What does everyone use for wood filler prior to sanding and painting?>

[Herbs Ships]

I need to get some filler but I’m sure there are good ones to use and not so good.  What is everyone’s experience and recommendations?

 

thank you in advance!

[palmerit]

Elmers wood filler is less gritty than Minwax filler (the only two I’ve tried). Some swear by Bondo (for filling car metal) at least if sanding and painting. 
 

For small filling, especially if intending to leave wood (not painting), the best is a slurry of wood left from sanding (the same wood you’re filling) white glue, and water. 

[whitejamest]

I think in part it can depend on how hard or soft the wood around the filler is. Using a very hard filler on a very soft wood can make sanding tricky, as the wood disappears faster than the filler. Bondo is very tough, and you have to mix it to the right ratio or you can get a slightly spongy texture. 

 

I've used Goodfilla in the past and been happy with it. It's a good balance of toughness and ease of sanding to me. It doesn't crumble and flake away too easily. 

 

When I am filling very small gaps in Alaskan yellow cedar I like to use the yellowish Elmer's wood filler, because it is very easy to work with, is fairly soft and sands easily, and the color goes well with the wood. 

 

 

 

 

[Geordie Tyne]

I use Elmers interior wood filler. It can be watered down if needed and has a good coverage rate.

 

For smaller gaps, I use watered down pva mixed with the wood dust from the wood I have been sanding. 

 

Regards

[vaddoc]

Previously Elmers colour changing filler but this seems to have disappeared in UK. Now I use Osmo filler, water based, dries very fast. The 100 ml is very runny, the 250 ml needs thinning to whatever consistency needed.

[Tomculb]

Years ago I used Bondo, but it's fumes are terrible and I don't use it (or recommend it) anymore.

 

I think it was Nic at BlueJacket that suggested spackle, which in my experience is used mostly for small holes and cracks in drywall. It's most commonly found in powder form, which needs to be mixed with water, but I found some spackle paste lying around the house, which is pre-mixed.  I usually find myself "digging" a shallow hole in what's in the container and mix in a few drops of water to get the consistency I want.  I find it works really well and is very easily sanded. Only drawback is that it's white, so it's only appropriate for wood that's going to be painted. 

[wmherbert]

This works great

[tmj]

I typically don't paint. I try to get my joints fitting tightly, butttttt, I'm also not perfect. If I get something a bit loose, I like to dilute Titebond II (dark) with water and add it to the gap then sand with 220 grit paper to mix the sawdust with the wet glue. I use the dark Titebond as that is what I use between planks to simulate caulking. It dries super dark brown, like chocolate. Works really well for me. I do this while things are still in the rough, before final sanding and finishing. I'm sure it would work quite well for filling gaps that will be painted also, provided the gaps are not too large to fill with sawdust and glue.

[paul ron]

elmers. makes a very fine finish, no shrinkage, can be watered down. 

[Dr PR]

I usually use Squadron white putty. It dries quickly - 30 minutes. It sands easily. But it is chalky white and not very hard, so it is best for filling small holes and cracks up to about a millimeter wide.

 

For narrow cracks in wood I use  a glue mixed with sanding dust from the wood to be filled. Duco Cement is colorless nitrocellulose in acetone and makes a nice hard filler when mixed with wood. SigBond or Titebond aliphatic resins are white or pale yellow when dry so they changed the wood filler color a bit. Elmer's school glue is white, but it dries colorless. These all set up in 20-30 minutes, but need to sit over night to harden.