Filling holes in epoxy is a significant exercise in woodworking as it not only masks short-term unsightly wood surfaces but also makes the wood surface strong and durable for the long term. Filling holes in wood can also give color, gloss, or clarity to your wooden surface be it a deck, countertop, tab;e top, or wooden floor.
There are different methods and steps that you can follow to correctly fill holes in wood with epoxy. All in all the goal is similar to filling holes. Our broken down 7 step process is a high-level but detailed process to let you uncover the formula to fill holes with epoxy.
Our 7 step process of filling holes in wood with epoxy
Step 1: Estimate the size of the holes
Step 2: Getting the Best Epoxy Resin to Fill Holes in Wood
Step 3: Wood surface preparation
Step 4: Mixing Epoxy
Step 5: Pouring epoxy
Step 6: Sanding
Step 7: Finalising
So How Do You Fill Holes in Wood with Epoxy?
Step 1: Estimate the size of the holes
It is in estimating the size of the holes and the quantity that you will determine how much epoxy you might want to acquire from the store.
You can classify small holes on one side and large holes on the other side. Deep and numerous holes will require high volume epoxy whereas shallow and few holes will require a small volume.
The key point is not to overestimate and waste a lot of epoxy or underestimate and fail to fill all the holes in wood.
Step 2: Getting the Best Epoxy Resin to Fill Holes in Wood
The key factors to watch out for when selecting epoxy to fill holes in wood include versatility, the viscosity of the resin, use of the wood surface, and color compatibility of the resin.
TotalBoat Clear Penetrating Epoxy is the best epoxy to fill holes in wood.
Learn more: Best Epoxy To Fill Holes In Wood
Step 3: Wood surface preparation
Thoroughly brush out all the holes you are to fill with epoxy. This step is to clean out all debris that would affect the flow and settling of epoxy in the hole. Although some of the holes you wish to fill might be minute, the best thing is to brush out even those as much as you can and clean up.
You do not want to find unpleasant debris suspended in the epoxy or make the epoxy wood surface have unsightly air bubbles.
Step 4: Mixing Epoxy
Depending on the manufacturer’s instructions, you will be required to prepare epoxy uniquely. Some epoxy come in two parts and require specific mix ratios of the hardener and epoxy parts.
This step should be done carefully as disproportions will lead to lower quality of epoxy work which could lead to cracking and overall reduced durability.
Step 5: Pouring epoxy
When using epoxy to fill holes in wood, it is advisable to start from one side of the wooden surface to ensure you fill all the holes without leaving any. This way you achieve great workmanship.
Also, some of the holes you want to fill could be so minute that you have to pour a layer of epoxy on the wooden surface. Using epoxy resin to fill holes in wood for this specific purpose increases your chances of success.
Step 6: Sanding
Sanding holes that you have filled with epoxy is important for the following reasons.
- Sanding prepares the wood surface for consequent woodworking activities such as painting, pouring other layers of epoxy, or even applying a finish to the wooden surface.
- Sanding creates an even surface since epoxy could have expanded beyond the wood surface.
- Sanding also tests if there are still voids that you had filled incorrectly giving you another chance to refill these holes for perfect workmanship.
- Sanding can be done using sandpaper or a sander.
Step 7: Finalising
Even after sanding some holes through the epoxy resin might still be present. It is almost impossible to do a hole-filling project without these holes remaining stubborn on your wood surface.
There is no point in refilling the holes with epoxy resin at this point. The substance to use here is cyanoacrylate glue which seals any holes in your wood to give you a smooth wooden surface. However, you need to perform the last sanding exercise to ensure your surface is totally smooth and devoid of any holes.
There you have it, a wood surface without holes and whose holes are perfectly filled with epoxy.
How to Fill Holes in a Wooden Floor
For holes in wooden floors, it is no different than on any other wooden surface. However, there are several key things to watch out for when filling holes in wooden floors. Also the epoxy to fill holes in the wood floor should be unique and offer the following specifications.
- Select a fast setting and curing epoxy – This kind of epoxy allows you to quickly work on your repair project without having to redirect traffic in your home, kitchen, or deck for a long time. Also, if holes are all over the floor you do not have to stop the function of the space just to fill holes with epoxy.
- Use resistant epoxy – depending on the agent that you use on cleaning your floor, your epoxu=y should be perfectly resistant to common solvents, bleaches, acids, and other chemicals.
- Glossy epoxy to fill holes in floors – The key thing here is to get an epoxy with a shine effect that blends well with the finish you have done on your wooden floor. If you do not prefer gloss then one can color the epoxy with a pigment that perfectly blends with the color of the wood surface.
Filling Large Holes With Epoxy
Large holes can occur in woodworking and often require repair. If you have a large hole on your wooden surface, then it keen to sort epoxy using the below criteria
- Deep Pour Epoxy: Instead of having to put shallow, wait for the epoxy to dry and then pour subsequent layers, deep pour epoxy allows you to pour thick layers of epoxy into large holes. You, therefore, cover the entire repair project at once than having to wait for the epoxy to dry.
- High Volume epoxy: Depending on the size of the holes, you need epoxy available in relatively large quantities. A 1-quart epoxy unavailable in any other volume will not be enough for your 1-gallon epoxy repair project.
See also: Filling Large Voids in Wood with Epoxy
Advantages of Using Epoxy to Fill Holes in Wood
1. Extra durable epoxy
The key advantage of using epoxy to fill holes in wood is the long-lasting bonding effects. You will not only have achieved a filled-out surface but the surface will be adequately tough to resist damage by abrasion, cracking, imp[act and pressure.
In addition many epoxy have:
UV resistant formulations to reduce yellowing over time
100% water resistance to prevent moisture and water from getting into the holes again that could cause wood rot
2. Using colored epoxy to fill holes in wood
You might not only want to fill the unsightly holes caused by nails, pests, or natural growth but also want a colorful wood surface. Epoxy gives you the option of selecting pigment compatible epoxy, mixing it with compatible pigment to create a colored wooden surface.
If you do not want color in your project or want to create a live edge wood surface, it is fine to pour epoxy without mixing it with a pigment.
3. Epoxy For All Wooden Surfaces
Whether you want to fill holes on a wooden floor, a wood countertop, a wooden cabinet, a wooden deck, or even on a wooden tabletop, then epoxy has you covered in all of these projects.
Apart from some wood-specific epoxy, the majority of epoxy are compatible with wood and other elements. This property is handy when working with numerous materials connected to woodworking projects.
You enjoy an extensive versatility covering not only holes in wood but also holes in metal, plastic, or even ceramic.
4. Epoxy for All Hole Sizes
Since epoxy comes in low and high viscosities which allow for deep and shallow pours it is possible to deal with all hole sizes of holes in wood. Whether you want to fill nail holes in wood or want to repair large holes in wood you are sorted when using epoxy to fill holes in wood.
Filling Holes in Wood with Clear Epoxy
The most important step in filling holes with clear epoxy is choosing a crystal clear epoxy. The epoxy you select should have a superclear finish, with a non-foggy tint that would reduce clarity and stop you from achieving the goals of your repair project.
Epoxy with a declaration of the UV inhibitor formulation is also an advantage since these epoxy surfaces are free from yellowing over time. Since staining is an option and epoxy can come without staining then you can get epoxy that is stain compatible but that can also cure clear without pigments. A stained epoxy right off the bat is not fit for filling holes with clear epoxy.
Can you use epoxy to fill holes in wood?
Yes, you can use epoxy to fill holes in wood. By using epoxy resin to fill holes in wood, then it is possible to fill holes in wood. The epoxy to fill holes in wood fills the space in the hole and expands to completely displace the air inside and forms a substance as hard as wood such that the entire hole is filled and resistant to cracking.
Therefore using epoxy to fill holes in wood is a viable and possible idea in woodworking.
Conclusion
Finally, the are 7 key steps we consider as the main ones if you want to perfectly use epoxy to fill holes in wood. They include hole estimation, getting the best epoxy for filling holes in wood, mixing epoxy, pouring epoxy, wood surface preparation, sanding, and finalizing. All these steps are not exclusive to this project but form superb guidelines for the major areas you need to keenly watch out for. We conclude that it is, therefore, advantageous to use epoxy fill holes in wood on the grounds of durability, color, and versatility.
All the Best in your Hole Filling Epoxy Project!
