# Wood fill product help!



## OutintheToolies (Jan 4, 2015)

We live in forestland and have milled a lot of our own Doug fir and Ponderosa pine timber for countertops, stairs, etc., which I love. Unfortunately, the front of one of the counter edges obviously had some dry rot which we did not perceive until a couple of years after installation. See photos. Having "dug" back to solid wood, what would you recommend for reconstructing/filling the edge? Would I need to drill in anchors as well (as in concrete) to help hold it? I can fill and sculpt by hand as the edge is somewhat ondulating (natural front vertical edge where bark was removed). What product would you recommend for strong fill? A friend did the construction; I do all the finishing. Countertop has Minwax oil-based polyurethane, but I am ready to refinish it all anyway! Any suggestions would be much appreciated! Happy New Year!
Lynnea

P. S. I created an album for the photos. Learning curve!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Welcome to the club. 

There are a number of different ways to fix that. I would probably dig out all the soft and rotten wood I could first. Then mix some bondo with a universal tinting color to match the lighter color of the wood and fill it with that. Then mix some paint to match the darker color of the wood and draw the grain of the wood on with a small artist brush. There are also epoxy products made for that purpose however like the link but I don't have any experience with them. With them you might have to fill the void first and then paint it the lighter color of the wood and then grain it. 
http://www.homedepot.com/p/PC-Products-Rotted-Wood-Repair-Kit-084113/100664090


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## OutintheToolies (Jan 4, 2015)

Wow, thank you so much, Steve! Must have been ESP as I was just looking online at products and saw that very one. Then found it cheaper and free Prime shipping on amazon  I think I'll just go ahead and order it now! 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=rotted+wood+repair+kit

I have a close friend (2 hrs away) who is a very experienced touch-up artist. She has done amazing work making booboos disappear (on fine furniture and yachts) with wood graining and glazing perfect matches. Have watched her work and even traveled with her to some faraway projects. I can do this! (if I get stuck, she's got my back  I would have called her on this, but she has already done too many favors when here visiting!!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

You might want to look at this. It is what I was trying to describe. http://myprojects.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-paint-a-faux-wood-grain/index.html


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## OutintheToolies (Jan 4, 2015)

Wow, Steve, thank you, again! I have never seen a rocker tool!! My pro friend has an amazing collection of tiny brushes, and I've never seen her do wood graining with anything else. (I'll have to ask her!) She doesn't do much (if any) *completely faux* work, just restoration. I looked on Rockler's website but don't see one - figured I could pick one up next time I head over the mountains to Seattle. This could be handy on the top edge of this counter repair! (the front edge doesn't have grain as it's the part that was below the bark, but I'll have to work on the color variations in it...easy)
How about this one on amazon?
http://www.amazon.com/Marshalltown-..._sim_hg_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0TX3K5QD1GVX2BCJ7EDG

I can already think of another place to use it! (ugly fill on a rustic pine bench!) (that's a whole 'nother question as wood fill wouldn't stick to the epoxy fill that I used to fill a pitch pocket :-(
lynnea


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

On a pitch pocket you have to take a sharp knife or chisel and cut the sappy spot out. Then the filler will adhere.


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## OutintheToolies (Jan 4, 2015)

Steve, I had put exterior urethane finish on this bench (thick slab of pine), and the pitch kept coming through (didn't realize it was a pitch pocket until then). So we actually drilled it out (about 1-1/2" deep and about 3" diam) and removed all the pitch. Filled it almost to the top with epoxy stuff, leaving a recess that I thought I would then fill to the top with wood putty stuff. Well, even when we drilled holes in the epoxy to provide "anchor" points, the wood putty would not stick to the epoxy. In the sanding process, it just came loose :-( I should have used wood putty for the entire fill (I guess). So now it's filled to the top with epoxy (clear) so when I get around to it, I'll have to try to paint the spot and faux grain and try to match (my friend could do it and you'd never be able to see the booboo). The slab is a pretty cool shape (curved) - otherwise we'd just cut another slab from our woods and put it on and be done with it! It keeps dropping lower on the priority list! Thanks again for the response!~


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## sancho57 (Oct 23, 2011)

Check out wood repair products, 

http://www.woodrepairproducts.com

They have some filler that you can color match and repair just about any piece of furntiure etc.

Give them a call they call help you select the right filler.

I have no affiliation with them but I have used their products and Im ready to order some more from them


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I have a couple of the brush tip graining pens from Mohawk. They work really good.


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## OutintheToolies (Jan 4, 2015)

They look great! Thank you both!


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