-In addition to universal putties for finishing work, there are a number of specialized mixtures for simulating wood. First of all, the difference between them is in the color scheme - universal putties are either white or tinted to match a specific paint. When repairing flaws in wood - chips, fallen knots, dents and nicks - it is very important not to spoil its natural appearance.
What types of wood putties are there with examples and photos, their advantages and disadvantages, application rules, an overview of leading manufacturing companies - further in the article.
Types of putties
In addition to the color scheme that imitates wood species (pine, oak, alder, ash, spruce and others), there are differences in the chemical composition of various putties. They are divided into the following types:
- putties based on synthetic solvents;
- water based;
- oil;
- polymer;
- plaster.
Founds Ekonsilk
Rating: 4.8
Osnovit Ekonsilk putty has a good set of technical characteristics. The domestic manufacturer sells products at the most attractive prices. Experts put the composition in second place in the rating for its minimum drying time (5 hours) and a wide range of applications. The putty is slightly inferior to the leader in maximum layer thickness (5 mm). When applying a mixture with a thickness of 1 mm, the product demonstrates the lowest putty consumption (0.9 kg/sq. m).
Finishers are very pleased with the good adhesion of the material and the plasticity of the building mass during application. The composition smooths out well, and after drying it forms a durable coating without the slightest hint of shrinkage. The only disadvantage of the product, which is often mentioned in reviews, is the appearance of cracks.
Advantages
- low price;
- no shrinkage;
- plastic;
- economical consumption;
Flaws
- After drying, cracks may appear.
Bolars façade
Rating: 4.7
The best starting putty for finishing facades is Bolars façade. For weather resistance and frost resistance, the product was included in the top three ratings. The composition can also be used when finishing rooms with high humidity. Builders consider the strengths of the material to be good adhesion, excellent vapor permeability, and strength. A valuable quality for some rooms is the ability of the coating to breathe.
Finishers note the ease of preparation and application. The composition is easily leveled, and the maximum layer thickness reaches 10 mm. The putty is inferior to the leaders in consumption (1.4 kg/sq. m) with a layer thickness of 1 mm. Bolars facade also loses in drying time (24 hours).
Advantages
- weather resistance;
- ease of preparation and application;
- moisture resistance;
Flaws
- high price;
- high consumption.
Putties based on synthetic solvents
These also include nitro putty. They were among the first to be developed for working with wood, and have not lost their relevance today.
They have good mechanical strength, dry quickly, but before complete drying they emit an unpleasant, pungent odor and are toxic, so you need to work with them while protecting your respiratory organs with a respirator, in a ventilated room, or better yet, outside. They are used in the restoration of floors and parquet due to their increased abrasion resistance.
How to use putty materials
Let's consider the main areas of application of this material. This is the elimination of defects on a wooden floor, sealing various kinds of cracks, imitation of wood texture on the surface.
Putty for wooden floors
Putty for wooden floors must contain components that will prevent the material from quickly wearing out from mechanical stress.
If you try to save money, then after 2-3 years the sealed surface will deteriorate and crack
Aqueous, paste-like and gel-like compositions are suitable for the floor. If the product contains fiber fiber, then the durability of the finished coating is guaranteed.
Nitro-based putty will also be stable. In the composition you need to look for cellulose ether components, acetone, resins. Products containing wood flour have a high level of adhesion to any type of wood. Nitro putties, for all their positive qualities, have a rather pungent odor.
Homemade compounds mixed with wood flour ideally fill cracks and seams on wooden floors
Wood putty: what to use to fill cracks
A small gap in a wooden floor is sealed either with a putty of a suitable color, or with a composition of any shade, followed by priming and painting the floor.
Cracks 3-4 mm in size are sealed with acrylic products; larger defects should not be touched, as the finished material will crumble and fall out.
The solvent-based product is well suited for sealing cracks up to 1 cm, and can even eliminate defects on heated floors.
Oil compositions for eliminating narrow cracks should be mixed with chalk, and for wide flaws - with wood dust.
Imitation of wood from putty as a way to decorate the surface
To make imitation wood, a number of tools are required. You need to get a palette knife, a textured roller, a roller with a picture of a wood cut, several types of rubber spatula, and a stencil.
Acrylic, gypsum and silicone bases are suitable for interior finishing.
Beautiful imitation wood made of putty
Water based
Unlike synthetic solvents, water is not toxic and does not have a pungent odor; therefore, water-based putties are harmless to humans and animals at all stages of work and upon completion. It dries relatively slowly and has good adhesion, which allows it to be applied to carefully sanded and even polished wood.
Read here! Pumps. What are they?
To wipe off excess from the surface, simply use a damp cloth. After complete drying and varnishing, it is not susceptible to moisture. It is elastic, has a long service life, is fireproof and is not susceptible to heat and cold.
FAQ
How large potholes can be filled with putty?
Most manufacturers do not recommend applying a layer thicker than 2 mm. Gaps and cracks should also not be wider than 2-3 mm. If they are larger, you need to glue in pieces of the same wood, then sand the crack and putty it (if necessary).
Which putty should I use to fill shallow dents on a polished or varnished surface?
The best option is to use a transparent composition. Epoxy materials can be used. For shallow flaws, it is more correct to use varnish - it is applied with a thin splinter, trying to get exactly into the recesses.
If you plan to do a solid painting, what kind of putty should you choose?
Any putty is suitable for solid painting. Here the selection criterion will not be the type of finishing, but the ease of working with putty, drying speed and cleanliness of processing. The best and inexpensive option is acrylic putty, but other types can be used
What tool is used to apply the material?
If the processing area is large, use the usual finishing tools - a spatula, a grater, an emery net. For small and delicate work, they use appropriate tools, even homemade ones - for example, cutting and sharpening narrow strips of plastic.
What is the duration of intermediate (interlayer) drying?
This indicator is different for all types of putty. Detailed information can be found on the material packaging. It is important to keep in mind that minimum values are usually indicated. It is recommended to leave the layers longer to allow them to set properly.
Oil based
The only type of wood putty suitable for outdoor work; it can be used outdoors even without further varnishing or painting. Suitable for processing wooden facades.
It has strong water-repellent properties, is not afraid of ultraviolet radiation, exposure to open air, including sea air. Available in packaging from 500 grams to 15 kg.
What other materials are used for woodworking?
In addition to putty products, other compounds are also used for working with wood. Their list includes primer and plaster. Each product has its own functions and characteristics.
Primer for wood
Primer is a mandatory material for use in many areas of surface treatment. It is designed to bind substances on different layers of the surface, which creates a waterproof varnish film. This is the protection of the tree from the negative effects of external factors.
Important! The primer seriously saves the consumption of materials, and, therefore, finances.
But all this will only work if the primer is of high quality and suitable for woodworking. A soluble primer protects the material from destruction, and a waterproof primer protects it from moisture.
There are oil and acrylic compositions. In any case, they will be the base layer for subsequent finishing.
Wood plaster
Plaster protects the wood from rotting, but the condition is to first coat the surface with antiseptic compounds, which must dry completely.
A plastered wall resists the appearance of mold if the initial humidity threshold does not exceed 12%. Plaster protects the surface from termites and rodents.
Use lime, cement, lime-gypsum, gypsum plaster
Polymer
Polymer, also known as acrylic wood putty, is currently more common than others. This is due to its relative cheapness, durability, ease of use, good water-repellent properties, elasticity, and low shrinkage coefficient when drying.
Thanks to the modifiers it contains, it is suitable for both living rooms and rooms with high humidity (bathroom, toilets, sauna, kitchen). Also good for restoration of parquet and floor boards.
Recipes for making your own wood putty
If you wish, you can make a putty mixture with your own hands, which will not be inferior in quality to store-bought ones. It's all about good, quality ingredients.
The most popular component is crushed chalk, which must be mixed with PVA glue until it becomes sour cream. It is permissible to add small sawdust.
This product will take a day to dry.
The second method is to dilute the chalk with water-soluble acrylic varnish. The paste should be moderately liquid.
Important! Homemade mixtures are not prepared in large volumes, and unevenness and smudges are removed immediately.
Application rules
The wood on which the putty will be applied is rough sanded, then dust is removed from it with a brush and a rag, or even better, blown off with a pneumatic gun. Next, apply a spatula with a small slide to the flaw. No matter how much manufacturers praise their product, the putty still shrinks when it dries.
Opinions differ about wood primer. The fact is that putty holds much more firmly on “bare” wood. But after removing its excess, stubborn stains of ingrained putty remain on the wood around the repaired defect.
A primer solves this problem, but the adhesion of the putty to the primed wood is noticeably worse. It is advisable to keep the spatula clean - this will simplify the work. If you need to apply a thick layer, you need to do it in several passes, allowing the intermediate layers to dry. After drying, excess putty is removed with sandpaper.
Purpose of putty
Puttying is necessary for the restoration of old wooden door panels, parquet, window frames, timber, fences, decorative finishing of plywood coverings, MDF, and various products. The use of high-quality and correctly selected material solves several important problems at once:
- fills all cracks, joints and seams, smoothes out unevenness, masking unnecessary relief;
- forms a protective layer that prevents moisture, dust and dirt from penetrating inside;
- prevents early wear, rotting and drying out of wood;
- evens out the color for painting or emphasizes the natural wood pattern under a transparent topcoat, giving an aesthetically updated look to old materials;
- provides better adhesion to coloring compounds.
The main requirement for puttying wood is to create a perfectly flat surface, otherwise all the effort spent becomes meaningless. You can get the job done flawlessly by choosing a product that has the necessary qualities:
- with plasticizers in the composition, ensuring normal distribution;
- high adhesive properties;
- absence of components harmful to health;
- quick drying.
For the convenience of users, many putties are available in liquid, ready-to-use form. High-quality dry mixtures for wood processing do not contain large particles.
Review of manufacturers
The leading manufacturers of wood putties are the following companies:
- Tikkurila, Finland;
- Belinka, Slovenia;
- Dufa, Germany;
- domestic manufacturers Tex, Extra and Rainbow.
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Creation of models and furniture
The art of sculpting, finishing and creating furniture from wood requires special putties. The characteristics of such wood putties are different.
The main criterion here is the post-processing method.
- Classic one-component putties are excellent for filling small cavities or cracks.
- One-component putty, which is relatively soft, is definitely better suited for hand processing, while harder ones, usually two-component, are easily processed by machine.
- It is important to know how thick a layer of putty can be applied at one time. Some solutions can dry evenly even a few millimeters thick; for others, a millimeter is the upper limit.
- Sometimes putty mixed with dust or sawdust is used. They are available in the form of a liquid base, but when working with the material, dust and sawdust are formed; for example, you can wipe off the wood from the invisible side of the object with thin paper.
Such putties are perfectly matched in color and allow you to achieve an aesthetic effect at the cost of a lot of work.
Restoration of faded and worn chipboard countertops
Often, during use, chipboard countertops and cabinet covers wear out.
- Select the coloring agent according to its shade. It is best to use felt-tip pens - you can moisten a rag with them and rub in soft circular motions and walk across the tabletop until it acquires an even color. Then fix the tint with a fixing varnish.
- In some cases, it is enough to treat a chipboard tabletop with polishing mastic with pigment (available for sale for light and dark furniture) or polish for laminated furniture. After applying the product, the surface must be polished with special lint-free wipes.
Eliminate all flaws
I covered the chips and cracks with putty. The sealant was used to hide cavities that were not needed. He made lost elements and added new ones. After all work, re-sanding.
Often, instead of trying to restore an element, it is easier and more reliable to make a new one. An example from personal experience is shelves in a buffet. From time to time they were carried away, on one of them there was a stain of ink, and the other a deep trace of oil. By analogy with the frame of the old shelves, but from fresh materials, new, lightweight shelves were made.
