Sawdust Diaries: Filler “Fun”esse

-Applies easily to the workpiece and generally does not sag when applied to a vertical surface. You’ll have to experiment with one to see what you can get away with. I’ve found that a dime-sized area or less on a vertical surface is about as large of “defect” as you’re going to get away with. (Pro tip: If you have say a quarter sized hole or knot to fill, locally apply the filler being sure to keep the surrounding area bare wood. Once applied, adhere a piece of wide painters’ tape right over that spot and that will prevent it from sagging out. It will take longer to dry though…)

-Speaking of drying, Woodwise wood patch dries fairly quickly. That being said, I’ve always waited a day just to be sure. Jumping the gun here only leads to clogged up sandpaper and a smeared mess of a workpiece!

– Sanding is generally a breeze with any orbital/finish sander or even by hand. (See below for cons related to sanding…)

-No harmful vapors. Full disclaimer, this stuff does not smell like roses and spring blooms! I still try to use a respirator when applying it. The main reason being I just don’t want prolonged exposure to what I know probably has chemicals of who-knows-what origin! Consider yourself warned and own your own decision here…

CONS:

-Does sometimes crack and chip out, especially when sanding with orbital or vibrating finish sander. Just be prepared to have a little bit of patience (sometimes a lot-a-bit!) and plan on applying a few coats. Especially if you’ve chosen to thin it down. Adding water does increase the likelihood of the filler shrinking and cracking once dry!

-Super dusty when sanding. I hesitate to even list this one because we’re talking woodworking and obviously fine dust of any kind is bad news. Nevertheless, knowing it is not a “natural” product and the color I use happens to be dark in color, I feel the need to reiterate the fact that your lungs would probably look like a tar pit if you don’t take the obvious protections of a really good dust collection system or a respirator, ideally both!

-Does not provide a glued or chemical bond. This is strictly a filler. If you are looking for a “bonding filler” you’re in luck, that is what we’ll talk about next.

But first, a general conclusion about Woodwise Woodpatch. I do highly recommend this product with the one caveat being that it is the only brand I have tried in this family of fillers. If you are making a project that will experience low to medium “traffic” and where a perfect fill of all the cracks and voids is not needed, this method is going to serve you just dandy!