It's a good way to make small repairs around the house.When you apply paint or stain to the area after filling a hole, you can make it disappear.Prepare the area, then fill it with wood filler.Paint or stain it to finish the repair.
Step 1: Buy or make an appropriate substitute.
You can match the stainable wood fillers to the rest of the wood by staining them.Water-based woodfillers are meant to be used indoors.Adding sawdust to carpenter's glue can be used to make your own wood filler.It is possible to carve with the hard-wearing epoxy designed for wood.
Step 2: Paint chips and wood splinters can be removed.
Before you repair the wood, you need to take the paint chips off.You can get off as much as you can with a scraper.Remove any large splinters you see.
Step 3: There is sand in the area.
Rough edges can be a problem.Sanding those edges will make the process go quicker.Rough edges can be found directly around the damaged area.
Step 4: Pick up any debris.
The filler won't stick if you leave debris or sawdust behind.Take a damp tack cloth and wipe it down.If you own a shop vac, you can use it.
Step 5: The hole should be squeezed into it.
Make sure to fill the deepest area by pressing the end of the tube into it.You should start at one end and work your way to the other end.If you don't have a tube, use a knife to apply it.
Step 6: Take the hole and fill it.
You need to fill it more than you level it with the rest of the wood.If you fill it too much, it will end up flush with the wood.You don't need to overfill it.
Step 7: Use a knife to smooth it out.
To smooth the area, go over the filler with a knife.If the first pass wasn't as smooth as you'd like, wipe the knife off and go over it again.It doesn't have to be perfect, because you'll be sanding it later.
Step 8: Wait for the glue to dry.
Once you've got the hole filled, let it dry.It will be hard to touch when it is wet.It can dry in under an hour on a large or deep area.For specific drying times, check the packaging.
Step 9: The wood can be sanded down until it is smooth.
To sand down the area, use an orbital sander or standard sandpaper.The wood is level when the sand is evened out.Before staining or painting, wipe it down to remove dust.
Step 10: The hole needs to be filled in.
If the repaired area is smooth, you should run your hand over it.Make sure that the hole is level with the wood by filling it in.If you filled in the hole completely, it may have left a depression or hole.If you haven't filled the hole completely, you can add more wood filler.
Step 11: If you're painting the area, apply primer.
The paint on wood may affect how it looks.Primer can help even out the look of the area.If you're painting a whole piece of furniture, you should use this process.
Step 12: You can stain or paint the area.
Paint or stain can be applied to the repaired area to match the rest of the wood.If you don't know if the paint or stain matches, you may want to test it in an area where you can see it.You can stain a piece of wood.