# Home made Grain fillers



## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Lots of us work with open pored wood like red oak and need some sort of grain filler. I'v found a couple home brewed ones and one commercial product I like.

Here are two home brews I've used.

Use 400 grit wet/dry paper. Just wipe the piece with some oil and sand. The dust will fill the pores. Add oil, if it gets too dry. Any clear oil will work. I use Watco clear. BLO would work, too.

Or, coat the wood with Watco or BLO, then sprinkle on 4F pumice. It'll take about a teaspoon per square foot. Rub it in using a cloth (lint free). Then, wipe across the grain to remove the excess. I use burlap for both methods. Also, I like to let both methods get a bit tacky before using the burlap.

I've also used a product called Timbermate, Recommended by Charles Neil. Amazon or Eagle America carries it.

All above will give you a real smooth finish. The pumice turns translucent, the wood dust, of course is already matched and Timbermate has several colors. Or, you can color it yourself.


----------



## Dez (Mar 28, 2007)

Gene
Good tips, thanks for the info. 
I also like the Timbermate.


----------



## hObOmOnk (Feb 6, 2007)

I follow the classical path: pumice or Plaster of Paris.
I use pumice in a slurry either mixed with a drying oil or shellac, or water for the plaster.
I use a small rubber squeegee to apply the filler across the grain.
This is the way I was taught more than 40 years ago by a master finisher/refinisher.


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

I like the oil and sandpaper method for a very smooth finish but a problem arises when you have two contrasting woods adjacent to each other. The dark sandings end up in the light pores and to a lesser extent (visibly anyway) vice-versa. I've had a problem finding a truly clear grain filler, even asked at Lee Valley and they didn't have one, but I recently found this place: https://www.woodessence.com/Default.aspx online . I ordered some aniline dyes, water-borne poly and clear grain filler from them. I'm in the process of testing them but the filler seems to be almost the same as the clear wb poly except a slightly higher solids content (35% vs 30%) and different instructions for use. Both are of course tintable with the dyes.


----------



## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Well Paul, masking tape works….hehe
The pumice seems to disappear, but I've not tried it across two contrasting woods.


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

I have to admit Gene, I haven't tried pumice. I do like and use the oil technique but try masking my last project. The stuff I bought seems to work but I will try pumice. Thanks Gene. Good topic.


----------



## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Let us know how that clear filler works out. Not sure I'd like working with poly as a filler. Too messy.


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

When I post my current project, it will be included in the blog. Maybe two weeks.


----------



## jimc (Mar 6, 2008)

Shipwright, Crystalac makes a clear grain filler. I recently bought a quart but haven't had a chance to try it out yet. Everything I've read on it says that it is water clear (guess that would depend on your water, eh?).

When I get the opportunity to try it, I'll leave a review post.

Jim


----------

