# Filling in knot holes?



## WilleeJack (Aug 8, 2017)

Hello, I am very new to this so looking for some advise on what to use. I am building a Kitchen table with oak and poplar. Some of the boards have small knot holes witch I believe make the table look even better and we are going to put some markings and stress marks on it before using a natural stain. I am going to fill the knot holes in with a clear epoxy/filler but I have never done anything like that before so I'm looking for the best/easiest. We are not doing the whole table in clear just filling in the holes. Are any of the clear epoxys sandable just to get it smooth with the wood after being filled in or will it leave marks. Any info is greatly appreciated. There are so many brands to choose from with varying price ranges. Don't want to spend a fortune on something I'm only going to use a cup full of. Thanks again.


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## mackman (Mar 2, 2016)

This is the cheapest I've found: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Parks-1-qt-Gloss-Super-Glaze-Finish-and-Preservative-241352/202056337 Note that it's actually pretty expensive by amount, but if you would rather spend $25 than $50 or $60, then you could check it out. (Although i would recommend buying a full gallon of this stuff from amazon instead...it's more up-front, but cheaper by amount, and you never know what uses you'll find for it!). 

It's definitely sandable, but the question is: What kind of finish are you using for the table as a whole? If you're using polyurethane, than simply apply that over the epoxy and it'll erase any marks left by the sanding. if you're not using polyurethane or any other "hard" finish, then you'll need to sand it up to a pretty high grit to get it flawless again.


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## WilleeJack (Aug 8, 2017)

Thanks. I plan to stain the table with vinegar and steel wool that's been sitting few months then finish it with tung oil. Should I stain it first or does that matter


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## Catpower (Jan 11, 2016)

One other thing to think about is the oak is open grained, if any epoxy gets out of the knot hole it will fill the grain beside the knot hole so you will have to put on a fairly thick coat of sealer and sand it flat to fill all the grain or you could use a grain filler like Timber Mate to fill the grain so the finish will be even


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## mackman (Mar 2, 2016)

Catpower said:


> One other thing to think about is the oak is open grained, if any epoxy gets out of the knot hole it will fill the grain beside the knot hole so you will have to put on a fairly thick coat of sealer and sand it flat to fill all the grain or you could use a grain filler like Timber Mate to fill the grain so the finish will be even


Catpower makes a good point about epoxy filling any grain it gets into. I would advise applying the vinegar "stain" first - that way, any rogue epoxy won't interfere with an even absorption and coloring. Then apply the epoxy VERY carefully, maybe with a syringe or dropper, for the last little bit, to get it as close to perfectly level as possible without any overflow. If you don't have to sand it at all, that's a lo of work saved. 

Also, something to think about: Using epoxy opens up a lot of fun possibilities. Colored powder, crushed stained glass, even smooth river rock, can all add a lot of personality to the table. Personally, I fill ALL voids in my pieces with crushed stained glass and epoxy, and it really is a lot of fun.


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## Brian(J) (Feb 22, 2016)

*another approach.*



WilleeJack said:


> Hello, I am very new to this so looking for some advise on what to use. I am building a Kitchen table with oak and poplar. Some of the boards have small knot holes witch I believe make the table look even better and we are going to put some markings and stress marks on it before using a natural stain. I am going to fill the knot holes in with a clear epoxy/filler but I have never done anything like that before so I'm looking for the best/easiest. We are not doing the whole table in clear just filling in the holes. Are any of the clear epoxys sandable just to get it smooth with the wood after being filled in or will it leave marks. Any info is greatly appreciated. There are so many brands to choose from with varying price ranges. Don't want to spend a fortune on something I'm only going to use a cup full of. Thanks again.


Not saying there's anything wrong with epoxy or casting resin, I've used both, but these days I pull similar sized solid knots out of excess material and inlay them into holes. When you can't tell they were ever a hole I'm happy. One trick is to taper the knot/plug a bit, dropit in, and remove whatever touches until it touches all around, then glue it and sand it flush. Th more weird the shape the better.


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## CabTiger (Aug 8, 2017)

Famawood is a great general purpose filler. Timbermate is also very good and water based. Don't be fooled by the color of the filler when it dries on a stain project. I'd suggest a lighter filler, Maple, if you'd like to mask the knots as much as possible. Both brands might be hard to come by in a big box store, but you can get the stuff online or from a local wholesaler. Wurth and Richelieu are 2 major wholesalers that are pretty much nation wide.


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## WilleeJack (Aug 8, 2017)

Brian(J) said:


> Not saying there's anything wrong with epoxy or casting resin, I've used both, but these days I pull similar sized solid knots out of excess material and inlay them into holes. When you can't tell they were ever a hole I'm happy. One trick is to taper the knot/plug a bit, dropit in, and remove whatever touches until it touches all around, then glue it and sand it flush. Th more weird the shape the better.


Thats a little bit more technical than i can probably handle right now. I would have that table looking like a bunch of preschoolers built it.


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## WilleeJack (Aug 8, 2017)

Thanks everyone for the advice! I have def learned a few things about this.


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## Catpower (Jan 11, 2016)

mackman said:


> Catpower makes a good point about epoxy filling any grain it gets into. I would advise applying the vinegar "stain" first - that way, any rogue epoxy won't interfere with an even absorption and coloring. Then apply the epoxy VERY carefully, maybe with a syringe or dropper, for the last little bit, to get it as close to perfectly level as possible without any overflow. If you don't have to sand it at all, that's a lo of work saved.
> 
> Also, something to think about: Using epoxy opens up a lot of fun possibilities. Colored powder, crushed stained glass, even smooth river rock, can all add a lot of personality to the table. Personally, I fill ALL voids in my pieces with crushed stained glass and epoxy, and it really is a lot of fun.



I have been using that more often, I did it some earlier but now if there is a blemish fill it with some colored or "metalized" epoxy, it looks good and lets everybody know you knew there was a defect, and you dealt with it to make it look cool


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

the trick now is to put some (fake) jewels in the hole with the epoxy, for some bling!


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## WilleeJack (Aug 8, 2017)

Talking about putting something in the hole with the epoxy has given me an idea, like putting a 2017 coin in there kind of dating the table as when it was made. Hopefully this thing stays around in the family a while and gets passed on


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