How to Fill a Drilled Hole in Wood (5 Easy Ways)
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In this guide, I will teach you how to easily fill a drilled hole in a piece of wood.
As a craftsman with many years of experience, I know how to patch up drilled or unwanted holes quickly. This is a vital skill that you need to know if you are working with wood or planning to do so.
In general, there are many methods that can be used to fill drilled holes in wood, depending on the size of the hole and the nature of the wood:
- Use wood filler
- You can use wooden corks
- Use a mixture of glue and sawdust
- Toothpicks and matches
- Slivers
We'll go into more detail below.
Method 1 - How to Fill a Hole in Wood with Wood Paste
All types of wood and by-products can be effectively repaired with repair paste. The application is simple - both inside and out.
The hole repair provided by the patch paste is relatively easy to sand. Thanks to its incredibly small pieces, it does not clog abrasive belts and can be used without any noticeable slack on a vertical surface. It is recommended to use a wood filler whose shade is closest to the substance you want to fill.
Part 1: Prepare the Hole You Want to Fill
It is important to remember to prepare the wood with pulpwood before resealing. To begin with, a material that is not in good enough condition cannot be repaired.
Step 1: Control the humidity
The first step is to properly manage the moisture in the wood. The water content must not exceed 20 percent when processing the material.
Step 2: Remove Dirt
To reduce shrinkage, warping, cracking or splitting of the wood, it is very important that the substrate is not too wet.
Remove the pieces of wood from the hole in the second step by gently scraping the affected area. It is imperative to remove damaged components before the wood is exposed. Rotting wood should be removed. After the wood has been aged, the rot may reappear if the rot has not been completely eradicated.
Step 3: Surface cleaning
I advise you to properly clean the wood with an industrial degreaser if it is especially greasy to make it cleaner. This facilitates the penetration of the subsequent treatment. It is important to rinse thoroughly to remove any product, grease or traces of dirt.
Part 2: Fill the hole with wood paste
First, prep the wood piece before using the paste to plug the hole. The hole must be dry, clean and free of any material that could interfere with adhesion.
Step 4: Knead the Paste
To obtain the most homogeneous wood paste, it must be mixed well before use. Rub the putty thoroughly on the wood for at least two to three minutes. It must be placed in a crack, depression or hole to be filled. Also, since it dries quickly, it needs to be handled as soon as possible.
Step 5: Spread the putty over the wood
The filler should protrude slightly from the hole in the wood to be filled. An appropriate spatula should then spread the paste so that there is no visible lump. Allow sufficient time for the filling paste to dry completely. It must be able to move with the deformations of the wood without ever breaking.
Step 6: Get rid of excess paste
When the paste is fully cured, scrape off any excess with a fine abrasive such as sandpaper or #0 or #000 steel wool.
Method 2. Using wood glue mixture and wood chips
Filling holes in wood can also be done with a mixture of (carpentry) glue and fine wood shavings. This method is not suitable for repairing large holes or leveling large surfaces, but it is a reliable alternative to putty for home or on-site repairs.
On the other hand, the same putty that fills in cavities and has many advantages over putty that is made from wood glue and shavings also helps to ensure good adhesion.
Method 3. Using toothpicks and matches
This is the simplest technique for filling a drilled hole in wood, requiring only PVA glue and wooden toothpicks or matches.
Step 1. Arrange the required number of toothpicks so that they fit as tightly as possible into the wooden hole. Then dip them in PVA glue and insert them into the hole.
Step 2. Take a hammer and gently tap into the hole until the glue hardens. Use a utility knife to remove the residue sticking out of the hole. Use a utility knife to remove the residue sticking out of the hole.
Step 3. Clean the hole with sandpaper.
Method 4. Using sawdust and glue
This technique is similar to using ready-made wood putty, except that in this case you do the putty yourself if it is not available and you don’t want to run to the store. To make homemade putty, you will need wood glue or PVA glue, but wood glue is preferable.
Then you will need small sawdust from the same material as the sealant. These tiny chips should ideally be filed (coarse sandpaper can be used).
Mix sawdust with glue until it "becomes" thick. Close the hole with a spatula. Let the glue dry before cleaning it with sandpaper.
Method 5. Use wooden corks in the forest
Wooden plugs are usually used as guiding components for splicing the ends of boards, but they can also be used to fill a hole in wood.
To fill the hole with this approach:
Step 1. Drill the diameter of the wooden cork, which is usually 8mm. Then moisten the dowel with wood glue and hammer it into the drilled hole.
Step 2. Wait for the wood glue to dry before inserting the wood plugs into the wood hole and remove any residue with a hacksaw.
Take a look at some of our articles below.
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