Why Wood Dough is My First choice for Fixing Broken Furniture
I've found that the good tub associated with wood dough is usually the particular only thing standing between a ruined project and the professional-looking finish. When you've ever spent hours sanding straight down a well used oak table learn a deep gouge right within the middle of the grain, a person know that going feeling in your belly. It's frustrating, yet it's not the end of the world. In my workshop, I maintain a few different types of this stuff on the shelf because, honestly, I'm not perfect, and none is the wood I work along with.
What Exactly Is This Stuff?
I frequently get asked exactly what makes wood dough not the same as these runny, lightweight fillers you see within the hardware store. Think about it like this: most fillers are usually intended for tiny pores or hairline breaks, but this dough much more like "wood in a jar. " It's thicker, weightier, and usually contains actual wood fibres combined with a binding.
Whenever it dries, this doesn't just sit down there like a plastic plug. It actually feels and acts a lot such as the nearby timber. You can sand this, drill into it, and—if you're lucky—stain it to match. It's much more strong compared to spackle-style injectables people use with regard to drywall. It's made to handle the movement of wood, which is essential because wood breathes and shifts with all the seasons.
Choosing Your Poison: Solvent vs. Water-Based
When you go to buy a few, you're basically likely to have to select between two main "flavors. " Neither is necessarily much better, but they certainly behave differently.
Solvent-Based Options
The solvent-based stuff is what nearly all old-school woodworkers vow by. It scents like a biochemistry lab, but guy, it dries quick and it's hard as nails. I usually reach for this if I'm functioning on something that's going to live outside or a furniture piece that's going to have a lot associated with abuse, just like a seat leg or a dining table. The drawback? You will need acetone or even a specific solution to get it off your equipment (and your fingers), plus it can be a bit associated with a pain in order to work with in case it starts drying out while you're nevertheless spreading it.
Water-Based Options
On the some other hand, water-based wood dough is definitely a lot more friendly for casual DIY projects. It doesn't have those severe fumes, and a person can clean up your putty cutlery with the food prep sink. If it starts obtaining a little crumbly in the bathtub, you are able to just add a few drops associated with water to revive it. It will take the little longer in order to dry, and it might shrink the bit more than the solvent stuff, but for most indoor maintenance, it's my first choice.
The key to an Ideal Patch
I've seen a great deal of people just smear the dough in to a hole with their thumb plus hope for the best. Don't do that will. If you prefer a repair that will actually disappears, you've got to be considered a bit more tactical.
First, always overfill the pit. Wood dough has a tendency to shrink since the moisture or even solvent evaporates. If you level this off perfectly whilst it's wet, you'll end up with a little divot once it's dry. I like to leave a little mound—maybe a sixteenth associated with an inch—above the area. Once it's bone tissue dry, you may sand it clean.
Second, pay out attention to the grain. If you're filling a lengthy crack, try to use the dough in the direction of the wood grain. It sounds just like a small detail, however it helps the wood fibers in the particular dough align much better using the piece you're fixing. It can make the final result look way less like a "patch" and more like the natural part of the wood.
Will it Really Take Stain?
This is definitely the million-dollar query. Most brands will certainly tell you on the label that their wood dough is "stainable. " In my opinion, that's a bit of a half-truth. Whilst the dough will absorb several color, it rarely absorbs it on the exact same rate because the natural wood surrounding it.
If you're working with a darkish stain, the patch might end up looking just a little lighter in weight. If you're making use of a light spot, the patch may look darker mainly because it's more porous. My trick is to always test this on a scrap item of wood very first. If the complement is way off, I'll sometimes mix a little bit of the actual wood stain directly into the dough before I utilize it. It's untidy, but it functions wonders for getting the base color closer to exactly where it needs to be.
Dealing with the "Dried Out Tub" Syndrome
We've all been presently there. You go in order to the garage in order to grab your wood dough for a quick five-minute fix, only in order to find the lid wasn't on tight and now you might have an useless, rock-hard puck.
If it's a water-based version, you are able to sometimes save this by poking a couple of holes in this and adding hot water, then letting it sit immediately. But if it's solvent-based and it's gone hard? It's probably toast. To prevent this, I've started storing our tubs upside down. It creates a much better seal against the particular lid and will keep the moisture exactly where it belongs. Another tip would be to cut a small group of plastic wrap and press this directly onto the top of dough before putting the cap back on. It's a hassle, but it'll save you ten bucks and a trip to the store.
Making Your own personal in a Crunch
Sometimes, even the pre-mixed things isn't quite best, especially if you're working with a weird species associated with wood like purpleheart or zebrawood. Within those cases, I make my own "DIY wood dough . "
It's pretty simple: you take some fine sawdust from the particular actual project you're working on (the things from the bag associated with your random orbital sander is perfect) and mix this with a bit of very clear wood glue. A person want to aim for an uniformity like thick peanut butter. Because it's made from the exact same wood you're repairing, the color match is usually spot upon. Just remember that this DIY version dries very hard and may be a bit more difficult to fine sand than the store-bought stuff. It furthermore doesn't take spot very well because of the glue articles, so this will be best for pieces that are getting a clear coat.
Why I Prefer It More than Putty
People often confuse dough with wood putty, but they aren't the same. Putty generally stays soft with regard to a long time and is meant to be used after you've applied your finish. It's great for filling nail holes in trim, but it's terrible for structural repairs.
I prefer wood dough because it becomes a long lasting part of the particular wood. Once it's dry and sanded, you can address it just like the rest of the board. You can screw into it, paint it, or airplane it down. It's just more versatile for the type of "oops" moments that will happen during the build phase of a project.
Final Thoughts within the Process
At the end of the day, using wood dough is mainly because much an artwork as it is usually a science. You'll probably mess up a few times—maybe you'll sand it too early and gum up your sandpaper, or you'll realize the color is away after you've already finished the item. Don't sweat it. Every woodworker I actually know has a story about a "perfect" table that's in fact held together by a little bit associated with magic and a lot of filler.
Just remember in order to take your time, overfill your spaces, and always maintain that lid upon tight. It's a simple tool, but when you get the hang from it, you'll wonder how you ever got by way of a project without having it. It's the particular ultimate back-up with regard to anyone who adores working with wood but hasn't quite mastered the art of the perfect cut every one time.