Wood filler is one of the most useful things to have in your home improvement kit. Exterior wood fillers sell well, as we have so many outdoor wood surfaces such as patio furniture, gates and fences which are all susceptible to damage. We have wooden items everywhere inside the home too, from door frames and picture rails, wooden floors and furniture inside the home.
As we all try to become more environmentally responsible, it’s important to repair and maintain our furniture and belongings as much as we can. Wood filler is a fantastic, easy-to-use product that helps sustain the life of our wooden surfaces.
Picking the right product
If you’re new to DIY or to using wood fillers, the first place to start is with the item you want to fix. There are a range of different types of wood filler; the right one will depend on the damage and where the item is usually kept.
How big is the piece of damage? For very small holes in wood grain such as holes left by screws, or nail holes, a wood putty may be the best option. Wood putty is made from synthetic materials and can’t be stained, so is best used for small holes where you don’t need to stain or dye the repair to match the wood.
Wood fillers are made from wood-based materials and this allows them to be sanded and painted or stained to match the wood surface they have been added to.
Once you’ve established that you do need a wood filler, think about where your item spends most of its time. For exterior wood, you’ll need a filler that’s solvent-based or petroleum based. These ingredients help it to withstand water and the elements, but tend to be quite strong-smelling. Water based wood fillers will be best for any wooden surfaces inside the home.
Finally, colour choices. You can choose a stainable wood filler if you’d like to stain the whole item once you’ve applied wood filler. The Everbuild Multipurpose Wood Filler is a great choice which can be sanded and painted or stained after use, and offers a waterproof filler option.
Alternatively, you can choose a coloured filler if you’d like to match it to the existing wood grain as best as possible.
Using wood filler
Prepare the wood surface by removing any loose splinters of wood, and lightly sand the surface around the damaged area you wish to fill. Use a damp tack cloth to remove any dust or dirt, which can prevent wood filler and wood from bonding correctly.
Using a putty knife, apply the wood filler to the hole or area of damage. Fillers typically come in 250ml tubs, but you can get 500ml tubs for larger jobs. We offer our most popular colour choices in both sizes, such as the Everbuild Pine Wood Filler 250ml tub and the Everbuild Pine 2 Part High Performance Wood Filler 500g
The time it takes for wood filler to dry can take anything from less than an hour up to one or two days to fully dry. Premium fillers typically take a lot less time to dry, like the Everbuild Oak 2 Part High Performance Wood Filler 500g which dries in just 30 minutes.
Once it has dried fully, you can lightly sand it with fine sandpaper if needed. If the surrounding wood is stained and your filler is stainable, you can apply wood stain with a fine paintbrush to match; alternatively apply paint to allow the repair to blend in.