How To Caulk Seams and Fill In Nail Holes Before Paint (Painting Series) - Spencer Colgan

In this video, using a 4 inch spatula/taping knife, a caulking gun, clear caulking, white caulking, dry Dex Spackling compound, and bondo glazing putty, I show you how I go about preparing wood trim before painting it. When it’s finished, you will not see nail holes or anything else except for one continuous surface.

[@shahilanathan8067]

It’s July 2024 and I just wanted to say thanks. I tried your tips and it helped me so much. Now just have to paint. 😊

[@Mike-qo4kp]

This guy has to be doing his best chistopher walken impression on purpose. Hes a pro. This is great

[@johnmaxwell273]

Mr Colgan consistently produces an excellent finished product. Amazing considering what some GCs, drywallers, and “carpenters” consider “paint-ready” work. Painters spend a lot of time putting lipstick on a pig.

[@sandrinakeffufal6008]

Thanks for showing us how a true professional does it :)

[@heathers8826]

Thanks for the video. Working on my first board and batten project in my house. Today was caulking day so this was very helpful.

[@Midman1972]

Yep, I learned how/why to caulk 30 years ago. Trying to teach novices has always been a losing battle. My advice: buy the better caulk gun to start.

[@edgarhilton136]

Thank you Spencer you answered every question I had clear video straight to the point I appreciate every video you've made

[@spencercolgan]

Edgar you have no idea how much I appreciate what you just wrote! Would you mind doing me a favor my friend? Would you go on the following link on google and give me a five star review regarding how comprehensive my videos are for you and tell everybody else what they have taught you? I would greatly appreciate that my new friend. www.google.com/search?q=tampa%20wallpaper%20installer&tbm=#lkt=LocalPoiReviews&trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:nav,rc_ludocids:18168418332679895040,rc_q:Spencer%2520Colgan%2520-%2520Wallpaper%2520Installer,ru_q:Spencer%2520Colgan%2520-%2520Wallpaper%2520Installer,trex_id:XCBBr

[@michaelcremin604]

Legend love your video man you a Artist with perfection

[@sbbitneb]

Christopher Walken teaches the finer points of caulking.

[@shannondaniels2]

Lol... YESSSS!

[@Quincy556]

He has a fever and the only cure is more holes patched.

[@VPo_kid]

Hahaha yes!

[@1painter4hire]

OMG first thing I thought B-4 looking at comments 👍

[@prodigirl1]

We love Spencer ❤

[@eaf27]

The guy from Vancouver carpenter says he doesn't like the dry dex stuff because in his mind it's "a glorified drywall filler" and dries too soft so it's easy to over sand it. He prefers plain elmer's wood filler or Dyna Patch Pro. Or so he said in his video. Thank you for sharing your tips on filling with the bondo and man that marker trick is great.

[@ryans413]

Thank you I’ve never done this before just recently got new property and the inside is not true my god all the trim and doors not straight so there’s lots of caps in molding and trim that need to be filled. This helped me thanks.

[@1painter4hire]

This is what makes the Painter , All the detail work Blow and go guys don't want to do. Nice Work Sir 👍

[@emilypruitt6581]

Thank you for the lowdown - appreciate the detail.

[@CricketJeepFox]

Wonderful! Thank you so much! Very helpful!

[@geoffreyyoung5419]

A great tip I love the Vancouver Carpenter

[@fogsmart]

Well, whatever works and achieves the level of perfection you desire. If you do this for a living then efficiency and compromise might play into things. As a DIY perfectionist with numerous renos over the decades, I use a variety of products. Bondo, automotive glazing putty, Lepage and Elmers tinted wood filler in both tube and tub, drywall compound, etc. Caulking of hairline cracks is an obvious choice though deep cracks will shrink and a secondary application doesn’t lay down as neatly so I may transition to a different filler for large gaps especially on baseboards. For brad or nail holes I’ve tried the flush putty knife method which sands easier but may need a secondary fill after drying to account for shrinkage which leaves a dimple. Leaving putty proud accounts for shrinkage but often takes longer to sand flush. With MDF, brads can leave a “volcanoed” hole that I often sand flush first, then blow out the dust and do my fill. I often use a quick grab dab of caulking glue every 12” and avoid brads unless really needed for warp. I hate painters who use caulking for nail hole filling as it shrinks and with a higher paint sheen level is rather noticeable. Other than the excellent cutting in skills of a pro painter, I find I can do a better final job but again, I have unlimited time if it’s my own trim work. And I have to own the bad gaps for rushed carpentry finishing. At least it’s paint grade I tell myself. For real wood, well…

[@danchilds5618]

A trick I learned from an old carpenter is to push the caulking gun instead of pulling it. Works best on hairline cracks. You use half the caulk, and it smoothes out as you go.

[@spencercolgan]

Thank you very much I know exactly what you’re talking about and it’s so true

[@atroche1978]

Great tip!

[@Bradley_Lute]

I'm having a tough time getting filling with Drydex right. It seems to pull into the nail holes which are a large ♠️ spade-like shape. So you have to put it on in a bit of a mound. Then when you go to sand it with a sponge, it is very hard to find the line between over and under sanding. It's easy to dig down into the hole and leave a shallow hole to only have to fill it again. And it's not just a circular hole which might be easier. Caulking is also very challenging, as the cracks are different widths. I think might start cutting two sizes and swapping them out. Also it can be tough to clear the caulking out of the corners of the frames. I have fairly large hands and it leaves little builds in the corners. Large cracks are the most challenging though. I either put to much or too little. I've caulked outdoors a lot but indoors is giving me a run for my money! It's very high end work I'm doing. My last job was fine but this has to be perfect looking.

[@New-Breed-Drywall-And-Paint]

I know this is 4 months later but maybe it will help on the next one • make sure the hole on top is not cut to big . You want to cut it right where you first see through . You’d be surprised how much will come out of that tiny hole. • try to push the caulk gun instead of pull ( so with your tip opened with a small hole cut at a 45deg angle . Place the gun just like your going to pull it and caulk but instead push and squeeze . I feel it’s better cause you really get the product in the area your caulking . • the corners are a little more tricky just keep a 5 &1 on you and when you do a corner dig out the extra while it’s wet . , or stop just before the corner and pull the caulking with your finger towards it when you wipe it the smooth it out and the extra on your finger will Fill it

[@adamflude6228]

GREAT instruction, THANKS :)

[@Ingeanous]

I don't do the mark, take a little tape and wrap it around the tube and gun so it is always in the same orientation...

[@richardfabrizio8998]

Good advice Spence

[@chadm9944]

We just use sherwin Williams lightweight spackle for nail holes. Works great, just doesn’t work as well if the nail hole is just slightly too deep

[@keepondoubletruckin8466]

im in the middle of painting my little house! Thank You

[@elgordoxxx]

Thank you for this channel and the time and effort you put up to it. Its hard to find people that are artist in what they do whatever the trade :). Im just a guy that its starting to work as a maintenance tech on a property force by the hole pandemic and Im learning everything that I can! And your videos really helped me a lot thanks once again :) y me parece genial su español no se si sea su primera lengua pero lo habla muy bien :) 🤟🏻🙏🏻

[@spencercolgan]

Of course it’s not my primary language; when people ask me how I learned Spanish I simply tell them that in high school, I did the homework in my Spanish class

[@elgordoxxx]

@@spencercolgan nice then 👍🏻 thank you for your videos Sir :)

[@chris560]

@@spencercolgan I didn't take Spanish seriously in school. I regret it now when I visit Mexico. 😢

[@PhilGeary]

fella`s i need more cow bell i gotta have it , nothing better than some good caulking talk nice job 🤣🤣

[@johnmaxwell273]

Painter. Homeowner used Bondo glazing to fill in damaged 8” window sills. Applied it like drywall compound with I guess a spatula. Not prepared for how fast it sets up. Finish coat BMoore Regal Select semi. Arrived to see what appeared to be Georgia clay covered in faint yellow. For deeper cracks or holes, Bondo isn’t the best. Wood expands. Bondo doesn’t. Apply Thin for surface defects. May want to use plastic putty knives, or prepare to clean tools frequently doing a large room.

[@keepondoubletruckin8466]

Thank You

[@usernamemykel]

Enjoyed this tutorial - but what to use to fill in nail holes on wood which would not be painted? Thank you!

[@Rocketrich88]

Hands down my favorite accent… Astoria, NYC…

[@aslmx1918]

I love the smell of bondo

[@LZGunn]

thank you

[@yongberg8]

Thanks for the video I accidentally filled nail holes with caulking silicone, is there any repair on this?? Thank you

[@skiddddmarkofficial2054]

Do i need to caulk where the baseboard meets the lvp floor?

[@jagboy69]

Nice molding work. I have spent too many hours installing miles of wood molding only to watch cracks appear at caulking lines. Wood is going to shrink, just the way it is.

[@palmerpalmer1538]

The down side to bondo is that nasty red dust and extra coats Of paint...I use elmers wood filler it’s yellow better coverage tougher to sand though. On a job last year I used bondo over top of grey tile with white grout I had a drop down but when I pulled it up that red got in the grout and ruined it haha last time I used that stuff

[@krisone63]

Practice... professionals use bondo, amateurs use Elmers.

[@bluegrassdanq]

That red putty is going o be hard to cover?

[@Gabriel-fq1ni]

What caulking should I use for floating panels and cabinet doors when using a water-based paint product??

[@daryagoodman]

Thank you! I caulked the nail holes and didn’t wipe it. Now I have to sand it and scrape it off 😢

[@lisamp9583]

is the wall panelling best done on the wall directly or mounted separate & later attached? do you recommend painting by hand or spray it ?

[@shaun9209]

Thoughts on wood putty then sand?

[@jacobdudzik2260]

This video wins the award for having the most "That's what she said" comments.

[@spencercolgan]

Profound insight.

[@warnerwatanabe5494]

can anyone define the job title of caulking baseboards and trim, filling nail holes, etc. is that being a painter and a process that happens before painting the walls

[@ronaldrider1428]

Why have they made a wood filler that's not white but purple.... is it because your need to give it another coat of undercoat to cover the purple ...seems like a big knife for such a little nail hole...I would like to have seen the finished product with the light shinning in...will you be able to see the purple nail holes?

[@eastbaygrease10]

Hears "commensurate". Hits "like" and "subscribe".

[@davidsmalley8783]

In the uk we would never apply caulk to bare unprimed Mdf for fear of it not sticking to porous etc plus why is the filler so dark in colour is this a vision thing or just purely the colour the product ?

[@jagboy69]

I hate MDF, I'll install it in your house, but not mine. ;-) The body filler is that dark. After fill, sand, prime and paint, you won't see it.

[@tdavis2468]

The only bondo glazing and spot putty that I found is white and requires use of a cream hardener. Why the difference and where do you find what you use. TYIA

[@spencercolgan]

I got it right at Home Depot

[@krisone63]

I use the two product bondo glazing as well. Mix and apply, make sure you push it into the hole and then "cut" it with a razor.

[@rebeccakelley8221]

You only showed caulking of top of molding seams. Do you need to caulk all seams though (sides, bottom)?

[@Boxingjoe]

Yes you do, i think he only did that to move further into the video

[@pingpong9656]

Do you need to caulk the small reveal between the different wood pieces or just where it meets the wall?

[@spencercolgan]

Just where it meets the wall.

[@pingpong9656]

@@spencercolganGreat - thank you for that!

[@mrspunk61]

caulk all seams

[@Avital4414]

Have you tried Mg ReadyPatch?

[@georgecclifford8235]

I use car body filler to fill nail holes it works well and I can't understand why people would use caulk

[@Avital4414]

Is it necessary to spackle first, and then apply the bondo putty, or is bondo alone sufficient? Thanks!

[@spencercolgan]

Spackle not needed sir. Bondo or window glazing putty works wonders. No shrinkage.

[@Avital4414]

@@spencercolgan thanks!!!

[@austinsmith8010]

What caulk do you use?

[@bigdogkropp]

What about DAP Plastic Wood?

[@user-ft2zn4sx3z]

I'm just waiting for the 2 inch sliver in the finger as he's speed caulking.

[@christianandujar3025]

@spencer. What can i use to fill joint on thos butt joints?

[@spencercolgan]

Glazing putty for windows Christian.

[@tundrawhisperer4821]

Which interior caulking brand/type do you use? Thx

[@spencercolgan]

SW 905 clear. I love Alex plus fast drying.

[@godFATHERfrazer]

Hanibal Lecter just taught me how to caulk

[@spencercolgan]

That’s a strange remark.

[@chris-p-Bacon836]

Most people don’t see the imperfections unless you’re a finish carpenter.I seen a lot of poor craftsmanship but did not want to upset the homeowner.

[@spencercolgan]

Christopher, please understand that I only painted this; I was not the Carpenter who put this together

[@xinixxagnix201]

I use Sheetrock 45, no dents and smooth as can be.

[@spencercolgan]

Wow!!! Good to know. Thank you.

[@tundrawhisperer4821]

You use the 45 on millwork?

[@spencercolgan]

@@tundrawhisperer4821 oh sure.

[@tundrawhisperer4821]

@@spencercolgan okay, I’ll have to try that one! Thx

[@VC-Toronto]

Get a hold of a bit of chalk line powder and mix it into your hot mud, then when it dries it's easier to find the spots that need sanding (it's hard to find sometimes if left white, but I found that the yellow powder seems to work the best for me, it's noticeable when you are looking for it but doesn't show through the finish coats). A few times I've done the hot mud without tint, and missed sanding one or two spots. These days I put a bit of chalk line tint into spackle, then spackle the holes (leaving it a bit proud to account for shrinkage), then once dry hit with a medium sanding block. I've found that glazing putty will shrink a bit, so needs to be left a bit proud, but is a bear to sand, especially in a complicated molding such as crown.

[@g8rdozer]

I must’ve missed it in the video....what’s the best caulk to use? I’ve heard DAP is best?

[@spencercolgan]

You Stri-Dex; for the nail holes and also use Alex plus excellent excellent excellent but yet the white one it doesn’t shrink as much

[@sparksmcgee6641]

Big stretch is great and about the same price

[@badgerfan2608]

Hey I did that wall lol

[@trendsetterdebbie]

Do you have to sand after using the bondo?

[@spencercolgan]

Yes, unfortunately.

[@krisone63]

If you use a razor and push the bondo in and cut it tight you will have minimal sanding to do.

[@TheDailyPracticeBlog]

Do you sand the glazing putty also?

[@spencercolgan]

Yes.

[@rodneydennis8665]

Spencer, you recently posted a video where you used another product to fill nail holes instead of Bondo. Would you let me know what that was. I can’t find the video. THANKS.

[@spencercolgan]

Pink drydex filler

[@tundrawhisperer4821]

After using the red filler, you have to prime over that right?

[@spencercolgan]

Nope.

[@tundrawhisperer4821]

@@spencercolgan Really?? Your telling me that I can paint my two coats of SW pro classic white trim paint right over that without bleed through?

[@spencercolgan]

@@tundrawhisperer4821 no. I’m not. You didn’t ask me that re. Your presumably white pro classic paint. You asked if it need be primed. That’s what I said no to. If you’re painting this red filler, you would need to cover it with a primer sealer for color purposes. But if you’re looking to know if it would. Size a holiday and therefore require a primer, the answer is (as I said). No!!! You’ll be fine tundra whisperer.

[@tundrawhisperer4821]

@@spencercolgan size a holiday? I have no idea what you meant by that! 😂😂. I figured it needed to be primed. Thx

[@SomeDumUsrName]

Primer/sanding sealer should go on before caulk and fill. Then fill. Then sand all. THEN caulk....LAST.

[@krzysztoflaskowski6110]

Spot on mate...but what do we know lol

[@krisone63]

Not at all... bondo first, sand and then prime.

[@jrmorrissey207]

@@krisone63 Krzy didn't say bondo. He said "before caulk". So yes, bondo first, then prime/seal, then caulk last. The caulk adheres to primer best, not raw wood. Obviously sanding before primer, and between coats with dust removed.

[@user-rh4oy5pu7p]

What do you use for grit of sandpaper after

[@spencercolgan]

80 grit to 120 grit

[@sarahsugarbritches319]

thanks :-) i want to make sure I don’t scuff the beadboard project I’m on but can also sand the bondo

[@JoeSmith-sj4uz]

Can joint compound be used in place of drydex if dry time isn't an issue?

[@spencercolgan]

Too soft. No. Don’t use it. Plus. It shrinks

[@dangervich]

Is the Bondo really better than the Drydex? Why?

[@spencercolgan]

Do you know why? The dry dex does not shrink nor does the Bon-do. But the Bondo dries as hard as a rock; each is excellent and thank you for watching this video; please subscribe

[@doggpound475]

@@spencercolgan what kind of sand paper do you use to sand the bondo?

[@kraetz]

What type of Caulk ? Silicone ?

[@spencercolgan]

Paintable , Clear

[@chris-p-Bacon836]

What about wood putty Buddy?

[@spencercolgan]

Use pink Drydex. Don’t even prime. Paint

[@jimbourton139]

Such a wabker

[@SomeDumUsrName]

"whenever you have some wood moulding up against another wood, you can expect some movement." That's only HALF fact. The OTHER half is ".....when you have crappy carpenters." ;-)

[@spencercolgan]

You realize I did not do the wood. Right?

[@SomeDumUsrName]

@@spencercolgan oh but of course.

[@Reljic414]

I think that knife is too big for that

[@BOBBYdigital31]

He sounds like Anthony Fauci

[@tribulationprepper787]

SPEAKING OF LOOKING BAD... That receptacle plate on the wall at 3:01 needed to be moved. The way you hacked up the the frame around the wood looks terrible. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL.

[@spencercolgan]

Why don’t you get the facts before you open your mouth like that? I did not do the trim! I was there to paint it. I did not install the wood trim

[@tribulationprepper787]

@@spencercolgan If you aren't responsible for that hack job, I apologize. I took my que from other videos I have seen where the installer was also responsible for the caulking and painting.

[@krisone63]

?? You're so wrong, painters don't make the decision on where a receptacle is or how it is placed on a wall with trim. Painters paint and if the GC and carpenters made the decision to place a receptacle where it is the painter paints it.

[@tribulationprepper787]

@@krisone63 No matter the reason, that receptacle should have been moved a few inches out of the way BY SOMEONE with some class.

[@robertgorham3755]

..you typed "the" twice.

[@mashmash7877]

Oh my god that was painful to watch. Get a new profession there bud

[@spencercolgan]

How profound.