Wood Filler - Buy it or Make it? / DIY Wood Filler

In this video I show you guys how you can make your own wood filler that will match your project perfectly! Also I compare it to bought canned wood filler. Hope this helps out! Thanks for watching!

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Products used in this video (Affiliate links included)

[WalkersWoodworks]

Be sure to check out my website for other Projects, Blog posts, Plans and Tools I use! Walkersww.com

[PBandJsandwich]

As someone who has been restoring antiques for 45+ years, I think I have a few useful things to add to this discussion.
Don't use any kind of PVA or PU glue to make your own filler. They are plastic and non and don't take stain or move with the wood.
For darker 'putty' add hide glue or mucilage to your dust. They aren't waterproof - and that's a good thing. For light colored wood, use shellac. It works best if you start with start with powdered shellac (It comes in various warm colors from pale yellow to red.) If you can't find that, get some clear shellac and let it dry out. Crush the crust to dust and add a tiny amount of denatured alcohol to the dust/shellac powder mix. If you live in a state that doesn't allow denatured alcohol (like California), you can use 99% isopropyl alcohol, of 100% ethanol (if you don't drink it all first.) It works best if you bring the putty close-to, but lighter than the final color before final staining. For that search alcohol-based pigmants. That place owned by that rich guy has them, but if you can find them locally, the knowledge you gain from the guy behind the counter will be worth the extra few dimes.

[RavenVargas]

This is why I save all my sawdust each color has it's own zip lock bag, nice demo thank you

[CardinalEgan]

I like the DIY filler best. Why? ... I don't have a busy shop like you and only need filler occasionally. Every time I buy expensive store-bought filler and try to use it a second time, it's dried out in the can. I always have glue and scrap wood on hand... Also, don't forget that you can mix a bit of water-based stain in with your filler to match wood colors. Happy filling!

[geoffrey]

I'm no woodworker but I work for a furniture company. I get better results with canned woodfiller which seem to be less "sandy". Only problem is when the crack is a little too wide. Filler contracts when drying and tends to crack itself as well.. solution I found is to fill the crack with wood splinters and glue. Once dry, I'll then finish the job with filler. I get them cracks to nearly disappear. :)

[J.Allen_]

ANOTHER TIP :: Be proactive. I save my wood-dust collected in each of my sanders and put them in containers each time I empty/clean the tools. This way the I'm ready to make 'repair putty' anytime. Just remember to change empty the bag first if you are changing wood type so you can color-match.

[andyanderson]

Wow! I love the wood shavings mixed with wood glue. Awesome idea ill use this on my next project.

[TinyTao]

Thank you for the comparison video, I made up my mind and will go with the diy version for my desk made out of scrap wood pieces.

[hildagonzalez]

FOR PEOPLE THAT DO THAT GOOD EXTEND!.. THANK GOD FOR YOUR BLESSINGS TO ALL OF US..

[mikecozzi]

Famo wood putty is a good product and it comes in many different colors and you can inter mix the putty to match the woods you're filling, weather the wood is raw or has a finish and you can get thinner to thin it depending on the situation!
Saw dust and glue has been used for a long time, it's old school, you must use saw dust that from the wood you're working with!
Good Video! 👍

[josephgadway]

Hi Thank you! great tips. I have a extra large wood cookie with a cavern of a split. Can I just pack it with wood filler? Thank you-

[fl]

that was a very thorough comparison video from start to finish. thank you

[BGP]

For larger jobs, use a 400w coffee grinder on a handful of planer cuttings to get a great amount of dust when needed.

[markp]

I have some nail holes in our rear 6x6 deck posts that are on our porch . I removed the wood slats & 2x4 `s that left the holes in the posts after removing them & we are going to put a cable system in its place ... doing this like you made the wood filler, would this work well to fill the nail holes that we have instead of the wood putty in a can?

[jamesnasmith]

Nice demo. A fair look at options. thanks.

[danamcnamara]

Could you use epoxy to fill cracks and voids on high traffic paths of indoor wood floors?

[christophersmith]

Straight to the point. no bs. thank you so much.

[luisarashirovideo]

I always use white glue and dust from the same type of wood, works great always.

[TL-rf]

Have you tried filling the voids with just fine sawdust from the same wood then adding drops of super glue then heating it till dry with a heat gun then sanding? The color comes out perfectly matching the wood around the void.

[alexwolfe]

Thanks for the video. Looking for a less toxic way to fill big voids in beams in a restoration project—less toxic than wood epoxy. I will look for your other video on voids, but definitely interested in combining sawdust with industrial glue. Thanks.