Wood is beautiful and vulnerable. Even the most durable kind tends to get scratched over time. But to dispose of aesthetic beauty to embrace durability is not ideal either. Fortunately, you don’t have to compromise one for the other. With epoxy wood fillers, you can repair a wooden surface with a durable substance that mimics the appearance and property of wood.
Minwax High-Performance Wood Filler is the best epoxy wood filler because of its durability. It is water-resistant and can stand up to extreme weather without losing adhesion or structural integrity. It comes in a 2-part system like standard epoxies but mimics wood upon curing.
However, different projects require different kinds of wood fillers, which is why I’m writing this post to cover each in sufficient depth. At a glance, though, here are the best epoxies for different contexts.
- Minwax High Performance Wood Filler – For maximum durability.
- BONDO Home Solutions Wood Filler – For everyday objects.
- Abatron Wood Epoxy Kit – For large missing chunks.
- JB-WELD KwikWood Epoxy Putty – For small projects
Best for Durability: Minwax High Performance Wood Filler
Wood objects do not get scratched sitting safely cushioned inside an unused room; they’re often open to impact from daily use. For wood that is exposed to high traffic areas or is part/whole of a high-utility item, a cosmetic wood filler isn’t ideal. Minwax High Performance Wood Filler not only covers up scratches but also strengthens the integrity of the wood. In fact, the epoxy contents of this filler are tougher than most retail-grade wood.
Aside from oak and mahogany, most wood items will be reinforced by this structure-toughening filler. It is ideal for exteriors like sundeck, canopy pillars, and terrace planks. While the outdoors expose wood to the elements, the indoors aren’t always kind to it either.
If you have shiplapped a wall and have a pet, the lower planks are destined to get scratched at some point. Even if you don’t have a pet, having a toddler and hardwood floors is enough reason to have Minwax High Performance Wood Filler at home.
This 2-part compound works not just to restore rotten wood but can also be used as an adhesive to attach two planks, blocks, or logs of wood. It is resistant to potential damage from water, which makes it perfect for kitchen cabinets because they’re often exposed to humidity. Water-resistance also makes this filler sound for hardwood floor repairs. The product is also weather-resistant, so exterior use makes sense.
That said, it would be too expensive to use as a shiplap coat or a weather shield. Using a standard sealer for the overall wooden area is more feasible. Minwax helps in that upon repairing wood that’s already been sealed; you don’t have to worry about resealing the surface.
Its adhesive property extends beyond wood, and it can be used on metal, ceramics, and fiberglass.
While this doesn’t improve its value as a wood filler, it does make a good case for keeping a can around. You can use this epoxy compound to attach wood to different rigid surfaces or to repair wood-textured products. This versatility is likely responsible for the positive rating of this product.
With over 1000 reviews and ratings on Amazon, this wood filler has a 4.5-star rating out of five stars. More specifically, it is rated at 4.3 stars for adhesion and 4 stars for being “easy to use” and “easy to spread.” In other words, if a wood object needs repair and you’re DIYing the project, you should get this. After all, over 72% of the buyers have given it 5 stars.
Best for Household use: BONDO Home Solutions Wood Filler
As the name suggests, this wood filler is best for home use. It is formulated and packaged to facilitate DIY repairs for DIY projects. Whether you have a passion for carpentry or are annoyed by an obvious scratch on your closet door, using this wood filler will help you repair any surface-level damage to wood.
Home projects also require visual upkeep, which means you won’t just fill the wood but will also paint it. A great household use filler is quick to dry, so your repair project doesn’t drag on. BONDO Home Solutions Wood Filler will dry in 15 minutes, after which you can sand and wait another 25 minutes before the surface is ready to paint.
Since household repairs are supposed to be functional, it is crucial that any filler has a long-lasting impact. This filler permanently bonds the wood and reinforces the structure to an extent. You can paint over it without having to worry about needing to refill and repaint.
The permanency of this filler is evident from the fact that when you sand it merely 15 minutes after application, the filler doesn’t come off but it can be roughed the same as the wood it inhabits. When the filler becomes indistinguishable from the wood it is attached to; it is permanent enough for daily household use.
In some cases, the wood and the filler are already the same color. It saves money, then, to simply use the filler to restore the wood and skip the repainting process. To do so without downsides, though, the filler must also act as a sealant, at least for the portion it covers. If you do not paint over the wood you restore with BONDO Home Solutions Wood Filler; you don’t have to worry about water damage.
The filler is water-resistant and stands up to routine water and humidity exposure. All of these have contributed to the wood filler’s global acclaim. With over 1,600 reviews and ratings on Amazon, this product has a 4.5-star rating making it one of the highest-rated of its category.
Best for Maximum Restoration: Abatron Wood Epox Kit
Wood fillers are used to remove dents from big chunks of wood or from medium-sized planks. But in some instances, entire portions of wood are missing from furniture, contraptions, and decor items. Abatron Wood Epox Kit is a system that helps restore large chunks of missing wood. Even though other options on this list can do the same to an extent, the fact that this is a 2-gallon kit makes it the better option. It is permanent and bonds well and, more importantly, is sag resistant, which means that it can be used to restore wood that withstands pressure.
Some fillers are good enough to restore window frames but cannot deal with impact. This durable epoxy filler can restore chair legs to the point where you can sit on the chair without worrying about it buckling.
Upon curing, the filler mimics the wood, but you have to give it a decent curing time which is dictated partially by your surroundings and how well you have mixed the epoxy. On average, it takes 20 minutes to be dry to touch and function but can take up to 40 minutes before it is ready for impact. But it is also possible that your project will not need to stand up to impact.
Even if your wood item is entirely for show, this filler is ideal as it is easy to paint or stain. By sufficiently roughing the surface and painting it after the epoxy has cured, you can give the object a uniform look. That said, this isn’t the epoxy you should get to repair small damage.
While the price per unit of coverage is lower than the other options, the cost of the 2-gallon unit is pretty steep. It is also a little difficult to get the entire contents out of the container, and you might not be able to use all of it.
All of those drawbacks are contingent on the project being small. So, if you have missing chunks of wood from a large object or area, then this system is a no-brainer. But if you don’t, then this no-shrinkage DIY formula might be too expensive for you. That said, it has been given 3.8 stars for its “value for money” proposition, which shows that despite being expensive, people have found it somewhat worth the money.
But what matters more is the epoxy filler’s function, for which the global average rating is 4.7 out of 5 stars. More specifically, customers have given it 4.5 stars for being light, 4.2 for being easy to use, and 4.7 for durability, all of which speak to the key features discussed above.
Best for Ease of Use: JB-WELD KwikWood Epoxy Putty
If you get a standard epoxy wood filler, you’ll get two containers with one featuring epoxy and the other a hardener. Upon getting the two next to a mixing container, you’ll have to pour them in the right ratio, which is often written on the epoxy packaging.
By mixing them well, you will get your non-solid filler with a ticking clock. You’ll have to apply the filler before the epoxy dries and then wait for the application to cure. Even the easiest application resins are hard for those who haven’t previously worked with epoxies.
Epoxy putty is a filler in function but is different in its application method. Using the putty, you can push sufficient epoxy contents into a gap, after which the wooden structure will be reinforced and repaired. There are non-epoxy putties that don’t even require mixing and can be applied with a large syringe. However, they don’t have the same benefits as an epoxy filler.
JB-WELD Epoxy putty is a small stick that can be hand-mixed and also applied by hand. It has the functional benefits of epoxy fillers but comes with the ease of putty application. If your projects are smaller or have very little damage, then JB-WELD Epoxy Putty is highly recommended; it will save you time and money.
While the product itself might not be expensive as a unit, if you measure a putty’s performance across the area covered against the money spent, it is one of the most expensive epoxy fillers you can get. But if you have no use for epoxy fillers aside from the little that you need, you don’t save money by buying in bulk anyway because the rest gets wasted.
The putty can be hand-molded into different shapes allowing you to make U and L joints across different materials, including wood. Even if you don’t use the entire stick as wood filler, you can use it as a durable adhesive for small projects. Like most epoxy fillers, it is water-resistant, and you can paint it to give your wood project a uniform look.
That said, you must beware of a few drawbacks. The putty has better surface performance than core performance. Because it cannot be poured like standard epoxy fillers, it isn’t suitable for internal repair. In other words, before acquiring this easy-to-use putty, make sure your project is small and that you need to restore wood surfaces, not core.
Some of the key areas of use listed by the product’s manufacturer include dry rot, knot holes, frame repairs, and screw holes. With that in mind, I would not recommend using this filler for anything deeper than a screw hole.
While the above restrict the areas of use of this wood filler, in the context where it can be used, it performs really well. That’s why over 85% of the product’s buyers have given it either 5 out of 5 stars or 4 stars.
Given that this comes from over 4000 reviews and ratings verified by Amazon, that’s a significant number of satisfied customers. Its global average rating stands at 4.5 out of 5 stars, with its highest specific rating being 5 stars for versatility. Other specific ratings include 4.2 stars for “ease of use” and “durability” and 4 stars for the “value for money” it presents.
Final Thoughts
It is easy to get rid of wood in favor of a sturdier material, but there’s a charm to wood that makes it hard to let go. Even repairs can affect the appearance of an aesthetic wooden grandfather clock or an antique rocking chair. But for most wood items, epoxy putty is the perfect fix. Regardless of the product you choose from this post; you will be able to restore surface-level damage and have your furniture looking new in just a few hours.
