013)

I have used a variety of fillers over the years. My favorite for oak, believe it or not is a "trowel grade filler for floors" made by PRO and for some odd reason located in the tool rental section at Home Depot. They have it for both white oak and red oak. Its a grain filler that also does a heck of a job in joints. it is water soluble, sands well and stains well. You won't believe how it smooths the grain and makes a great finish possible.

For other woods, I have fallen in love with Timbermate, an Australian product. I get it at Woodcraft but it's also available on Amazon. I've used the Cherry and the Walnut. It is also water soluble and sands REAL easy and takes stain like a dream. Never tried it as a grain filler because neither of those woods needs it. The biggest benefit is that it really, really does reconstitute in the can with a few drops of water.


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

Instead of wood glue with the sawdust, try CA glue (super glue).


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Thanks for the advice RogerinColorado!


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## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

i saw something recently that suggested sawdust and finish, maybe lacquer or shellac


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Wood flour (sanding dust of the wood you're working with) mixed with epoxy works very well. For small applications I use "5 minute" epoxy. It will take the stain with no problem, but it will be darker than your wood.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I have used glue/sawdust, shellac/sawdust and both work but will be darker than you think and the glue mixture will block attempts to stain it. I now use TimberMate for almost all applications and am much happier!


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## Wdwerker (Apr 14, 2012)

I use the Famowood water based version. One trick is to use a slightly darker filler than your wood, especially if you are going to stain the piece a medium or dark color. Make a test board with several different fillers in nail holes, let it dry, sand and stain it, then pick the proper filler to use.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I've given up on stainable fillers. From here on out I'm going to dye the filler dark then apply it.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I find water base fillers work best,but it does make a difference what you are trying to stain the filler with. Of course the best way to go is not to need filler or if possible fill the imperfection with wood. I have had good results with many of the above mentioned products famowood,Timbermate,Pro-filler(also a good grain filler) all water base and sometimes you can use wood flower(very fine saw dust) and glue or shellac. On wood that has been finished I too have use the wood color clay like filler. It takes time and experimentation to find what works best for different defects and different types of finishes.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

About a two years ago I was introduced to Timbermate, a water based wood filler, form Austrailia and found it to be as good as they claim. Previously I had used many different oil based fillers with little or no satisfaction.

It comes in various colors, can be intermixed, is stainable, thinned with water, and water clean up.

Since it is water based, water based stains will soften it so it must be sealed before applying the stain.

If you Google Timbermate you will find a number of outlets, videos, and reviews on this wood filler.

*It has becomemy filler of choice!*


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Don't try to stain the filler. Stain first, then buy a filler to match the color. I often blend two colors together for a perfect match. Finally, topcoat (lacquer, shellac or poly) over the filler. That way the filler won't dry out and lighten in color. 
I use Minwax Putty, or a product called Color Putty from Miller paint stores, which both work equally well.

A quick fix for minor blemishes can be made by waxing a project.


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

I don't have a particular wood filler that I use but instead, have a collection of many options to pick from based upon the situation.

For larger fills, solid wood slivers are often the best (especially on end grain). Very small cracks sometimes get filled with super glue and sanded over it until it's filled in. Colored epoxy, sawdust and epoxy, Famowood and shellac sticks are other methods I like.

On some woods it's sometimes better not to try matching the wood. Cherry has a lot of naturally occurring pitch pockets and dark epoxy mimics that well.

If the filler stands out too much after staining I put a touch of color on it using shellac and pigments or touch up markers.


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## Krudwig (Nov 20, 2012)

Ok Guy I see you all have a lot of experience in the filler game. I've used the color putty and it works ok on nail holes and such between stain and finish or even after sanding sealer before lacquer. Ill try the shellac and sawdust or even super glue and sawdust on my current problem and will order some of the water based fillers mentioned above to try. I realize that the type of wood and finish desired will have a bearing on the filler used so thanks for all the great input . I guess I thought there might be a magic formula I didn't know about and maybe one of the ones mentioned will fit the bill. Thanks I really enjoy the skill and wisdom and sarcasm even that's here I'm LBJ's


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## JesseTutt (Aug 15, 2012)

I have heard that hide glue works better than yellow glue if you are mixing it with wood flower.


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## fisherdoug09 (Jan 29, 2011)

I took a box making class 3 years ago at Marc Adams School and it was taught by Doug Stowe. He uses Duco Cement and fine sawdust. It accepts oil just fine not sure about stain. I have been using it in my boxes ever since and been very happy with the results.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

I have used *Timbermate* as a crack filler, hole filler, and grain filler with good results. Not that I am pushing Timbermate but it have worked well in all my applications.


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

Famo wood all the way, you can mix it to get an exact match, but the factory colors match well most of the time. We get much better results than post finish putty.


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## cutworm (Oct 2, 2010)

I'm with Pinto. I prefer it a little darker over a little lighter but matching as close as I can get.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I NEVER stain anything….. If I want a different color I use a different wood. A great wood filler for unstained projects is a mixture of white glue and sanding powder from a random orbital sander. I use this a LOT. A mixture of this wood powder and whatever finish you are using (Lacquer, Poly, Shellac,tung oil etc.) also works well.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

I hate filler, all of it, its evil but when its a must

I use universal extra fine grind tint and mix it into 2 part auto body filler


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## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

Rarely use it. I usually go the Maloof route and use fine sawdust(from my orbital sanders bag) and epoxy or super glue. Fav. trick is to put some super glue in a defect and run an orbital sander over it. The dust makes a paste iand fills. The dries quick. Sometimes it takes more than once, but it always matches pretty well.


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## Wdwerker (Apr 14, 2012)

Timbermate works well but it smells funny.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

Yes Timbermate smells as is should be hazardous or even flammable but it neither!

Working with Timbermate as a grain filler is similar to working with spackling paste in the way it applies and sands off.

In fact for plywood items that are I intend to paint I have used spackling paste on the raw plywood edges and they come out smooth as silk. And now that I have Timbermate I have used it for the same purpose and it works just as well.


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## laajrry (Mar 23, 2013)

I.m New to the lumberjack and got on the forum to find what to do for wood filler. I
. Just finished an old rocking chair and needed some filler. When I opened my can I found. Out that I have depleted my filler. I have been using a product by the name of jasco paste wood filler. I loved it . You take what you needing and mix a small amount of the the stain you want with the filler wait till dry sand and finish. Now is where the problem is. I don.t know where or if we can find it any more for it lasted for.years. hope someone has some idea. I'm laajrry


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

TIMBER MATE here too.
Bill


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## Hammerthumb (Dec 28, 2012)

Krudwig - you are correct about it depending on the type of finish. If you use sawdust and shellac and try to do a seal coat or finish in shellac, you will find that the application of your finish might pull your filler right out. I try to use waterbased fillers on unfinished surfaces prior to stain, oil based fillers after stain-seal coat and just prior to final finish. I have also used glues, epoxies, shellac, & lacquer with sawdust. Just need to do a sample first as the colors of the sawdust does not always match real well with the area you are filling, and will not always take stain. I think one of your issues might be that you are trying to stain oil based fillers, which in my experience do not take stain real well.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

I have found using Timbermate that it is a good grain filler but rather soft when it comes to a hole or dent of any size over 1/8" particularly on corners or on an edge. For items I am going to paint I really like the Minwax filler that looks like, smells like, and works like the auto body Bondo. This stuff if really strong but does not take stain!


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## DaleM (Feb 18, 2009)

Famowood solvent-based fillers can work well, depending on the wood. I think the red oak and the cherry are both too red, but the white oak works well, natural or stained.(on white oak of course). If you are staining cherry dark, it's better to use the mahogany stain on the cherry as it will come out darker than the cherry stain will. The Famowood water-based filler comes in many colors too and works well for birch and maple, but I can't say much for the darker water-based fillers as I haven't used them. I know Woodcraft sells Famowood as do quite a few other stores.


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## pjones46 (Mar 1, 2011)

You can also use colored shellac sticks as they did and do in furnitue consrvency field. Many colors which you can blend to get an almost perfect match and the claim is that it will not soften or crumble with sanding, polishes to a beautiful luster.


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