The Best Wood Fillers of 2023

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Cracks, divots, holes, or rot can crop up on wooden surfaces due to ordinary wear and tear, accidents, and during DIY projects. Fortunately, wood fillers—which come in water- and solvent-based formulas—can handle all sorts of repairs, from hiding blemishes in the wood grain of cabinets and filling seams or gaps in door trim to sealing nail holes in a newly built patio table.

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With the wide variety of wood fillers available—each having a unique formulation, usage scenario, and application technique—it can be tricky to pinpoint the right one to use. This guide will explain these practical putties and how to choose the best wood filler for your needs.

1. BEST OVERALL: Minwax Stainable Wood Filler
2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Elmer’s E887Q Stainable Wood Filler
3. BEST FOR BEGINNERS: Elmer’s E913 Carpenter’s Color Change Wood Filler
4. UPGRADE PICK: FamoWood 40022126 Latex Wood Filler
5. BEST FOR SEALING PORES: Aqua Coat Wood Grain Filler
6. BEST FOR HOLES: Goodfilla Water-Based Wood Filler
7. BEST FOR FURNITURE: Coconix Floor and Furniture Repair Kit
8. ALSO CONSIDER: Elmer’s Probond Wood Filler

Water vs. Solvent Fillers

Wood fillers are either water or solvent based. Either can be used to fill wood voids or pores, but they have a number of differences.

• Water-based wood fillers are generally a mix containing cellulose, wood fiber, or gypsum. They tend to have a less potent odor, as they emit few, if any, volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Some water-based wood fillers are more versatile than their solvent-based counterparts because they can be readily diluted with water and used in projects requiring thinner filler. Water-based fillers typically dry in about 15 minutes, and cleanup requires only soap and water.
• Solvent-based fillers tend to consist of vinyl or epoxy. They have a higher VOC content and are correspondingly smellier. Solvent-based wood thinners take about an hour to dry, and cleaning up after use calls for acetone or turpentine. Cost-wise, solvent-based fillers are pricier than water-based fillers because they’re more resistant to water, humidity, extreme heat and cold, and rot, making them best suited to exterior wood projects and applications.

Choosing the Best Wood Filler for Your Project

Task: Wood fillers typically handle one or more specific tasks. Some are suitable for filling voids such as divots, holes, or gouges in all wood species. Others are for filling pores in open-grain woods with large pores visible to the naked eye, such as oak or elm, to smooth their naturally coarse texture. (As the filler inundates the pores, it levels any unevenness to achieve a finish particularly desirable on furniture.) The most versatile fillers can fill either voids or pores.

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Consistency: Wood fillers can have thick (putty-like) or thin (pancake batter-like) consistencies. Thicker fillers are primarily for filling voids, while thinner fillers mainly fill pores in open-grain woods. It’s important to choose the right consistency for your project, as thicker fillers contain large particles that don’t readily fit into the pores of open-grain woods, and thinner fillers generally lack the body to adequately fill voids. (Tip: In a pinch, some thicker fillers can be thinned with water to fill pores.)

Color: The most common fillers come in white or wood-inspired shades; clear versions for filling pores are also available. If you don’t plan to ultimately stain or paint the piece, opt for a filler in a shade that either closely matches or contrasts with the original wood color, depending on whether you want to play down or play up the filler color. If you do intend to coat the cured filler with stain or paint, be sure to pick a stainable or paintable product, either in white or in a shade that’s lighter than the stain or paint you’ll use.

Application environment: Fillers are generally for “interior-only” or “interior/exterior” use. This serves as an indication of how well the filler will hold up in the stated environment both during application, while wet, and post-application after it has dried.

• Interior-only fillers can be safely applied indoors to wooden pieces that will stay indoors, such as a coffee table. Apply that same product outdoors or to a piece that will live outdoors, such as a patio table, and the filler will be more likely to freeze or harden while wet from exposure to extreme cold or heat, or crack or shrink over time once dry.
• You can safely apply interior/exterior fillers in either environment and to wood pieces that will live indoors or out since they can withstand extreme weather without hardening during application or cracking/shrinking once dry. Water-based interior/exterior fillers are more versatile because they’re durable enough for outdoor projects yet emit virtually no odor while wet. While solvent-based interior/exterior fillers are safe to apply in both environments, you’re better off using them for heavy-duty outdoor projects (e.g., filling gouges or replacing rotted decking), where their highly weather-resistant solvents can handily defend against the elements and the fumes they emit while wet will quickly dissipate in the air.

Packaging: Wood fillers are packaged in tubs, squeeze tubes, and sticks. Those in tubs are either no-mix and can be applied with a putty knife or spreader, while two-part fillers must be mixed before application. For tube fillers, you need only squeeze out a scant amount to fill voids or pores, while with stick fillers, simply rip off a small chunk and apply by hand. Tubs, which hold the most product, tend to be most economical and are suited to larger projects, while sticks are the least cost-effective and best used to repair scratches and cracks.

Our Top Picks

Now that you’re all filled in on the latest information on these products, it’s time to check out some of the best wood fillers on the market. We performed hands-on testing with all of these products to ensure they’re up to snuff. Be sure to keep all the top considerations in mind when comparing the best wood fillers.

Our Verdict

If you’re looking for the best wood filler overall, it’s our opinion that you can’t go wrong with Minwax Stainable Wood Filler. However, if you’re OK spending a little more for an excellent finish, consider FamoWood Wood Filler for its top-notch quality and smooth finish.

How We Tested the Best Wood Fillers

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We got pretty scientific with this wood filler comparison. First, we found one piece of pine that was large enough to divide into separate sections for the different wood fillers. Then, each section was divided into four segments, each with its own test:

• A screwdriver point driven into the wood both with and against the grain, meant to simulate the holes left by finish nailers
• A ¼-inch hole drilled straight through the board
• A chip of wood taken from the test piece with a chisel
• A “Charlie Olson,” or an errant hammer strike shaped like a C or O

Once each section was properly damaged, we set forth with the wood fillers to fill them in. When they were dry, we sanded the fillers to see how well they cured the damage. The result gave us all the information necessary to suggest the best wood fillers based on their strengths and weaknesses.

FAQs

Even with all that background on the best wood fillers, you might have a few additional questions spinning around. This section aims to fill you in on the most frequently asked questions about the best wood fillers. Be sure to check for an answer to your question listed below.

Q. What is the difference between wood putty and wood filler?

Wood filler is designed to be stained or painted, and it goes on before the finishing coats. Wood putty is primarily for after finishing, and it comes in predetermined colors.

Q. Can you use wood filler on items that are meant to be left outside?

It depends on the product, but some wood fillers are suitable for use both indoors and out.

Q. Can you paint wood filler?

Almost all wood fillers are paintable; however, some are also suitable for staining.

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor