None of us likes accidents, but they are sometimes unavoidable. When possible, we’ll disguise workshop oopsies with wood – a plug, shim, wedge or dutchman. Sometimes we’ll add a metal plate (a decorative one if it shows) to keep a split from getting larger (and even when we know it won’t get larger, to add peace of mind for a future owner). But sometimes, we have to resort to wood filler. And for that, we most often reach for Durham’s Rock Hard Water Putty.
On a recent chair build, Chris experienced a little non-structural blow-out on the underside of the armbow, and it showed when the chair was viewed from the front. Patching it with wood could be done, but it would be a right royal pain in the posterior, and it would still show. That made the repair decision and thus the finish decision easy: paint.
Why paint? Because Durham’s dries darn-near white, shows under a clear finish and doesn’t take stain. (Neither does any other filler I’ve tried, and that includes glue and sawdust,) But Durham’s doesn’t shrink or fall out, it dries fast, is easy to use and takes paint beautifully. And the packaging is fantastic!
Simply put a small amount of the powder in a Dixie cup (I usually scoop no more than a teaspoon, a) because I rarely need more, and b) it dries so quickly that by the time you’ve used that amount, anything left in the cup is probably too dry to use). Now add water – sparingly – and stir it up. The mixed putty should be about the consistency of creamy peanut butter to use on a flat surface, and a little thicker if you need a mold an edge. A small scoop of the powder will need only two to three drops of water.
A common mistake is to put water in a cup then add powder – that almost always results in far too much product, because two to three drops of water in a cup looks too lonely and you inevitably put in more than that. Then you have to add a lot of powder to soak it up, so you end up with too much putty and have to throw lots away. Not a big deal given the cost, but I hate wasting things.
If you’re filling a deep crater or damage on an edge, you don’t typically want to do it all in one go; it will take too long to dry. Fill it below the surface (I use a flexible metal putty knife), as I’ve done in the photo below, and let it dry completely before adding more on top to create the show surface(s). That means mixing another, even smaller amount for the second application.
After the putty turns from tan to near-white, sand as needed. If you’re working on a shallow repair on a flat surface, sand it flat using a block so that it ends up perfectly flush. If you’re working on a deeper repair, sand flush any product that landed outside your work area (as on the armbow above), mix another batch of putty – and in this case, my second mix was thicker, so I could mold the corner without it sagging. Work quickly and don’t overwork it. You likely won’t be able to make a perfectly crisp corner with the wet putty. But you can sand away the excess after it dries for a perfect (or near-enough-perfect) repair.
– Fitz
Wondering if this would work on gap filling for strip built canoes/kayaks
Well you’ve got me there. I have not tried it on watercraft, or anything else that is regularly submerged.
Their website – durhamswaterputty.com – has a pretty good FAQ section that I think answers this, I believe in the negative, but check it out to be sure.
Yes it will do an excellent job. I have made many strip canoes and even though you try to get them tite it’s not usually successfull even using coping shapers to create the rounded and cupped joint edges. There is always the need for filler and this is by far the best. Easy to sand and even plane when required. (Greg Mather, gregmather48@gmail.com)
I have used this stuff to fix deep holes made by woodpeckers! Amazing stuff!
Hey Megan, have you experimented with mixing it with paint instead of water? Supposedly you can tint Durham’s with pigment powder or by using paint in the mix instead of the water (but not oil or oil-based paint). We use a lot of acrylic art paint (which is what happens when the woods lab is right next to the art department), and I haven’t been happy with how Durhams’s takes the acrylic after it dries.
This paint is an acrylic (General Finishes “milk paint”); I find it performs fine atop it. But perhaps the paint formulation is different than the acrylics used in schools? I did try tinting it with paint once, but it still needed a coat of paint over it – so I didn’t see the point in bothering.
Durhams is wonderful stuff. I use it for everything, especially damage to woodwork. It’s really hard after it dries.
Used to be a guy on “Knots” with a tagline. “Beat it to fit, Paint it to match.” Well done Megan.
Do you have a recommendation for a wood filler that is stainable?
I have yet to find one. (But I gave up looking some time ago – maybe there’s a magic new product that actually fulfills the marketing claims.)
There are many that claim to be stainable. Some do accept stain and will change color. But never, ever the color of the surrounding wood.
If you really need to match a wood or stain color, you can use shellac burn-in sticks, or mix different color putties (which don’t harden). But the wood will change color over time, and your fix will not.
In my opinion, the “stainable putty” thing is hornswoggle.
My weapon of choice for matching color and grain is “inpainting” – but gosh is that a skill at which I need to get better to claim more than base competency!
Could not agree more.
Try famowood. We used when I worked in a cabinet shop and it takes stain ok. You can get it at Menards
Hey Meghan, for gap filling in dovetails or other joint I make a slurry with the same saw dust as the wood I’m working with and a little shellac ( I always give a coat of shellac to my project). It dries fast and is almost impossible to see the filled areas.
For me, that would be a lot of trouble. I’d have to make sawdust (I try to not sand whenever possible) and I’d have to mix up shellac. If I know I’m doing a clear finish, I’m just a lot more careful to not have gaps 😉
Thanks Fitz. I was selling a lot of this Durham’s Rock Hard Putty at Paxton’s Hardware in Tampa, Florida where I worked weekends and Summers in my teens over 60 years ago. ( 81 now) Same label, same product and it is a good one. Your tip regarding the amount of water to dry when mixing is true and should be followed. Thanks for bringing back an old memory.
Cheers,
Michael O’Brien
I finally burned through my first container that I bought when I was in my 20’s. It lasted over 50 years but when you need something filled in or repaired it can’t be beat. Especially if you’re planning on painting it and you are patient it will result in a near flawless surface.
Looks amazing. Was a primer/sealer coat required on the repaired area prior to applying the paint?
Thanks for sharing this information.
It was not – just two coats of (this) paint covered it. It’s possible some paints would do better over a lick of shellac, but not with the General Fininshes “milk paint”
My late FIL introduced me to Durhams around 1980. Been using it ever since, perfect for painted projects as you state. Don’t add too much water because it’s a never ending tail chase.
Believe it or not, I have had very good structural and cosmetic results with ElmersGlue Max and sawdust made from the wood I’m using.
Been using that stuff for years! LOL Also, if you have a piece with open pored wood like oak, you can stab a few pores along with carving a bit of grain in the repair with an Xacto knife to take the curse off the repair before you paint. Just sayin…
The quality of work can sometimes be ascribed to effectively hiding all of your oopsies.
The “Big Can” for only $2.39? That should be on the gift list!
Small hands. Old can. 🙂
The stuff is still fairly cheap. My local hardware store has the 1lb. can for less than four bux.
I’ve used the cheap epoxy from the cHeap Foreign tool store for repairs for several years now. I haven’t used Durham’s since the ’90’s. Now I’m going to pick up a can and give it a go. I’m sooo weak.
American Windsor maestro Dave Sawyer told me about Durham’s perhaps 40 years ago. It didn’t work for me because I needed something that added strength to the equation. I moved on to using epoxy with various fillers. Very strong, but tedious, messy and perhaps toxic. So I was glad to see Megan’s Durham’s review. I actually found my ancient container of the stuff. It appears to still be perfectly good. I’ll be trying Durham’s for repairs and touch-up situations that don’t require strength. These are sometimes frequent on the old chairs that I’ve been using as the material for my current sculpture projects.
Did you clean/irrigate/dry your thumb wound before applying a bandage, a la Workshop Wound Care?
Split from the cold and dry weather…so clean/irrigate/Aquafor 🙂
Well I never knew this stuff existed! Wish I had as I hate the premixed crap you get at Lowes. I usually mixed sawdust and glue or shellac for any repairs, but I’m going to get some Durhams now. Love the can advertising too!
My father bought a can of this probably 30+ years ago, we used about half the can. After he passed away a little over a year ago, I was cleaning out the shop and had to throw it away because it was rock hard in the can due to the lid being cracked and moisture getting in due to humidity in the shop. You are right about it not being stainable but working fine with painted surfaces. I need a new can.
I just want to point out…you said, “… doesn’t take stain. (Neither does any other filler I’ve tried, and that includes glue and sawdust,)”
If you stain the sawdust prior to missing it with glue, you’ll get much better results. You don’t even want a lint-free cloth for wiping the stain. You want a lint fiber. 😉
I am intrigued by the water putty, looked it up on the web and found a few people on Ebay that sell to us in the UK, but the cost, £13.18, that is $16.75, such a hike in the price, I will not be buying this.
I love this. Not only the educational stuff (and humor! and cool logo!), but the idea that mistakes are inherent in the craft and can (most of the time) be remedied. And this is true for prefessionals and amateurs alike. We all need to be more comfortable with that concept. 🙂
I’ve mixed acrylic craft paint (the $.50 1 or 2 oz bottles) with Durhams with good success to help it blend in. I think this was for trim and gaps after installing new flooring. I was surprised how well it worked.
Thanks…again.