Having worked in the restorations trades for more than 20 years I have constantly been on the search for the best wood filler. I have tried countless products that at first seemed like a winner only to find, just like my high school dating experiences, they wouldn’t go the distance.
The conclusion I have come to is that there isn’t just one product, but rather a group of products that can handle any wood patching task I need. The best wood filler is sometimes not a wood filler at all, but a wood epoxy or even a putty. In this post, I’ll give you my take on the best products to patch wood on the market today.
The first thing you need to consider when choosing the best wood filler is what its use will be. Is it outdoors or indoors, painted or varnished, structural or cosmetic? There is a product for any need listed below, and you’ve just got to find the right one from the list below.
You can also read the results of my 5-year field testing of most of these wood fillers and epoxies at The Wood Filler & Epoxy Test (Year 5) to see how these products performed in the real world as well as to watch the video below.
MH Ready Patch
Best for small cosmetic repairs and surface leveling – MH Ready Patch is a great patch for a myriad of little patches. It doesn’t work for structural patches like an epoxy, but it does work quite well for things like nail holes and surface imperfections in painted wood (it’s not stainable). It dries fast, 30-45 mins and it’s ready to sand.
It is an oil-based product, but it cleans up with soap and water, which I love. I use it to fill holes smaller than a dime in size, smooth out alligatoring paint, surface checks, fill surface gouges or almost anything else I may need. Its only weakness is when you try to fill large areas which causes it to sag and shrink. Keep it limited to very small areas and always make sure you paint it because it will not last if left exposed to the elements.
LiquidWood & WoodEpox
Best for structural repairs or rebuilding of big portions of wood – There are tons of different types of epoxies for wood, but this product is by far my favorite because of its ease of use and long performance.
We use this every single day and my rot repair franchise Preservan uses a similar product by the truckload. The two parts work together to stabilize “punky” wood and fill in the missing areas.
The repairs can be sanded, drilled, planed, and essentially you are left with a repair that performs just like wood but will never rot or fall out. Epoxy repairs are some of the strongest, most long-lasting ways to patch wood. They are structural, so they can be used anywhere and are usually not troubled by water issues like other wood fillers.
Got some serious rot? This is the stuff you need. For info on how to use this awesome product, read my tutorial How To Repair Rotted Wood With Abatron Epoxy.
KwikWood
Best for small structural repairs in a hurry – Anyone who occasionally needs to patch wood should have a tube of this sitting in their shop or garage. This is a very simple to use 2-part epoxy that you mix with your hands. It’s kind of like squishing a tootsie roll together to mix both parts. Once you mix it, you have about 10 minutes before it starts to set up, and in 20-30 mins it is hard as a rock.
I use it to fill screw holes that have stripped out so I can get a sagging door hung again quickly or other tasks like that. Its fast drying time and resistance to rot and mildew make it perfect for exterior repairs too. I have used it outdoors and left it unpainted for years (not on purpose) with no problem.
Minwax Wood Filler
Best all-purpose wood filler – You knew I’d get around to an actual wood filler soon, right? Minwax Wood filler is such an easy to use and great product I am constantly surprised by how good it does for how little it costs. In the video above you can see the incredible results I got after a 5 year test with this stuff. It outperformed some epoxies and more expensive products big time.
It’s simple to apply with a finger tip or putty knife, sand when it’s smooth and prime when you’re done. No mixing to screw up. The fact that it’s not structural just means it should not be used for larger applications like the Abatron products above. It’s also a great option for stained and varnished projects as well as paint grade repairs.
Sawdust & Wood Glue
Best for color matching and flooring joints – This is a weird little trick that an old floor refinisher taught me and it really has worked great in very specific circumstances. Here’s how it works:
To patch wood using this method, you’ll need sawdust from the specific wood you are patching. Mix it with enough wood glue to get the consistency you need. You can make this a wet slurry and trowel it into the joints between old floor boards or make a thick paste to fill spots on damaged furniture.
You have to work fast enough that the glue doesn’t begin to dry on you, but to match the color of a repair for something that will be stained and varnished there is nothing better. Once it’s dry, sand the surface thoroughly and you’re good to go.
Austin’s Glazier’s Putty
Best for flexible joint filling – Glazing putty isn’t a wood filler, right? Wrong. For filling nail holes or joints glazing putty is actually incredibly useful.
Some glazing putties are bright white (DAP 33) which can hide well for painted trim, but are hard to see if you’ve gotten good coverage plus they can take weeks to cure. That’s why I created my own glazing putty with the help of the folks at Sarco Putty Co. that is usually ready for painting within just 24 hrs. It is also available in a brown color to blend in better for varnished projects.
For a better option to filling joints and ease of application you can’t beat a glazing putty. I can often use this in place of caulk for certain circumstances where more body is required than caulk which tends to sag.
What to Avoid
You’ll notice that there is one product I specifically did not include here that a lot of people use…Bondo. There is a good reason why it is not included in a post about the best wood filler and I’ve outlined why you should absolutely avoid Bondo when it comes to patching wood in this more in-depth post.
I’d love to hear what your experience has been with these products and if you have other favorites that you’ve found over the years. Are these truly the best products to patch wood or is there some other product that deserves the title of best wood filler.
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Hello,
I need to fill in some missing veneer on a cedar chest before painting it. It’s a pretty large area all along one side. It goes in and out from barely any to 5 inches for the hole 49 inches of the side. Hopefully this description makes sense. Everywhere I looked for missing veneer everyone seems to use auto body bondo. I’m just trying to make sure what I do stays put for many years to come and that it’s something that can do that with just such an extremely thin layer.
Thank you in advance!
Letizia
Oops. For the *whole 49 inches of the side. Also this is right at the edge.
Thanks again!
Letizia
The WoodEpox would be my first choice for something like this since you are going to paint.
Thank you for that!!! I’m assuming you mean the Abatron product? I forgot to mention that I don’t do this regularly and this is my first time, so I was looking to spend the least amount of money possible and get the least amount of product possible since I’m basically going to waste 90% of it. What do you think about using all purpose bondo? Or I could get minwax high performance wood filler since I can get both in a pretty small can. I was reading that they seem to yield the same results, so most people go with the cheaper option, bondo. I’m sorry I should have explained myself better. Thank you so much for helping!!!
Abatron has a pint size available for the WoodEpox so you won’t have to waste quite as much. I’d stay away from Bondo but the HP Minwax might work well. It’s just harder to apply as easily and can cure pretty quickly if you’re not careful. Abatron is a little more foolproof.
I see. Thank you for all the amazing help!!! It’s so confusing seeing how many people recommend bondo. Of course I trust your opinion and will do as you said. I’m just wondering what to of issues you have with bondo? (I know it’s definitely not recommended for outside) I’m just trying to learn. Thanks again!!
No problem! Bondo cures very hard and is messier to work with. It also has a tendency to pull away from the wood in larger patches as well. That’s why I’m not a fan.
Great!! Thank you so much!!!
I would try to find veneer of the right thickness online and then use a patching product for the seams if that is feasible. It can be attached with contact cement.
Scott,
I have some new siding that has been oil primed with bm fresh start. Then, Filled nail hoes w ready patch. Will finish with 2 coats bm regal select. Is it mandatory to prime those hundreds of filled nail holes before finish coats? I was planning to just sand and apply finish.
Thanks!
I would spot prime first otherwise you may get little spots of flashed paint.
I am refinishing my cabinets which have demountable hinges with 3/8 inset. I thought I found rplacements, and got rid of my old hinges. When I went to install the new hinges, I discovered they were double and my cabinets need single. All of the refinishing is done. Can I fill the router holes in the doors with something and just get regular 3/8 inset hinges? What can I use.
Hi all I purchased a home that was built in 1942 that was to last two years for the miners here in Henderson NV the homes were delivered in by train on box cars. Its made of redwood and the previous owners had 6-7 layers of roofing foam material etc. The roof got so heavy they put in a vertical beam under the beam to help support all the weight on the roof. We took the vertical beam out after repairing the roof. The beam was attached to the overhead beam but just set on the redwood floor. The floor a little damaged about 12 inches by 12 inches about an 1/4 inch or so deep wondering if I could use one of these products that is going to be clear to fill the damaged spot any ideas.
Hi. We have a small (half inch deep by 2 inch long) hole in our hard wood flooring. What can we use to fill and paint or stain to match our floor. Thank you.. Tom.
Try the Wood Epox and then sand and stain it. You’ll have a good match and the repair will last.
My husband is no carpenter. When he sanded our kitchen cupboards he went to deep in some spots leaving gouges. How can we repair them?
I have what I will call a ‘floating soffit’ that was installed in a remodel of our kitchen. It is decorative. They used 1/4″ plywood on the bottom side, with several pieces butt spliced in order to cover the long span. At the seam a wood putty was used and painted over but keeps cracking open. I need to use something flexible but not sure what would be best for a horizontal overhead surface. Maybe RestorIt flexible epoxy? Thanks for any suggestions you may have.
Please help! I have kitchen cupboards that have 1 cm wooden plugs in the corners. I would like to remove and fill holes. What is the best product to use? I am hoping to match the oak stain and also do not want to remove doors.
Thanks for the informative article. I am trying to smooth out the scraped paint on my siding before painting. Sanding to feather seemed to make the problem worse. I used Elmer’s wood filler under the porch before I realized that it was Interior. Should I sand it all off and start over with another product or do you think it would be ok since it is under a covered porch and going to be painted?
If you’re skim coating with wood filler it won’t last long. Unfortunately, the best options is sanding smooth or using a high build primer to try to cover the unevenness.
I’m trying to repair a pocket door. Whoever cut out the wood to allow for the hardware took out too much, so there’s really nothing for the screws to go into. After reading your post, I think I could build this cut out out a bit, enough to be able to screw the hardware into it. But which product? It’s kind of a jagged cut in the door now. Thanks for your help.
The best stuff for edges is the WoodEpox and LiquidWood combo.
Scott, great site and thanks for all the helpful information. I’ll certainly order whatever products you suggest directly from your site if you can give me some advice.
I live in SW Colorado with extreme temp changes from 80 degrees in summer to below freezing in winter. My home was built in 2003 and I have problems with my exterior wood trim (1X4’s)and fascia boards (2X10’s). The contractor used brass or copper nails on the trim and galvanized nails on the fascia boards and while some are flush, most are recessed/countersunk 1/8-1/4 inch and I’m now getting black teardrops/weeping from those that are recessed. Thought I could just go to Home Depot and get some wood putty to fill in on top of the nails but saw so many different products that I decided to do a little research online and thankfully found your site. What would you suggest – wood filler? wood putty? a dab of stainable caulking or something else? I plan to sand and re stain after filling the recessed nails but don’t want to end up with a bunch of unsightly dots that don’t match the stain color. Would be very grateful for any suggestions.
Michael, good news and bad news. Depending on what kind of wood your trim is made of you may be stuck with those black teardrops. If it’s cedar and he used galvanized nails you’re in for trouble. Cedar has tannins in it that will eat through and rust out any fasteners that aren’t stainless steel.
If it’s pine or another wood then filling with and interior exterior stainable wood filler like Elmer’s or Minwax should work great in this case.
Scott, thanks so much for your advice. I’ll give it a try with stainable wood filler in an inconspicuous spot and let you know how it comes out.
Hey Scott, I’m refinishing the original stairs and banisters in my 1880’s home. The spindles are no longer square as the home has settled so has everything else. I want to right them.
The top of the spindle is cylindrical and inserts into a hole in the bottom of the railing, while the square base is inserted and secured with a big old square nail into a notch in the stair.
I need to move drill new holes in the underside of the railing to right the spindles, but the new holes will overlap the old ones in most cases. As such, I need a filler that is strong enough to be drilled through once cured, and will take stain well (as the underside of the railing is visible).
Any thoughts? Thanks, Jonathan
Jonathan, sounds like quite a project. I would use WoodEpox and LiquidWood for this project. Hold firm and drills just like regular wood.
I have a bureau that was damages by an unattended candle. The char is deep. I have removed all of the Burt wood and now have a significant patch to do. I’m thinking wood epoxy would be best but does it take stain well?
It takes stain decently but I would use some the Abatron powder tints to get the WoodEpox as close to the color of your wood as you can before staining. That helps it hide best!
I have hardwood floors and noticed a small piece missing from one of the planks on the floor. Which one of these products is best to use or is there something else I can use to repair? Thank you.
Nicole, if it’s a larger piece you may be better off with a Real wood patch, but for areas smaller than a half dollar I’d use the WoodEpox. But for very small repairs the Kwikwood would be my choice.
Just do me a favor and keep writing such treanhcnt analyses, OK?
Hiya. I’m trying to reap holster a 150 year old chair. After removing 100 tiny tacks the frame is pretty damaged. Wood is pretty soft. I don’t have the skill to remove it and make a new one. What would you recommend to repair so it can be stronger and take staples? Thanks a bunch
Hi Scott, I have used this post many times over with good results thanks to this article. It’s been awhile since I have read all the questions so I hope I am not asking a repeat. Anyway, we have installed beadboard ceilings and walls in a new addition and have primed and are ready to paint. There are some knots and holes that will need to be addressed before we can proceed. I’m pretty sure the wood is not pine. I have several products at hand to use including painters putty, Kwikwood, MH ready patch, Durhams water putty, and WoodEpox. I’m not sure which one would be the best choice in this case and would love to get your advice on it! Thanks so much your all the great info!
It depends on the size of the knots. For the larger knot holes I’d recommend Water Putty if it’s not exterior. If it is exterior go with WoodEpox. If there are just small slivers around the knot holes then MH Ready patch will be a good fit too.
I have a chair that I’m reupholstering and it has a lot of staple/decorative nail holes in the frame. What can I use to fill the holes and help add strength back into the frame? Something that I’d be able to staple into again.
Hi!
I build custom wood tables out of pine & cedar (depending on the style top). We use the less expensive wood to offer a beautiful table but to extend the savings to the customer. We are noticing that the Minwax wood filler (even tried a wood filler made for high traffic wood floors) is cracking. We assume the wood is expanding & contracting & causing the filler to crack but do you have any recommendations? Maybe something stronger or more flexible that we can use & still stain? Is there any product that can dry damp wood or encase it from moving?
Thanks for the guidance.
Hi Scott, I have an old cedar chest where the hinge screws on the lid have fallen out. Which of your fillers do you recommend to fill the holes so I can re-drill the screws back in? I don’t intend to do any painting on it. Thanks. Karen
Use the Kwikwood for those holes. Should work great!
Thanks for that info. Now the cedar chest lid broke apart inbetween pieces of wood where the lid arm goes. So, what is the best repair product for holding 2 pieces of cedar together. I’m not concerned about the look as much as the smell. Thanks.
I had to cut up the whole subfloor in a room. I used a circular saw and jig saw to do this and my cut is close to being straight but I did hit a couple nails that caused the saw to deflect and I might have a few spots that the cut is not even (maybe a 1/2 nick). When I lay the new subfloor and if there is a gap/imperfections, I was wondering if there is a filler I could use to fill the voids or what do you suggest to use? Thank you in advance!
I wouldn’t worry too much about small gaps in the subfloor, but filling with caulk for air sealing purposes might work well.