Wood filler

[Bill]

I inset some screws to install some door molding (base) and wish to fill the holes with something that is non-caustic as possible. I will paint (Zinsser 123) over it. At least one product I looked at contained Formaldehyde--and that chemical and are not on speaking terms. Perhaps there is a suitable caulk?

I only have four or five 3/8" holes to fill so I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill. But I would prefer to avoid any "outgassing" too, or issues when the inevitable day comes that I need to drill the substance out.

Thanks, Bill

[CW]

I inset some screws to install some door molding (base) and wish to fill the holes with something that is non-caustic as possible. I will paint (Zinsser 123) over it. At least one product I looked at contained Formaldehyde--and that chemical and are not on speaking terms. Perhaps there is a suitable caulk?

I only have four or five 3/8" holes to fill so I don't want to make a mountain out of a molehill. But I would prefer to avoid any "outgassing" too, or issues when the inevitable day comes that I need to drill the substance out.

Thanks, Bill ===================================================================== Durham's water putty. It is quite a bit like plaster but sets up harder. Not caustic and no bad chemicals. It's also a powder that you mix with water, which I find to be very convenient as what you don't mix will last forever. Sands and takes paint well.

[Swingman]

+1 Nothing works as well, nothing.

[Casper]

+1 My Dad used it and so have I for over 40 years.

[Leon]

I really like this stuff, if you are old enough to have used and remember the "Paste" that you ate in first grade.... LOL This stuff smells exactly the same. Water based.

Comes in all colors.

[-MIKE-]

Spackle. Drywall mud... whatever it's called. They make one that is very light and feels like the container is empty when you pick it up. It has almost no shrinkage at all. For a whole like that, I fill the void, push in dimple with my thumb. Let it dry and fill again, flush. They make a quick drying version that is pink and dries white, so you know when you can put the second layer on. Takes paint as good as sheetrock.

[Bill]

Thank you All for providing me with helpful suggestions! I wrote them down and I promise to try at least one of them!!! Do the folks who like Durhams Wood Putty and Timbermate Wood Filler see a downside to using drywall mud? I have open bags of Durabond and EZ-Sand ready to use if that solution is suitable. My initial thought is that the holes will be subject to considerable vibration as people step on the threshold and I'm not sure about the adhesive qualities of drywall compound to wood (I'll try to look it up). Either way, I'm pleased to learn about the existence of non-caustic solutions! Many thanks.

Bill

[Bill]

It appears CW already mostly-answered my question:

CW: Durham's water putty. It is quite a bit like plaster but sets up harder.

Cheers, Bill

[Leon]

It is quite a bit how ever you mix it, plaster, putty, slush... Properly mixed, a lot like Timbermate.

[-MIKE-]

I don't know what kind of vibration you're expecting. If there's a lot of vibration in the baseboard, from people walking across the threshold, you may have some bigger problems. :-)

But look at it this way. There is spackle in every nail/screw hole on your wall, in every corner, and on every seem. In many houses/condos in this country, every time someone closes a door, there is a lot of vibration in the same wall, a lot... as much or more than your baseboard is going to experience. And the spackle stays put.

I'm think you're looking for a NASA solution to a bottle rocket problem. :-)

[Bill]

Here is a link to a nice little video about Durhams Water Putty in case anyone wants to watch it.

I see my local Menards store has the product in stock for $2.18, so I typing as I run out the door! : )

Bill

[Bill]

Sorry, being "chemically-sensitive", just talking about caustic chemicals may sometimes impair my judgement.

That was supposed to be a joke, but I'm sure there is some truth to it. : )

Bill

[-MIKE-]

If drywall patching mud doesn't bother your senses, it's your Occam's razor for this repair.

[woodchucker]

Just use spackle.

perfect for that. let it dry , then add more after it shrinks.

Sand and prep for paint.

[mcp6453]

I just bought and used some Durham's Water Putty for the first time. This stuff is very neat. The first time I mixed it, I put too much water. Since I was playing with it, I didn't want to use a lot of powder to get the consistency perfect.

Because it was thinner than it should be (although it was usable), I painted the edge of a piece of plywood with it. After it dried, I sanded the edge. It doesn't look like plywood anymore. There's a good chance I'm going to do the same thing on some plywood shelves that I'm going to paint and install this weekend.

[Bill]

According to the directions and the video, it's not designed to be spread thin--but the "rough texture" of the edge of the plywood may be in your favor.

It might be interesting to perform a "durability test", before you invest a lot.

Bill

[Martin Eastburn]

Good Putty - been around for 50 years or so. My Dad and I have used cases of it in the book cases and other wood products.

Dad liked it as it took paint and stain. Some of the original pitch based fillers worked and sanded but didn't stain but took oil paint.

Mart> I just bought and used some Durham's Water Putty for the first time. This stuff

[mcp6453]

I used some as spackling today, just for a test. That was NOT a good idea. When it dried, I had to sand it with a random orbital sander with 100 grit paper. The sanding sponge didn't have any effect on it.

[-MIKE-]

1. You're going to have to sand anything you use as a hole filler.
2. If your sanding sponge didn't have any effect on it, you need a new sanding sponge.

[Bill]

After filling the first 5 holes with Durham's water putty, I found 12 more (screw inset) holes around a window to fill. And I found 2 larger gaps in an old molding repair which I filled too. I used masking tape to help make a frame (concept taken from the only YouTube video on DWP). I was pleased to peel off the tape today and observe that it did really well!

And it's 'merican made product! : )

The stuff can probably made a better painter out of anyone (who has the time for it to dehumidify). Thank you for getting me on board! The product has an interesting web page too.

Bill