It’s been 3 years (I think) since someone asked…
I need a good wood filler for (1) general use, filling holes, including furniture repair, and (2) to fill the gaps in a oak floor (the largest gap is 1/8″). In both cases there would be a finish applied atop the filler. [This question is NOT about grain fillers.]
Rockler shows great review for both Famowood & Wunderfil. Woodcraft carries two types of Famowood and Timbermate. Lee Valley caries Elmer’s, my Ace Hardware carries two types of Minwax. 3 years ago a poster suggested Durhans Rock Hard Putty from a big box store.
Some are water-based, some are stainable. Some are two-part (epoxies?). Is there a good link that covers this subject? Do you have experience you would like to share? Thanks!
Doug
The Wood Loon
Acton, MA
The Wood Loon
Acton, MA
Replies
I have used the Famowood but like the Timbermate much better. Available here. But there is always the old standby. Hide glue and sanding dust.
http://eagleamerica.com/product.asp?pn=442-2060
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
It's best to regard NONE of the wood fillers as stainable. Even those that will accept stain never really accept it the same as the wood surrounding them. This just means the time to use filler is after you have dyed/stained and applied the first of the top coats. Then you know what the final color will be and can adjust the filler to match. You can even adjust the texture as well, molding in the necessary grain lines. The subsequent top coats will then hide it better.
By the way, make sure the gaps in the oak floor are the summer time gaps. If you fill the winter gaps, they will either be squeezed out or will cause the wood to crush in the summer.
Edited 3/11/2009 9:48 pm ET by SteveSchoene
Doug
I tend to rely on a mix of 5-minute epoxy and tint. I apply it before the finish. If I plan to leave the hole as a feature, then I will use a contrasting tint, such as black or clear. If you want to match it to the wood, you can get a good idea of the final colouring by applying the planned finish to a pirece of scrap. My local borg has a wide range of powder tints that are used for colouring cement. A small bottle will last forever as you only require a few grains each time.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Thank you Bruce, Steve, Derek -Brue - Why do you prefer Timbermate? Steve - Good point about waiting til summer - humidity wasn't on my radar.Derek - Ye of renowned plane fame... I've read every article on your web site and innumerable responses over at SMC's Neanderthal forum (for which I thank you)... BORG cement tints? What a wonderful [less expensive?] alternative to the WW store tints!Doug
The Wood Loon
Acton, MA
The Timbermates can be mixed together to get a closer color match, shrinkage is very minimal and the solids are super fine and not gritty at all, It can be rejuvenated with a bit of water if you get too carried away with your color blending time.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
The only advice I can offer is do not use the elmer's. You can stain it, but it looks like someone threw up on the wood, then sealed it in.
I've often thought about making my own filler out of dust or giblets from the primary wood in whatever I'm building. I realize that as soon as you add glue it renders the filler unstainable, but I'm curious if anyone in this forum has ever tried it before.
When you make your own filler, don't use the PVA glue.Use hide glue. It will make the finished product more stainable.But note that any filler will be visable, regardless of how it's been stained or colored. Filler has no grain pattern, and even if you get a perfect color match, it just won't look the same.Unless, of course, you start learning how to use graining brushes, artist brushes, and the like.
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