Homemade Wood Grain Filler For Painting Oak Cabinets - Cheap & Works PERFECTLY!

[@diypainting]

Save $$$ on painting supplies >>> Shop diypaintingsupply.com Use code "KZbin-SAVE15" to save 15% on everything (sprayers excluded). This is a family business. We take care of our customers. Thank you! 🙏

[@TMillaT]

Thanks for the video. What do you like to have cabinet sanded to prior to applying mud mixture?

[@ZedlaV1]

Thank you for making my life more simpler....

[@vicsterp]

Great info! I used this on the cabinets in two bathrooms. People can't believe that they were oak cabinets. Next up is the kitchen. My daughter who worked in a woodshop recommend using a small dental pick to remove excess in the corners to cut down on sanding.

[@spittinfireALLNEW]

I keep watching his videos, I am about to do mines my bathroom sink is also oak.

[@shaynesabala]

This is brilliant. Thank you for the video. I recently rebuilt a 60 year old bathroom cabinet and when I sanded it all down I went through what I think was a veneer. I used a filler that was recommended but good grief what a nightmare that turned out to be. The final paint is like glass but doing it this way would have saved me a huge amount of time. I had many hours of work in trying to get that wood paintable.

[@BR-lp6rf]

Haha. As a professional cabinet finish/refinisher, this is almost exactly what I do after having tried the Aqua Coat and others and the multiple applications/poor sanding etc. The only difference is I use vinyl spackle and mix with hot water to get it to thin pancake batter consistency. Also only after primer, then prime again after filling. I will try dw mud tho. And taking an extra minute on the door/drawer detail areas saves a lot of time sanding. Thanks!

[@crad614]

I’m a newbie. Are you saying that you prime first, then spackle, then prime again?

[@MV-wb2cz]

@@crad614 it seems like he does say this, can probably see the grain better after primed (my best guess) then it would be easier to fill

[@davidmercado6947]

What brand of vinyl spackle???

[@cjin1873]

Did you eventually try dw mud? Which is easier to sand, vinyl spackle or dw mud?

[@BR-lp6rf]

@@cjin1873 no. I haven’t had an oak refinish job in quite a while

[@scummings9878]

Thank you a bunch. Well presented easy to follow. You saved me a ton of work🙏

[@conduit68]

Light weight spackle watered down... even better. I love Stix primer!

[@mmp495]

I'm so grateful for finding this tutorial. Stuff is way cheaper too. You were right about the build up in the corners...😮 Thank you for the tip. 👍

[@chriszwolle3054]

Your instructions and explanations are the BEST I’ve heard for this DIY-er. Fantastic job! Thank you.

[@jennielee1862]

Hello fellow Minnesotan ! Love your work. Im a first time home buyer and I have an 80s oak kitchen. Cant wait to try this ❤ love all your other videos too

[@diypainting]

Hey @jennielee1862 I'm always looking for projects feature on the channel. With you being in MN, would you be interested in maybe teaming up with us on your kitchen? Send me a message if you want: [e-mail]

[@Unlucky1287]

I was brainstorming products that might work and drywall mud was top of my list! I felt skeptical so thanks for the video!

[@accomplishedtheory9502]

I was just about to order one of those grain filler products too! Thanks again!

[@essking2877]

I am trying this on my oak cabinets, so far so good. I like using a brush for the grooves and sides but prefer spreading it on the flat places with a squeegy/plastic putty knife thingy. Thanks for the info.

[@SihAza]

Seen thinned gypsum mud by others. Many pro painters use Bondo spot filler, which I think is ethanol solvent. One idea is polymer-type tile grout (latex?). I have some left over and it can be thinned with water, so I'll try it, but probably much harder to sand than drywall mud. Best to prime with a shellac like BIN or Kilz so the tannins don't bleed thru.

[@holleyhagerty2560]

Alot of work but I think I'm going to try it. Thank you for the teaching

[@3480eric]

Great idea! I have some oak doors to paint and will give this a try.

[@26sniff]

This is how I spent my Christmas vacation. Used the Insl-x primer and cabinet coat. The joint compound dust does a nice job filling the grain. Trying the steps out on my island first and then will continue on the other cabinets.

[@chrisjohnson1440]

Years ago I had a gig here in northern California where we used to go in and prep the golden oak cabinets. Then Then we Would apply a vinyl sealer Get that nice and smooth out Then we would shoot it with the Precat lacquer. Then we would tent Top Coat with whatever tent the customer wanted to change the appearance of the golden oak to maybe say a mahogany or a maple

[@daleval2182]

I enjoyed , helpful Thanks , for me I love wood grain, I use a 3 step , use any color, but it is transparent, highlights grain,adds accent textures, and gives golden oak a million dollar face lift , imo , and no risk of bleed, scuff or moisture lock , kitchens a wet place

[@james8156]

I am trying this method tomorrow😊👍🏻

[@johnrichards3666]

I have watched so many videos on this exact subject. This one is the best by far ... so I subscribed.

[@diypainting]

Awesome, thank you!

[@johnrichards3666]

You're welcome. Now, I think I have all the ammunition I need to tackle my golden oak cabinets c.1985.

[@judymiller5154]

@@johnrichards3666 how's it going? I am looking at an early 90's golden oak kitchen with 29 doors and 13 drawers!! I certainly dont want any do-overs!!

[@johnrichards3666]

Your project is way bigger than mine. I hope it's a major success.

[@judymiller5154]

@@johnrichards3666 Thanks... its daunting!

[@JimA.77]

Thanks!

[@worshiphim-messianicdancem252]

I really appreciate all the details you put in your videos! All your videos I have watched are great and very informative!

[@jodyyounger4569]

Excited to try this and see the video of your customers kitchen renovation. Thank you!

[@JimA.77]

This is gonna save me tons of time. I'll put up a video of the work.

[@amandalorah1857]

THANK YOU!!!! This is everything I never knew I needed!

[@christineroy4917]

This guy is a pro.

[@TheFieldWalker]

Much appreciate the way you share information and explain everything in detail! Thank you,

[@aaad01]

Have you considered a foam brush instead? The bristles in a normal paint brush would track along the wood grain without filling the voids. Just an idea...

[@laurendao4467]

Really wish I would have found this video before I painted our kitchen cabinets. The specialty grain filler I bought and used barely filled the grain. Since I used a charcoal gray paint color, it's not overly noticeable, but it sure is disappointing for how much extra work I put in! Wanting to update our interior doors next and am definitely going to try this!

[@ThienTran-xl4ey]

Did you use aqua coat?

[@laurendao4467]

​@@ThienTran-xl4ey Yes, I used Aqua Coat on our kitchen cabinets. I used the method in the video on our interior doors and it was at least equal to the effect, if not better, than Aqua Coat and so much cheaper and quicker.

[@l.nguyen9176]

THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT TIP!

[@dtwistrewind7361]

I use the lightweight premixed internal and external filler that feels like the tub is empty, dry in 30mins and can be sanded and painted within the hour.

[@MV-wb2cz]

brand?

[@dtwistrewind7361]

@@MV-wb2cz wicks own brand

[@naturewalkswithbelindaann2503]

Thanks for sharing. This helps out so much 🤗🤗

[@andrewssd]

I use kilz restoration primer. Water based/Shellac based hybrid. Targets tannin and sticks to scuffed oil based or any scuffed glossy surface. Cleans with water.

[@DAOnero]

Does that work well for tannin? I've been having trouble finding a good water based primer to actually block tannin

[@msk3905]

@@DAOnero no water based primer will work, you need to use only oil based to hide tannins. The water in the product draws out the tannins. I don’t know if the hybrid will work but my guess is no and mor importantly why risk it?

[@ThomasSiekierski]

Can you use the grain filler on oak cabinets that have already been painted once but not filled.

[@Young_Star]

Just tried this technique on my finished oak cabinets. I didn't have much luck getting it to fill a lot of the grain. I think it helped with some of the deepest veins but by the time you sand, vacuum, and wipe down to remove all the dust, a lot of the gain is left un-filled.

[@natashat2930]

How about applying a second layer of the filler? Maybe

[@rebeccatrainor6366]

​@natashat2930 I find that the first layer of fill never fills all the grain. I fill, sand, then prime....that's when you can really see any open grain. I then sand the primer smooth and then repeat the process. Clients are always happy with the results!

[@jenniferdelgado7991]

@@rebeccatrainor6366 Do you prime again after the second wood fill step? Or just prime the one time after the initial wood fill step? Thanks!

[@rebeccatrainor6366]

​@jenniferdelgado7991 ... I use Zinsser Cover Stain oil based primer (spray can) after every coat of fill, then sand. Most of any unfilled grain shows up after priming.

[@kevinmchale569]

Awesome video! Thanks for the practical tip.

[@frederickwillison9657]

Many others recommend a similar approach but specify Spackling rather than Joint Compound. Both are similar gypsum based products but Spackling shrinks less and dries faster. Do you have an opinion on the pros and cons of the two?

[@jwill9877]

I think you just answered your own question

[@ajeanj]

just got joint compound and wish I did spackling now 😢

[@ozkfra]

@@ajeanjwhy?

[@RuthiesVlogWorld]

You are truly a life saver 💕💕💕😭😭🙌🏽

[@diypainting]

Good luck!

[@futures.scalper.808]

I buy alot of cheap lumber from home depot, it takes alot of putty and sanding to get it right. This is a time saver.

[@RoxStar1968]

Does doing this mean you can skip the "water pop / grain raising" step since the mixture of water and mud should raise the grain a bit on the wood?

[@MrRodyer]

Will this method work with the Sherwin Williams extreme bond primer and the kemaqua plus ? They are water based lacquers.

[@michaelseragojr.457]

How is the durability of this after a year or two of use? Will the paint chip off?

[@psalm23sheepdog]

Have you ever tried the setting type compound? This is the powdered drywall compound you mix with water for setting joints and corner bead. It’s typically a harder formula. I don’t know if that matters with this technique or not?

[@MV-wb2cz]

as somebody who muds and tapes a lot, the boxed mud has glue mixed with it CGC yellow box, blue box, etc. all have glue mixed with it and would (in theory) be the best product to use for this.

[@starspirit786]

Thank you!!! So glad I found this, was about to order the filler coating stuff & thought about drywall mud too. So glad that I can use it! Thank you again, I hate sanding!! So the little, the better 😊

[@kellyberggren2007]

Thank you! I watched the full video and this is really going to help. I just bought a 1966 MCM house with a kitchen that has oak cabinets. In my last house I painted the cabinets and did it by hand. But they were maple I think. So I didn't have to fight the grain. This kitchen is another story! Would love to spray but that's a little intimidating! But having wood filler at a budget DIY level is great! Any way to save money, right? If I had the money Id just get new cabinets and redo the Kitchen completely. But I don't. So this is an awesome way to take it to the next level. Thanks for your help.

[@TKS2326]

Hello Fellow Minnesotan here! Just came to say thank you for sharing your knowledge and tips&tricks. We are getting ready to paint our kitchen cabinets and i was wondering, if it’s possible to achieve the glass finish on oak doors with your method?

[@diypainting]

Absolutely. Just have to practice your spraying bait and make sure to get your hvlp sprayer dialed in just right!

[@Bpe5150]

Thank you. I just sanded down all of my Golden Oak cabinets. I put a coat of Kilz oil based primer on the doors. Can you caulk the outside panel seams in corners? Also, can I put the drywall mud over the Kilzs?

[@gaberodriguez3813]

I really appreciate this video

[@azmalu]

I’m a big fan of your videos as your experience shows and you have great diy videos.. my project is going from early 90s white oak that wa stained and has poly to black. I was going to use BM advance and the zinnser smart you suggested BUT today at the the paint store the associate suggested aqua lock instead since I’m going black and it has a black base version.. any thoughts ?

[@maryhansen7021]

This is brilliant! I have drywall mud! I know how hard it is and I know how wood filler is not very resilient or dent proof. Will it still work if I already have primer on my cabinets?

[@christophergordon5641]

I'm anxious you're going to bridge the frame and the center panel on shakers. Over the seasons when the cabinets shift will the paint film crack?

[@g8r22]

I like to tint my grain filler with walnut oil stain to make the grain pop before I varnish. Seems like that should work with your method. What do you think?

[@damedeshauses3260]

Thank you very much 💃😘🤗

[@shelshele]

Can you do this on cabinets that a home owner DYI painted over the golden oak cabinets before? Like over paint not raw wood?

[@diypainting]

Absolutely. Just sand them first, apply the grain filler, then sand, move on to priming and painting.

[@Lourdes-Ambrosio]

great instructions! thank you

[@mikedelgrande5138]

Do you have to prep the doors before filler? Gloss remover or anything? Thanks

[@gorporpio]

Thank you from saving me from a lifetime of sanding epoxy.

[@NicholasANappiNick]

I left the grain open looks like a million bucks🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@brianwfd1333]

Thank you for posting this!! I did an application and then primed. Where the grain is coming through the primer, do I sand the primer then apply another coat of filler or fill first before sanding the primer? Thanks again!

[@brianwfd1333]

Also meant to ask do I prime again after the next application or go to the first coat of finish paint? Thank you

[@bricehunter860]

Do you only do this grain filling step on the cabinet doors? What about the cabinet sides? We have some large sides on the ends of our cabinets.

[@lexidavis9182]

As this dries (if you apply it on the front and back side at the same time,) can you dry it laying flat?

[@susankitchin325]

WHA??!! I spent probably $300 on Fine Paints of Europe Brushing Putty to fill the grain in my late 80s Golden Oak cabinets before painting them. And yeah the build-up was a PAIN to sand! Next paint job, if I need to fill the grain, I'm doing THIS technique!!

[@myrosamaria9517]

Thank you!

[@Pseudify]

I saw someone elsewhere recommend plaster of Paris. I suspect very similar results.

[@susanc1179]

Great video! Do you use the grain filler on the cabinet boxes too? Thank you!

[@arbythepainter]

cool video brother

[@SomewhereInIndiana1816]

Great information! Thanks 👍

[@erictheresaalbert3397]

Planning a kitchen renovation & appreciate your videos and information. Concerned that using just joint compound in the grooves where the inset board & trim boards meet will crack, especially after long time use of shutting the doors. Does the primer & paint seal that in or do you think caulk in that area might be best? My concern with caulk is that movement/expansion-contraction of the wood will cause caulk to crack and the paint will flake off.

[@Hman165]

Hi, do you put water based product on unprotected oak ?

[@naeomiacevedo-morales4856]

I already used sanding seal. Can I use this after the sanding sealer?

[@scarlingdarIing]

Ha, this is so perfect because we have been all about drywall mud already as it is!! I hate the textured wall look so i started learning about skim coating walls - this is sort of the same type of thing! So lightly sanding is good enough? I know with refinishing cabinets, they usually say to degloss it.. I'm kinda hoping to skip that part if i can, lol. Also, do you use general purpose or topping/finish mud, which is the thinner kind...? I see you thin in out when you started, if you're using general purpose, you really should try getting the"topping" kind, it's thinner! Oh and what kind of paint would you say is the best for cabinets? I was thinking to use enamel, I'm not sure if that's a good choice or not, but it seemed like it would be!

[@diypainting]

I really like Benjamin Moore Advance for my top coats. Yeah, I just thin down Plus 3 mud and this works great.

[@kevinglainez8151]

If your have been stained and clear coated you have yo degloss the surface before applying filler not perfectly but definitely part of the process.

[@rougebaba3887]

As a painting contractor, I absolutely HATE textured walls! Builders do it to save money. Textured walls are a way to save time on taping and mudding and the whole finishing process in general. It is harder to see any flaws if the whole dang wall is flawed from top to bottom. The nightmare begins when some issue happens and a wall needs to be patched and touched up. Even on small repairs, matching and blending a textured look to make it truly disappear can be a real labor intensive nightmare. In one home we worked on, an outlet had to be moved and the wall patched. It didn't help that this home owner liked shiny, deep color paints. It also didn't help that this spot was on a wall that had a double set of French doors that poured light right down the wall in a very prominent spot in the home. It took forever to finally get it right. So money is saved on the build, and paid out later as things happen. Plus, if you ever want to apply wall coverings, the walls need to be smoothed out, which easily doubles the cost for any wall paper job you do in a textured home. This happened just recently in that exact same 'orange peel look' home that we moved the outlet in.

[@MV-wb2cz]

@@rougebaba3887 see, I don't understand this at all. Mudding and taping takes no time at all if done correctly by the correct person/crew.

[@TheBandoury]

Would using this mud cause cracks after the paint dries?

[@diypainting]

Not at all.

[@mariannemcgee1763]

Enjoyed your video, very helpful. Will one coat be enough to fill the grain in oak cabinets or two coats?

[@kvdme]

I did mine. First I primed and painted them ugh. They were awful. I stripped them all and repainted without primer and left the grain. They were perfect and durable.

[@BourbonSipper19]

Can I do this over existing paint?

[@efroem80]

Would priming THEN doing the wood grain filling then a 2nd coat of primer be a good idea? Ive read several comments from "professional cabinet painters" saying that works well to get a layer in the grain and then you can see the dark grain better to really get it filled. Sanding in bewtween each step of course.

[@diypainting]

It does work. Extra step for very little payoff, but it works pretty good.

[@mresteamable]

Two I questions 1.how long to let dry and 2. can you do this after primer ?

[@diypainting]

You can absolutely do this after primer. Often times I hit missed spots after primer, no issue. Dry time varies depending on humidity. Usually 1-3 hours.

[@cameronnye506]

I've been seeing techniques similar to this with what little research I've been doing into trying to hide the grain. I have some oak cabinets I picked up from Lowes and have already painted them with 2 coats having lightly sanded them before and between the coats. Would this technique still work with paint already applied?

[@smilingdog54]

After using the joint compound I am going to use BM Advance paint over Zinsser BIN. My question in your expert opinion should a top coat be used over the paint?

[@katiecoldwell834]

Question- was there any pre-sanding before you applied the mud wood filler? I just want to know if I should be doing a pre-scuff or not.

[@thesandman775]

Yeah, he said you need to sand cabinets that have a stain and clear coat already applied

[@FlaminChicken231]

would you recommend this method on things you aren't going to paint? What would you recommend?

[@paulramirez7792]

Great video! Do I need to sand in between coats?

[@kaymarie4432]

Can I use this trick for my baseboards? I'm using a zinnser 1-2-3 primer and Emerald Urethane for a top coat. Obviosly cleaning and sanding first! This would save me so much money!

[@diypainting]

Yes, absolutely. But in my opinion baseboards dont really need the grain filled as it is really hard to see, but there is no reason you cant!

[@dg7438]

I don't see the video for the 'end of August' video you were going to document the kitchen remodel?

[@joewaliser]

awesome info thank you so much...

[@peggybedingfield5003]

Is it ok to reapply the joint compound if the door is not completely smooth?

[@diypainting]

Yep

[@patriceclynes826]

Ugh!!! I already primed my cabinets. I didn’t know I could fill the grain. Can this be done after primer?

[@billysmether6237]

Awesome!!!!!

[@bbrownieable]

Can i use a water based filler with an oil based primer?

[@diypainting]

Yep

[@OutdoorKings17]

Would it work to fill in the grain for wood furniture?

[@msk3905]

Wood grain is wood grain so yes

[@js88-y7o]

Do you feel or have you ever needed to apply multiple passes like you have too with aquacoat?

[@ronnieyanuszewski7149]

Thanks for the video. What grit sanding sponge do you use?

[@diypainting]

When I'm sanding after the filler, I use a fine grit 3m sponge.

[@lauriecook350]

Thanks for sharing this method. I applied 1 coat but I put too much water in it. After I sand, can I apply another coat that is thicker? I will ofcourse sand after the 2nd coat.

[@diypainting]

Yes, absolutely.

[@cynthiahansen2341]

Did i miss the prep?? Guessing all clear coat must be removed?? With a remover vs sanding?

[@FauvePanganiban]

Hi, I have black cabinets, can I go straight to filling/sanding it with your method and proceed to priming and painting or do I have to strip the paint first? I want to change to lighter color. Thanks :))

[@RE-ec7iz]

I use drywall mud too if I have some really deep grain and I’m worried about it cracking or falling out in the future then I will sometimes use the powdered hot mud 90 minutes set time easy sand USG brand or I’ll add a little tight bond Wood glue to the +3 just to make myself feel a little better about it LOL but usually it’s just plain old +3

[@davidsimms5323]

sure would have been nice to see that door finished

[@diypainting]

I'll be adding a video showing this process all the way through the finish coat soon.

[@pawelbryja4928]

For old gold oak cabinets that were stained, do you recommend stripping off the stain with a stripper chemical or citristrip? Would it be necessary to do prior to filling the grains with your method?

[@dennisleclair3402]

Great question.. I was wondering the same thing! Can anyone advise?

[@SimplyChicFurniture]

No you don't have to strip the old stain off. I have golden oak cabinets as well that I am painting and you just clean them really well with Krud Cutter, then sand with 220 sandpaper, then vacuum with brush attachment, then do your grain fill. You will want to use Binn Shellac based primer because oak tends to bleed.

[@lnparker40]

I'm looking to do this to some picture frame paneling that is currently stained in my living room as well as a built in, in same room. Not a huge room and paneling only goes up to chair rail height. Would u suggest just filling in the grain on the big panels, and not the trim around them? Also, do I have to sand them down to raw wood or scuff/sand enough for the mud to grip?

[@diypainting]

scuff enough for grip, don't sand through to raw wood. I sometimes do trim and sometimes I don't. Trim is a lot of work with all the grooves and notches in trim.

[@kenolson9943]

When are you moving to San Diego?