Many people often confuse Minwax’s Wood Putty, a soft, tinted material used to fill nail holes, with Minwax® High Performance Wood Filler which is used less often, but plays an important role in repairing rotted wood, such as what I found in this pine table which has sat on my deck since 1998.
High Performance Wood Filler consists of two substances: the filler in the can and the hardener in the tube. Following the directions on the can, I mixed the two together…
… then packed it into the void where the rotted wood had fallen out.
After it had dried and hardened, I used a coarse file to remove most of the excess Wood Filler, then followed with #120-grit sandpaper to level the Wood Filler with the surface of the surrounding wood.
Quick Tip: To make my patch look more realistic, I used a hobby knife to cut grain lines into the smooth, hardened Wood Filler.
I then applied a fresh coat of Sherwin-Willliams WoodScapes exterior house stain to my deck table, and, as you can see – or not see – the Wood Filler made the rotted section (front right) nearly disappear.
Until next time,
Measure twice, saw once!
Bruce
