Stainable Wood Filler

[Geoff_S]

I am looking for a stainable wood filler. I have found the Sadolin filler but that is 2 part and is only workable for 5 minutes.

Has anyone come across a filler that takes longer to set that is properly stainable?

I've got a bit to do as I have made some cabinets but the "prepared" PAR timber that was delivered was a bit cr*p, and I have a few join lines to fill.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

This a small patch of Everbuild two part pine coloured filler, in pine stained with Morrell's orange lightfast stain. Not perfect, but far from bad. It has a short working time, but if you ensure you have enough spatulas to hand it's no big deal - just mix it as you go rather than a gert dollop at once.

 

[ED65]

Has anyone come across a filler that takes longer to set that is properly stainable?

I was going to ask if that's what you needed as it's the holy grail of course. In terms of commercial products I don't think anything is quite there and it's a source of continual frustration to many. What stain you're using is a factor of course, water and alcohol stains work very differently to some spirit or oil-based stains.

Phil's example above is particularly good, you'll rarely see better, but whether it's good enough is up to you. Even when someone is showing off how stainable their filler is I think a common reaction would be thinking to yourself that it could be a lot better!

There are various ways around the problem, including making up your own fillers that are much more absorbent than the norm (many formulas for these available online, some using plaster, many bound with hide glue). But not actually staining can be a better idea and it's one of the standard old-school ways, you fill after you stain, and usually after a quick sealer coat of dilute finish to preview the final colour. That way you only need to match the filler to the final colour, not try to get the filler to match the wood and then keep your fingers crossed that it'll stain up perfectly as well.

Is there a chance you could let in a sliver of wood in the worst of the gaps? That can ensure stainability.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You are correct, of course - if this were any other than a piece of utilitarian furniture I'd have started with a darker filler.