Wood Filler & Putty for Furniture Repair | Woodworking How to

What is wood filler versus wood putty? What are wood fill sticks? See what products we use for wood repair in our furniture repair shop so you understand when to use each of these products.
The description on the labels of the wood filler products I use are as follows:
- Wood patch
- Wood filler
- Wood putty
- Wood repair epoxy putty
- Fill pencil
- Putty pencil
- Putty stick filler
- Wax filler stick
- Quick fill burn-in stick
The marketing of these products makes them very confusing to understand. Let me break these down into categories to better understand what they're used for. The first is what I call a wood filler. It's a thick, mud-like product that's used to fill holes and dents in bare wood. This is used for filling defects in woodworking that will be painted. It can also be used on wood that will be stained, but it is challenging to disguise the wood filler from being seen.
The second category of wood fillers is a putty. By definition, a putty is something that is soft, malleable, and hardens. Wood putty is used on finished wood surfaces and is available in a variety of colors. It's intended to be worked into the defect and left to harden. Wood putty can't be sanded as it doesn't harden enough. I typically use this to fill nail holes at the edge of a hardwood floor where the last few strips of flooring must be surface nailed.
Another type of wood putty is epoxy putty. This is a product that will dry very hard and is difficult to sand because it is so hard. The advantage of an epoxy putty is that it will hold structure, unlike other wood putty products. I use it to repair carvings or wood damage on the corner of cabinets where the putty must hold strong. It's best to shape it into the finished dimensions as it hardens to avoid excessive labor in sanding.
The last category of wood fillers is what I describe as wax fillers. These come in different forms; pencils, crayons, soft sticks, and hard sticks. The softer wax fillers can be rubbed into the defect and buffed out. They're used on finished wood only. The hard sticks I use are burn-in sticks, used with a hot knife or soldering iron to melt the wax and blend it into the defect. I prefer burn-in sticks as I can work in multiple colors that closely match the wood grain and conceal the filled area most effectively.
RELATED VIDEOS
Burn-in Wood Filler - • Best Wood Filler to Ma...
Here are links to some of the products I use:
Elmer's Wood Filler - amzn.to/3pu03Vk
🇨🇦 Canadian link - amzn.to/2NEHcsz
Quick Wood Epoxy Putty - amzn.to/3pyS0qp
🇨🇦 amzn.to/3r3Vv8z
Minwax Wood Fill Pencils - amzn.to/3j0YQCw
🇨🇦 amzn.to/2YwocyN
Mohawk Burn-in Wax Sticks - amzn.to/2MjapZJ
🇨🇦 amzn.to/3r4IBaj
Note: purchases made with these links help fund our video production work
Fixing Furniture is not only a KZbin channel but it's also a membership community. Get access to videos before they're published on KZbin, watch all the videos without ads, get downloadable reference sheets, and participate in Fixing Furniture Live every two weeks. Learn more about membership at www.fixingfurniture.com
OUR NEWSLETTER - Sign up at www.fixingfurniture.com
See the tools we use in our workshop and the tools we recommend: www.amazon.com/shop/homeimpro...
🇨🇦 Canadian link - www.amazon.ca/shop/homeimprov...
This video is hosted by Scott Bennett, Owner of Wooden It Be Nice - Furniture Repair in Brooklin, Ontario, Canada. WoodenItBeNice.ca
#woodfiller #woodworking #woodputty

[@franklinass8047]

This is exactly what I was looking for. Most other videos I found only worked with a single product, and they never explained their specific use. Thanks for the detailed video.

[@danalaniz7314]

Very helpful and helps clear up a lot of confusion I had about the products. Thank you.

[@maitai4476]

Thanks. Nice to finally know the differences between all of these products and the proper application.

[@leonardnoel888]

One of the best presentation I found on KZbin. Thank you.

[@balover2010]

Sir, thank you so much! Feels comprehensive enough I can apply the information to other products I may come across, without overwhelming this beginner! The examples of the category types is also much appreciated, and I LOVE the business name! Thank you thank you!

[@NinjAaaron87]

This is the best comparison of types of fillers and techniques to use that I've seen anywhere yet.

[@entelechysea4580]

Love this! I came to your site checking out products on Wood Filling, and it was SO CONFUSING. So many products made of different things saying they do the same things. Thank you for explaining!

[@BansheeFifteen]

Thank you. Just moved and got some nice gouges in a coffee table that I really liked. Going to try to repair it.

[@tonyareese5498]

This was an excellent. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@roxanagarcia3233]

Omg! THANK YOU!!! This is exactly what I was looking for!

[@itawad]

great video and very clear description. I learned alot from it

[@clarkhussey5865]

Scott, great to have you back! I was just blending wood putty this morning. Fixing a table.

[@FixingFurniture]

Hi Clark. Workshop is quiet as non-essential businesses are closed in our province right now so I'm teaching myself how to build a meaningful website with educational resources for viewers. I hope you're keeping safe and I love to hear you're working away on a project. Cheers. Scott

[@clarkhussey5865]

@@FixingFurniture I know the provinces are pretty much shut down. Between custom builds and refinishing and repair work I’m booked out about eight weeks.

[@aBushwickCangri]

I had to stop video, to say thanks!!!! Excellent already!!!

[@user-ns2uu8qd8g]

Excellent video, informative and clear. Really appreciate the examples shown for each type too! Thank you.

[@FixingFurniture]

I'm glad you liked it Sirin and thank you for subscribing! Scott 🇨🇦

[@danaowen9014]

I have often woundered which product to use for a specific wood repare. Now i know.Thank you scott.

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad to help Dana. Cheers. Scott

[@mikecozzi1040]

I have used Mohawk epoxy sticks and had fantastic results! Mohawk has a viriety of colors to choose from, not only that you can read the chart and inter mix putty epoxy to achieve the exact color!

[@joannerearick8075]

Great comparison of different products, categories and how to actually use them!

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad it was helpful!

[@paddlerpaul2577]

Thanks, I have learned loads from your videos, especially this one. Thank you very much. Paul

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad to hear you're finding them helpful Paul. Scott

[@samcrossley104]

Thank you for sharing this.

[@nunya3461]

Thank you sir! Very solid video.

[@TheGamingNoot]

Thankyou so much for this comparison, you made it simple to understand

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Johnny-adamser]

Perfect. I saw all of these on Amazon and I had no idea of the differences

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad it was helpful for you. Cheers. Scott

[@DogDog173]

Whevener this guy explains something I am all eyes and ears.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you for the complement! That's very kind of you. Scott

[@glencrandall7051]

I don't do furniture but this was still very informative, Thank you for sharing. Have a great 2021 and stay healthy.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you Glen. You stay safe too! Scott

[@EducationProfessional-pc6ep]

Outstanding video

[@joannemartin3153]

Amazing video, thank you so much

[@peachstreetrestyle2518]

I enjoy using the burn in sticks. I just used them yesterday! Very nice overview of the different products and when to use them.

[@monteglover4133]

Thank You Sometimes the best wood filler is auto body filler (Bondo). I had to repair stained oak doors some with deep gouges, filled scratched with wire brush to match grain used coloured poly and Artist oil paints to match. Hard to find even if you knew where the repairs were there.

[@puffkat68]

The soldering iron and wax sticks, that looks easier than my old way. New trick to try next tjme. Thanks

[@gilbertlopez6101]

Thank you for the informative video. What i like about your presentation as opposed to other big sponsor type, is others say use this and that. Your instructing is more use this and not that because and explain why in short to the point manner. Really appreciated. Looking forward to more videos.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks Gilbert, I appreciate that! That's helpful and encouraging feedback. Scott

[@keziajiao9306]

Thank you this is very helpful

[@geraldwaldrop1921]

Very informative.. takes the uncertainty out of the project!!

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad it was helpful for you Gerald! Thanks for sharing that. Scott

[@MrSlm1982]

THANK YOU!

[@LaughCryDIY]

This is so helpful. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[@FixingFurniture]

You're so welcome! Scott

[@sahikon]

Great overview, examples are very helpful. Thank you!

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad to hear it helps. Thanks for sharing that Konstantin! Scott

[@anthony-ju6qo]

Another excellent product is Durhams Rock Hard water putty. Works on bare or painted wood. It's inexpensive and yields a lot of putty per can. Also mixing sawdust with some wood glue is another option.

[@kiwdwks]

Awesome...thanks again!

[@HawkFest]

1:05 Looking at the Canadian naming for different brands, at least in French they're consistent throughout all such product: unequivocal "MASTIC"... So should we learn French in order to NOT get confused by those marketers? Jesus... Thank you so much for your Chanel, IMHO you're one of KZbin's rare gems. Huge thumb up!

[@joaosousapinto3614]

Super well explained. Congratulations and thank you.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you for sharing that feedback. I appreciate that. Scott

[@odnavreszeuqzav6008]

This was very useful Thanks,

[@halasahli9505]

Thank you so much for all the tips

[@FixingFurniture]

You're welcome. Glad you found this useful. Scott

[@germanpaz8184]

Thanks so much, I have not used waxes yet and was wondering how to blend colors while applying heat. I really appreciate your attention to detail.

[@FixingFurniture]

You are so welcome! I'm happy to hear you found this helpful. Scott

[@fathalkhairgalleryantiques7278]

Thanks so much for sharing with us your great experience. Rashid from Bahrain

[@FixingFurniture]

You're welcome Rashid. I'm glad you found it helpful. Scott

[@thetopfan5031]

Glad I found this video. I have several table corners to repair from puppy chewing. Quik Wood is what I need. Thanks.

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for sharing that. Scott

[@jeanine6492]

Great info as always. Thank you

[@FixingFurniture]

You're welcome. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it. Scott

[@johnleavey356]

Thank you.

[@thomasabazia4726]

Great videos! I am repairing a Windsor chair similar to the one in your videos (but not an antique). I have cleaned out the glue from the mortises and off the tenons just as you describe. The fit of the tenons is now loose in the mortises. Would this situation call for the use of epoxy adhesive?

[@tryggviedwald1542]

This was genuinely useful. Thank you.

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad it was helpful! Scott

[@woodnmoodbykristina]

Awesome video, thank you so much for it. It’s incredibly useful!!🎉

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad to hear you found it helpful. Thanks for sharing that! Scott

[@RachelBirdy]

Thank you!

[@nutskishore]

Wow, very helpful

[@harpreet_singh_walia_youtube]

Very Informative, Thanks for the nice video

[@NunoRomeo]

This was perfect, thank you.

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you liked it! Scott

[@shed.projects5150]

Great video content and presentation. Thank you. Paul UK.

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing that Paul. Scott

[@SeaShanty2016]

Excellent video -I learn everyday!

[@FixingFurniture]

Awesome! Thank you for subscribing! Scott

[@pixie01171971]

Super helpful! I'm looking to refinish my dresser soon where an ex's cat decided to use it as a scratching post and she gouged up the corner pretty badly. Thank you for clarifying!

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad it was helpful Teri. Good luck with you project. Scott

[@nunya3461]

Lol when ur ex was becoming ur ex I hope you told them to ensure they take their damn cat w em!

[@ForTheLoveOfMike]

Thank you so much for sharing ⭐ 👍😊!

[@FixingFurniture]

You're welcome! Scott 🇨🇦

[@nemmrrc]

Thanks for the tutorial

[@FixingFurniture]

You're welcome. Scott

[@sm3296]

So helpful. Thanks!

[@FixingFurniture]

You're welcome!

[@laurenglass4514]

Finally wood information

[@citruscedar]

Excellent everything! thank you

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you liked it!

[@lozenmczapor4771]

awesome wood sklls

[@automotivedyi1984]

Great video

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@sourcelight369]

Thank you... this was very useful.

[@FixingFurniture]

That's great. Happy to help. Scott

[@wintermoon6978]

That Liberon stick is making my mouth water…looks just like a bar of tasty dark chocolate. 😋😝

[@carolburke5591]

Excellent!

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@tryemc3026]

Thank you Thank you Thank you

[@alextosi4701]

How do you repair a very sharp well-defined edge, in this case, on a piano fall board? (very visible)

[@lydzphens]

Thanks for sharing

[@FixingFurniture]

You're welcome Lydia. Thanks for watching. Cheers. Scott

[@samcon4760]

Great Video!

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you enjoyed it! Scott 🇨🇦

[@faylizahorton968]

Very nice demo. Will this work on laminate flooring?

[@deepakwagle5107]

Simply Superb Video

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you. I'm glad you like it. Scott

[@jomercer21113]

Mohawk recommends using a flat thin metal plate to press down over the hard melting wax immediately after application to flatten the surface and cool quickly.

[@mojavedesertsonorandesert9531]

My flat scraper would be excellent for this! 🪵👍

[@Abc-tu9ry]

Hi Sir. Great educational video. 👍👍. Can you advise which types of wood filler, putty or wax to fill cracks on my teak wood flooring? Some of the cracks are about 1 - 2 mm wide.

[@byhammerandhand]

A couple of other things that I have regularly used for "filling". One is hard resin burn in sticks. These come in transparent and opaque colors and I have done 10s of thousands of them. These are useful for repairing damage such as dents or scratches on the "show surfaces" You level them and then match the sheen level. Done properly, the repair is very hard to see. But it's not an easily learned skill to get it right. It takes a little practice. I probably have 50 different colors but the most used are light and dark amber transparent sticks. Second is a 2-part wood filler. Common brands are Bondo and Minwax. I have used these where there is deep damage like a dog chewed a large section of molding. It sets fast and you can rough trim with a chisel or knife before it's fully set up, then finish up by sanding. Mohawk and Guardsman make a variety of colors of the epoxy putty sticks. Just like the wax sticks, you can blend them together. They do set up much faster and you can accelerate by heating with a hair dryer. If you are in the shop, time does not matter as much as when you are working on site and have unproductive time waiting for the epoxy to set up. I've also used them to fill in where hanger bolts have stripped out of things like sofa legs.

[@FixingFurniture]

That's some great information Keith. Thank you for sharing that. I really like your tip on heating up the epoxy to accelerate the curing when doing on-site work. I'll have to try that. I hope others learn from your comment too. Cheers. Scott

[@byhammerandhand]

@@FixingFurniture Ha. I had a job at the end of the day once that needed an epoxy fill, and I wanted to get home. I proceeded to heat with the hair dryer. It ended up getting hot, but sure cured fast. The general rule is chemical reactions double speed for every 18F/10C increase in temperature. I like your videos to see other approaches, even though I've now retired. Keep them up.

[@byhammerandhand]

@@FixingFurniture Another technique is to get some soapy water and wet your fingers or putty knife and it helps smooth out the surface as you're filling and shaping the epoxy.

[@colorconsciousliving3148]

How do you stain the bondo wood filler afterwards to match the rest of the furniture finish?

[@LollyQ.]

@@colorconsciousliving3148 I would like to know the answer to this also please.

[@EducationProfessional-pc6ep]

My parquet floor has a dent, do you think the hard wax would be suitable to fill it? My kids are little and I don't want it resurfaced while they are still dropping things.

[@aliasalisag]

Thank you for this. Now I know I should have used putty instead of filler. More sanding?

[@HeartSoulLeake]

Thank you. We followed your instructions and had great success for our first time doing this type of repair.

[@HeartSoulLeake]

As instructed, letting layers dry and then adding additional layers and sanding, we were able to achieve good results. Then we brushed on a poly/ stain to protect the puddy.

[@rickmontgomery3037]

Excellent video, thanks! Subscribed :)

[@FixingFurniture]

Awesome, thank you!

[@JayBlackthorne]

Great stuff. When you fix a tiny little nick in your favorite cabinet, by filling it with wax, does the wax then harden over time? I kind of hate the idea that there's soft wax in those nicks, that could easily come out if you accidentally scrape it. Can you put some sort of finish over it, which merges with the rest of the cabinet's existing finish? And would this finish then be hard enough to protect that soft wax and keep it in place?

[@jenskak1976]

Thank you so much! i really enjoy watching your videos! i learn so much every time! i have a question - i have a veneer table that i need to fix the veneer that has missing worn spots. is there a way to disguise these spots without having to replace the veneer?

[@FixingFurniture]

Replacing the veneer is the best option. To make the spot slightly less noticeable, you could use the techniques Bob Walkup shares in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHfVZnSta72og6M

[@mikedonnelly2174]

Nice

[@peterstanghellini393]

I wonder if you can use the Mohawk sticks on hardwood floors that are damaged?

[@fatersaadatniaki]

Good to see you Scott with yet another informative video !

[@FixingFurniture]

Nice to hear from you Fater. Thanks for watching! Scott

[@PrincernPrince]

You are A-1

[@corbindallas4188]

Great video. Your link to the Mohawk Quick Fill Burn in Sticks no longer points to that product. Now it points the Mohawk Fill-Sticks (wax) which I dont want. Mohawk also has "E-Z Flow Burn in Sticks" and "Planestick Burn in Sticks". Some are easier to get in certain colors. What is the difference between the "Quick Fill" and "Easy Flow" product?

[@nubialvr]

Please Sir, what's your spray machine? I've found yours great. What's the brand please? Do you recommend it?

[@keziajiao9306]

What is the best wood filler for particle board? Specifically bed frames thank you

[@bmedicky]

Great video! I'm curious about your description of the Liberon sticks as burn-in sticks requiring a soldering iron. When I buy them at Lee Valley, the instructions say to work them with your fingers to soften them (from body heat, I presume) and apply them by hand. This has always worked for me, although I don't doubt that melting them into a defect is quick and effective too. A double-edged plastic "razor blade" (yes, this is a thing) is useful in working with wax sticks, as it has a bevelled edge that scrapes more easily than an old credit card or the like. They come in flexible and rigid varieties.

[@kll815]

I recently snitched some of those plastic “razor” blades from my dad’s garage!

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks for sharing some tips. In my experience, the Liberon sticks work better with heat as they're harder than pencil/crayon products. Maybe because I have a heat source my approach has relied on that. I've never heard of plastic razor blades so I will look them up. Thank you for sharing your experience! Scott

[@byhammerandhand]

I have plastic razor blades but also use a lotto scratch-off tool that you can usually get free at places that sell the tickets, like convenience stores.

[@carlobunnie]

I have two white bookcases with cracks and splits in the wood that need repairing. What would be the best thing to use on them?

[@stephaniecameron1549]

I have a gouge on the face of an old antique dresser drawer I need to fill and then try and stain match. I'm still a bit confused as to what I should use. It's pretty deep. Would the quick wood be the way to go? Thanks!

[@namleets57]

Great video. Have you tried the non marring scrapers they look like plastic chisels to shave down the melt wax

[@FixingFurniture]

Yes, I have a few, but it's better to use a scraping action at first to avoid breaking the hard wax out of the filled area. They work well for softer waxes or the final stage of shaving down the hard wax. Scott

[@jacobdelgado5733]

What filler is good for making wooden picture frames seamless on the corners ?

[@bahlona3500]

Im trying to figure out how to fill in the holes left under the rail when I replaced the balusters. Any suggestions.

[@alegon2]

Would be amazing to see some projects that you design and build.

[@FixingFurniture]

If you're not aware yet, we have a second channel with videos like that - see kzbin.info

[@alegon2]

Fixing Furniture thanks I will subscribe this channel too

[@Goalsplus]

Thanks very much. I needed that.

[@richardbryant7972]

I’ve got 3 of those products right now, great video thanks

[@cavalli821]

Hi. Thank you for helping me understand the terminology- I was at a Home Depot recently and confused with what to purchase- I am still not entirely sure which product to use even after watching this video. I have laminate flooring and deep gouges - the floor is tan colored. I have PlasticWood X by DAK and thinking of using this on the gouges on the laminate floor. I will try researching this a bit more before using this product. But thank you for posting this video! In case you are familiar with plasticwood X by DAK let me know your thoughts about using this product on laminate flooring..

[@FixingFurniture]

For flooring, there's a better product called Hard Fill. Here's a video about it. I hope that helps. Scott kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnq9pGqAf72Na9U

[@cavalli821]

@@FixingFurniture Hi. Thank you ! I just saw this video with the hard fil wax. I did not use the DAK plasticwood X putty. I had already ordered a Floor Fix by CalFlor repair kit on Amazon to use on the laminate floor gouges. The small holes in the area worked well but awaiting to see the results for the deep scratches. Mohawk Product wax stiks are confusing with all their different names. I bought the regular Fil sticks (which say heat not needed) to cover some scratches on a coffee table. They worked OK but not great. Therefore, i did not jump to order the hard fill and a soldering iron for the laminate floor. I have not been very handy around the house but I am trying to learn more about fixing things myself- its taking time :) If you have any further advice to give based on this comment, I would highly appreciate it. Thanks a ton again

[@kennethkendrick4795]

Superb tutorial. I'm being presumptuous that the wood filler products would be the best for concealing micro chips in veneer on the edges of mahogany furniture during a complete restoration.

[@charnelleholding1944]

Hi! I have a long split right down the middle of my dining room wooden table. How would I fill that? Split is very deep.

[@jameshochstetler6093]

Is there any downside to using joint compound instead of wood filler? I find that every time I go to use the wood filler it's dried up. Joint compound lasts much longer. This is of course for something that will be painted later.

[@johnpurnell5276]

Really useful. Thank you. I find that most wood fillers do not take stain.

[@FixingFurniture]

Hi John. Water-based wood fillers take stain the best, but they absorb the stain at a different rate than the wood. That's why I typically only use wood filler on painted pieces.

[@jdmInteriors]

@@FixingFurniture But in this video you say to use it for painting or staining. Perhaps change that and tell us what to use when staining? See comment above. Thank you.