Stainable wood filler

[calvin]

Looking for a wood filler to use on my covering boards and dash on my 61 Grady White ..I have the mahogany down to bare wood and ready for filler stain..the holes are small less than 3/16 most less than1/8..should I stain first then try to match or look for a stainable filler?

[Thorne]

I'd sure be tempted to stain first then fill and match, but let's see what the more experienced folks say. There are a lot of ways to color epoxy putties, which I assume you'll be using as a filler mix?

My only experience has been with Smith's epoxy fairing compound, plus the powdered dyes they sell -

http://www.star-distributing.com/smith/fill-it.jpg
http://www.star-distributing.com/smith/products.html

[Captain Blight]

I've stained wood flour a shade lighter than the desired repair and let it dry. Then mixed it with Titebond and spackled it on in there. Works pretty well.

[jackster]

Calvin,
I would recomend drilling out the holes to 1/4" and fit bungs of the same wood (mahogany) and match the grain direction and size, and stain it all at once.
I think you would get a less obivious patch than soild filler stain with no grain.
You may have to stain a shade or two darker to hide it all.
Just my opinion from my experience.
Good luck.

[Concordia...41]

My vote = bung, patch, fill (whatever applies) and then seal. After that, I have had tremendous success with the MinWax line.

My picture posting capabilities are down at the moment, but I have a plastic tub with +/- 20 different MinWax stains - gel stains, polystains, etc. Even those little pens (which are incredibly handy for small spots).

Two things to keep in mind:

1. You're not trying to match a spot 100%, you're trying to blend an area. As an example of a large stain, there was a pear / grapefruit dark spot on Sarah's transom plus assorted small spots. I bleached the dark spots and stained the light ones until nothing caught your eye.

http://www.sailingwithsarah.com/proj5c.html

Same with the tiller:

http://www.sailingwithsarah.com/proj5a.html

You can still see the dark spots, they just don't scream at you. ;)

That's the goal. Just keep the filled area from catching the eye and sometimes all that takes is a 10% color correction.

Repeat after me: Wood is not supposed to be monochrome ;)

2. No matter what you do, if the area is exposed to UV, the stain is going to behave differently and you'll get the chance to do this again in a couple of years. :p

[AndreasJordahlRhude]

You keep getting poor advice here, in my opinion, for a 1960s wooden lapstrake power boat. Definately do NOT use Smith's Fill-It. It's not a product to fill nail/screw holes in a stained and varnished surface. It's great for painted surfaces and that's where I use it.

Use Famowood or Dap Plastic Wood filler (natural) for this application. Fill the holes, sand it smooth and stain it afterwards along with the wood.

The forum at www.thompsondockside.com (http://www.thompsondockside.com) is the place to get advice for your Grady-White speed boat.

Andreas

[Bob Adams]

You keep getting poor advice here, in my opinion, for a 1960s wooden lapstrake power boat. Definately do NOT use Smith's Fill-It. It's not a product to fill nail/screw holes in a stained and varnished surface. It's great for painted surfaces and that's where I use it.

Use Famowood or Dap Plastic Wood filler (natural) for this application. Fill the holes, sand it smooth and stain it afterwards along with the wood.

The forum at www.thompsondockside.com (http://www.thompsondockside.com) is the place to get advice for your Grady-White speed boat.

Andreas

Yes. Great when stain and varnish are to be used. BTW, I worked in the plant where the DAP product is made...wood flour, nitrocellulose and acetone. Good stuff.

[pcford]

Andreas has it right....

Also...Margo has good advice when she points out that the object is not to make a patched area disappear completely. Rather it is to avoid "catching the eye." It's not as hard as some think. Color is not as important as "value." (the lightness/darkness of the area.)