A wood filler is an essential substance for any type of wood repairs. If you are a carpenter, DIY renovation enthusiast or a furniture restorer, a wood filler repairs holes, cracks or gouges in all types of wooden surfaces.
The 8 Best Wood Fillers
- Elmer’s E855 3.25-inch Carpenter’s Wood Filler Tube
- Abatron WoodEpox 2 Quart Kit, Part A & B Epoxy Wood Replacement Compound
- FamoWood Latex Wood Filler
- 3M Bondo Home Solutions Wood Filler
- J-B Weld 1.52-ounce WoodWeld Wood Epoxy Adhesive
- Minwax 12-ounce High-Performance Wood Filler
- Protective Coating P.C. Woody Two-Part Wood Repair Epoxy Paste
- Timbermate Maple/Beech/Pine Hardwood 8-ounce Wood Filler
Our Top Pick for the Best Wood Filler
Our top pick for the best wood filler is the Protective Coating P.C. Woody Two-Part Wood Repair Epoxy Paste.
If you have an indoor or outdoor repair or restoration project planned, the P.C. Woody Repair Expoxy Wood Filler Paste is destined to be your new best friend. There is a lot to love about P.C. Woody. The wood filler has a non-drip, no sag formula, which is great for making vertical repairs. The filler gives you ample time to fashion the paste or adjust your workpiece. If you need to work outdoors, the wood filler is tough and ultra weather, insect and pest-resistant. When it dries, it creates a beautiful wood-like surface that is ready to be stained or painted.
Repair Wooden Surfaces Like a Professional With A Quality Wood Filler
Whether you are repairing antique furniture, renovating your home, or restoring an old house, damaged or rotten wooden surfaces spoil the natural beauty of the wood grain. After just one application of a wood filler product, any hole, crack, scratch or gouge will disappear like magic.
What is a Wood Filler?
Wood filler is highly versatile. It is a thick putty-like substance that can be used for a wide range of wood repair and other types of repair tasks:
- Repair rotting floorboards
- Fill small or large gaps between your floorboards and skirting boards
- Fill in cracks on windows frames
- Restore antique furniture
- Fix broken furniture
- Smooth wood grain so that is ready to be painted or stained
- Conceal the head of a nail or screw
- Act as an adhesive to bond surfaces together
- Repair ceramics, concrete, metal, and fiberglass surfaces
- Fix a hole in a guitar
How to Choose A Wood Filler
Types of Wood Fillers
Wood fillers come in many different forms but here are the most common types of wood fillers.
Cellulose-Based Wood Filler
Cellulose wood fillers contain binders and wood fibers and usually come as a dry mixable paste. You can use it indoors and outdoors and it can be stained. This type of wood filler dries quickly, has anti-shrinking properties, and usually has a low odor.
Gypsum-Based Wood Filler
Gypsum-based wood fillers consist of mineral powders and have superior bonding properties. You can mix the filler with water to form the right type of consistency. The downside of gypsum wood fillers is that they are not weatherproof so they can only be used indoors. Their final drying or curing time will vary according to the filler’s consistency and the hole or gouge you need to fill.
Latex Wood Filler
A latex wood filler, like the FAMOWOOD Wood Filler, is very popular with home and professional woodworkers. It spreads easily, sets quickly in about 15 minutes and is perfect for indoor and outdoor projects. The filler looks like real wood and can be used to repair cracks, gouges, holes and other surface defects on furniture, woodwork, molding, cabinets, paneling, plywood, windows, and doors.
Epoxy-Based Wood Filler
An epoxy-based wood filler, like the Protective Coating PC Products, is the most common types of wood filler. It usually comes as a two-part formula that needs to be mixed and has a quick drying time of about 6 minutes, depending on the brand, and a longer curing time of 1-3 hours. Epoxy-based fillers are especially ideal for large outdoor repairs tasks as they are weather resistant and can fill up bigger holes. Some epoxy wood fillers can be used on ceramics, concrete, metal, and fiberglass surfaces like the Minwax wood filler.
Water-Based Wood Fillers
Water-based wood fillers, like Famowood or Timbermate, are perfect fillers for indoor work as they contain a water-based formula. They are non-toxic and generally have a low odor. If the wood filler dries out, you can bring it back to life with a little bit of water.
Size
Wood fillers come in different sizes. Small 3.25-ounce tubes like the Elmer’s Wood Filler or the J-B Weld 8251 WoodWeld Wood Epoxy Adhesive 2-pack are ultra-portable fillers. A compact jar like the Timbermate Wood Filler is an excellent choice for small repair jobs.
Two-part kits like the Abatron WoodEpox Epoxy Wood Replacement Compound, and the Protective Coating P.C. Woody Repair Wood Epoxy Wood Filler Paste, are perfect for large projects.
Indoor or Outdoor Use
Some wood fillers are designed just for indoor use while others can be used for both indoor and outdoor use. So check the product’s details to make sure it suits your indoor or outdoor project. Even though the filler may have a low odor, it is best to use it in a well-ventilated area.
Color Matching
Wood fillers usually may come with a color tint. Tints include white or neutral colors, natural-looking wood tones or a wide range of colors like Elmer’s Wood Filler, which offers you 6 fantastic colors: golden oak, mahogany, natural, walnut, white, or red oak. The Famowood filler comes in 10 colors and the Timbermate comes in 13 different colors plus its original natural tint. Always make sure that you match the color of the wood you need to repair to the filler’s tint before you purchase the product.
Drying Time
Drying time varies depending on the composition of the wood filler. Cellulose, latex or water-based fillers can dry fast in 15 to 30 minutes. Epoxy fillers take between 30 to 40 minutes or even up to 2 hours to completely dry or cure. Fast drying time is ideal if you need to fix a job quickly, but if you need to make some adjustments to the filler or workpiece, a longer dry time will better suit you.
Stain or Painting
Most wood fillers allow you to stain and paint over the top but you need to check the details before you make your final decision. Some fillers, like the FamoWood filler, accepts stains but dries a light pink, so you will need to be careful about the type of stain you use on your workpiece or the filler can show through a light stain.
Best Wood Filler Reviews
1. Elmer’s E855 3.25-inch Carpenter’s Wood Filler Tube
If you have small repair jobs to do, Elmer’s Wood Filler will help you complete any repairs fast!
Elmer’s indoor wood filler is an excellent choice for filling in gaps, repairing holes, dents, and scratches on wooden floorboards, sideboards, wallboards, molding, or painted surfaces. It dries fast and hard and resists shrinking and cracking and firmly holds screws and anchors.
Once it is applied it can be sanded back with a high-speed sander to a nice, smooth finish. This filler is made from actual wood fibers that give it a natural wood texture when cured and delivers a superior surface that is ready for staining and painting. After you have finished your project, the solvent-free water-based formula is very easy to clean-up. If it dries up, just add some water.
The Elmer’s wood filler comes in six colors: golden oak, mahogany, natural, walnut, white, and red oak, and handy packs of 2, 6, 10, 12 and 18. Elmer also makes a range of wood filler that can be used for both indoor and outdoor applications.
Pros
- High-quality
- Very good value for money
- Great price
- Solvent-free water-based formula
- Dries fast and hard
- Paintable and stainable
- Sands easily to a smooth finish
- Resists shrinking and cracking
- Ideal for a wide range of repairs
- Easy clean-up
- Mild odor
- Available in different sizes
- Also available as an indoor and indoor filler
- 6 colors
Cons
- Can crack and crumble if used to fill large holes
- Not ideal for outdoor use
2. Abatron WoodEpox 2 Quart Kit, Part A & B Epoxy Wood Replacement Compound
The Abatron WoodEpox Epoxy Wood Replacement Compound 2-quart Kit is a great choice for the serious woodworker or home renovation enthusiast.
The complete kit contains a 32-ounce resin paste Part A and a 32-ounce hardener Part B, which is everything you need for tough wood restoration and repair jobs.
WoodEpox is a light-weight filler and when A and B are mixed in equal volumes, the blend is easy to sculpt and mold. Once the filler hardens within 1-2 hours, it becomes a nonshrinking, 100% rock solid mass that is highly resistant to chemicals, water, heat, and all types of weather conditions.
You can use the filler indoors and outdoors to permanently fill and rebuild missing sections of wood on window frames and sills, doors, columns, furniture, sculptures, and structural and decorative elements.
Abatron WoodEpox looks like wood so it can be sanded, painted, stained, drilled, carved, sawed, nailed, and machined.
For easy clean-up, just use some acetone to clean up your workpiece.
Pros
- Great quality
- Very good value for money
- Good price
- Ideal for hardwood and laminates
- Can be used indoors and outdoors
- Kit contains an epoxy wood filter and a hardener
- Ideal for wood restoration
- Fills and rebuilds missing sections of wood
- Dries 100% rock solid
- Shrink-free
- Can be sanded, painted, stained, drilled, carved, sawed, nailed, and machined
- Easy to clean with acetone
Cons
- Not ideal for filling large holes
- Not designed for softwood
3. FamoWood Latex Wood Filler
If you are a furniture restorer or a cabinet maker, the FamoWood Wood Filler is a super-fast drying wood filler that delivers professional results.
The FamoWood wood filler contains latex so you do not have to premix the filler and it sets very quickly within 15 minutes and cures within 30 minutes depending on the temperature.
You can use it on indoor or outdoor wooden surfaces for small and big cracks. It spreads evenly, dries rock hard and smooth and does not shrink, crack or crumble.
The water-based FamoWood wood filler contains a high percentage of wood flour so it can be treated like real wood and it can be sanded, planed, nailed, drilled, stained and painted.
As the filler is solvent-free, it has a low odor. Clean-up is simple with just soap and water.
The FamoWood wood filler comes in 10 colors.
Pros
- High-quality
- Very affordable price
- Great value for money
- Highly effective
- Delivers professional results
- Ideal for furniture restorers and cabinet makers
- Quick drying in 15 minutes
- 30 minute curing time
- Spreads evenly into cracks and holes
- High percentage of wood flour
- Can be sanded, drilled or nailed
- Stainable and paintable
- Interior/exterior use
- Solvent-free
- Low odor
- Takes stains and paints like real wood
- Dries rock hard and smooth
- Easy to clean with soap and water
- Available in 10 colors
Cons
- Dries a light pink color
- Curing time for inside repairs will depend on temperature
4. 3M Bondo Home Solutions Wood Filler
The 3M Bondo Home Solutions Wood Filler is a great choice for any wood restorer or renovation enthusiast.
Incredibly versatile, the 3M Bondo all-purpose water-based wood filler can be used indoors and outdoors for small or large jobs. Its durable non-shrinking formula restores and replaces rotted or damaged sections of wood on a wide range of wooden surfaces. Repair baseboards, window sills, furniture, wood trims on door frames and jambs, soffits and fascia, cabinets, fences, hardwood floors, stairs, decks, garage doors, siding, and flower boxes.
With Bondo Wood Filler, you can complete professional looking repairs in less than 30 minutes. The secret to its fast, permanent repair success is its 2-part technology. 3M Bondo contains a 30.5-ounce filler and 1-ounce hardener so you can sand, saw, or power tool the wood filler in 15 minutes and stain or paint in just 25 minutes.
The wood filler has a low viscosity index, so it is easy to apply and penetrates deep into the wood. Bondo is medium brown in color when mixed, so it can accept stain and paint more naturally than other wood filler products. It dries to a light tan color that will match a natural wood grain.
Bondo Home Solutions offer their wood filler in a 1, 3 or 4-pack. For more advanced repairs, Bondo Home Solutions also offer a Rotted Wood Restorer.
Pros
- High-quality
- Very good value for money
- Good price
- Designed for interior and exterior use
- Can be used for a wide range of applications
- Easy to apply
- Medium-brown in color when mixed
- Accepts stain and paint more naturally than other wood filler products
- Fast drying in 15 minutes to a light tan color
- Can be sanded, drilled, sawed, painted or stained in 25 minutes
- Contains a filler and a hardener
- Delivers professional looking results
- Easy to clean
- Available in 1, 3 or 4-pack
- Rotted Wood Restorer also available
Cons
- Strong odor
- Drips a lot
- Contains a small amount of hardener
5. J-B Weld 1.52-ounce WoodWeld Wood Epoxy Adhesive
Proudly made in the USA, the J-B Weld 1.52-ounce Wood Filler is a fast setting two-part epoxy system (containing a resin and a hardener) which is specially formulated for wood bonding and repairs. The quick-setting wood filler sets in 6 minutes, no clamping necessary, and cures in 1-3 hours. As the wood filler has a high tensile strength of 1800 PSI, it will not shrink or foam and dries rock hard to create a lasting permanent bond that is stronger than wood. Once it is cured, it can be shaped, tapped, filed, sanded, drilled and painted. Its light tan color blends in perfectly with surrounding wood surfaces.
You can use the adhesive/filler for indoor and outdoor repairs on furniture, doors, windows, trim/molding, decks, rotted wood, epoxy and adhesives, wood restoration products, and even fill holes in a guitar!
Pros
- High-quality
- Very good value for money
- Great price
- Fast setting
- Two-part epoxy system formulated for wood bonding and repairs
- Can be used on a wide range of surfaces
- Ideal for woodworking, furniture, and home repairs
- Sets in 6 minutes, no clamping necessary
- Provides a lasting permanent bond that is stronger than wood
- High tensile strength of 1800 PSI
- Dries to a light tan color
- Can be shaped, tapped, filed, sanded and drilled, painted and stained
- J-B Weld is proudly made in the USA
Cons
- Strong odor
- If the temperature is below 40°F, the curing time will be longer
- Fast drying time does not allow for adjustments
6. Minwax 12-ounce High-Performance Wood Filler
This high-performance 12-ounce epoxy-based Wood Filler from Minwax is a fantastic choice as it permanently repairs, rebuilds and restores damaged wood.
You can complete your repair jobs fast as the wood filler dries in 10-15 minutes and is ready to be sanded and painted in about 30 minutes. You can easily drill and screw into the filler when it is dry as it securely holds nails and screws over the long-term.
A highly durable filler, the Minwax will not shrink, crack or fall out. It can be used indoors and outdoors as it is weather resistant. You can even use it as an adhesive.
The 2-part natural colored compound can be used to repair cracks, holes or gouges in wooden decks, windowsills, tables, chairs, woodwork, doors, anchoring screws or securing loose joints in furniture. As well as strongly bonding to wood, it can be used on any rigid surface including ceramics, concrete, metal, and fiberglass.
The Minwax Wood filler is available in a 2, 3, 4 and 5-pack.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- High-performance
- Good price
- Great value for money
- Can be used on hardwood
- Permanently repairs, rebuilds, and restores damaged or rotted wood
- 2-part compound
- Natural color
- Very effective as a wood adhesive
- Durable wood filler that will not shrink or crack
- Quick drying time
- Can be used indoors and outdoors
- Weather, water, and rot resistant
- Can also be used on ceramics, concrete, metal, and fiberglass
- Available as a 2, 3, 4 or 5-pack
Cons
- Expensive
- Strong odor
- Not for sale in Catalina Island
7. Protective Coating P.C. Woody Two-Part Wood Repair Epoxy Paste
Whether you are planning a large restoration or repair project, the Protective Coating P.C. Woody Epoxy Paste delivers excellent results.
This two-part epoxy paste is specially formulated for challenging wood repairs. You can use it for indoor and outdoor repairs as it is capable of withstanding harsh environmental conditions. It will not crack or pop out and is highly resistant to sunlight, freshwater, and saltwater that can cause dry rot or mold damage. The paste is highly resistant to the damage caused by termites, carpenter ants and bees, squirrels and woodpeckers.
As the wood filler contains real wood, it permanently bonds to the wood. When it dries, the tan color blends in beautifully with a natural wood grain.
The perfect wood filler for vertical applications, P.C. Woody has a thicker viscous nature like peanut butter which means fewer sags and drips.
P.C. Woody dries in approximately 30 to 40 minutes (at 70° Fahrenheit), so you can smooth or shape the filler or adjust your workpiece. Once the paste is finally cured, it is ready to be sanded, hammered, drilled, screwed, painted and stained.
The wood filler also comes in 1.5-ounce, 6-ounce, 48-ounce tubs or a 95-ounce tin.
Pros
- High-quality
- Great value for money
- Affordable price
- Ideal for large restoration or repair projects
- Can be used indoors and outdoors
- Highly resistant to sunlight, mold, dry rot, chemicals in fresh and saltwater
- Insect and pest resistant
- High viscous composition does not sag or drip
- Permanently bonds to wood and looks like real wood
- Nice tan color
- Can be sanded, hammered, drilled, screwed, stained and painted
- Longer drying time allows for shaping and adjustments
- Available in different sizes
Cons
- Thick consistency can be difficult to get out of the tub
- Requires mixing preparation
8. Timbermate Maple/Beech/Pine Hardwood 8-ounce Wood Filler
For a fast and effective way of repairing wood, the Australian-made Timbermate Wood Filler is the perfect repair and restoration buddy.
The 8-ounce wood filler is specially designed for interior jobs, hardwood and can also be used as a grain filler. If you have scratches, cracks or holes in maple, beech, and pine floors or furniture, Timbermate delivers fantastic results.
Timbermate protects the natural integrity of wood surfaces and it is long-lasting and will not shrink, crack or fall out. The wood filler is fast drying and you can paint or stain over the top. Once it is dried in about 20-30 minutes, it can take nails, screws, planing, sawing, drilling, and routing.
One of the most user-friendly wood fillers to work with, Timbermate’s water-based formula is non-toxic, non-yellowing, and contains no acrylic, latex or solvents, which makes it safe to use. If you are not happy with the results, you can use water to remove the filler, and if it dries out, just soften it up with water.
Timbermate recommends that you use stainless steel or plastic tools to apply the filler because it may react with low-grade steels and turn black. If this happens, simply add water and remove the filler, or wait for it to dry and sand it off.
Timbermate comes in 13 premixed colors plus its original natural tint base.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Great value for money
- Affordable price
- Easy to prepare, apply and remove
- Can be used for scratches, cracks, and holes
- Specially designed for interior repair jobs
- Protects wood
- Non-toxic
- Non-yellowing
- Solvent, latex, and acrylic free
- Good heatproof and freezeproof ability
- Long-lasting
- Unlimited shelf life
- Fast drying time
- Accepts stains and paints beautifully
- Takes nails, screws, planing, sawing, drilling, and routing
- Will not become permanent unless you apply a finish
- Softens up with water
- Very good color matching
- Zero waste
- 13 colors
Cons
- Not designed for outdoor use
- Fast drying time may not be ideal for some applications
- Use only stainless steel or plastic tools to apply the filler
Our Top Pick for the Best Wood Filler
Our top pick for the best wood filler is the Protective Coating P.C. Woody Two-Part Wood Repair Epoxy Paste.
If you have an indoor or outdoor repair or restoration project planned, the P.C. Woody Repair Expoxy Wood Filler Paste is destined to be your new best friend. There is a lot to love about P.C. Woody. The wood filler has a non-drip, no sag formula, which is great for making vertical repairs. The filler gives you ample time to fashion the paste or adjust your workpiece. If you need to work outdoors, the wood filler is tough and ultra weather, insect and pest-resistant. When it dries, it creates a beautiful wood-like surface that is ready to be stained or painted.