how to repair a large hole in plywood

Why does that matter? On the other hand, if youre only painting a specific area, use a paintbrush. Just make sure that you let the second coat dry fully before applying the third coat. Whether your item is a wooden wall or a piece of furniture, you can easily repair it using some craft sticks and wood filler. Fill large space in layers, letting filler dry between each application. 9 years ago Smaller holes can be just epoxy filled. Temporarily screw a piece of 1/4" plywood (2 screws) behind each hole with wax paper between the 1/4" and the 3/4" plywood. If it's a small hole, it's acceptable to repair it with a new piece of plywood. It's better to apply too much paint to the item than too little. Yes, wood filler is the standard tool for fixing damaged plywood or wood in general. Grab a piece of plywood that's a bit larger than the hole. Wood putty uses synthetic materials. It's very easy to damage wood and create a large hole. Fabric hoarder. To keep the filler from cracking in middle and sinking in, don't try to fill large space at one application. Though, you'd have to assess the damage first. Well, you don't have to sand it down, but it's going to stand out pretty badly if you don't. % of people told us that this article helped them. Judy Ondrla Tremore is a writer and editor for various newspapers and magazines.

","authors":[{"authorId":9214,"name":"Gary Hedstrom","slug":"gary-hedstrom","description":"

Gary and Peg Hedstrom are self-taught repair masters with experience in carpentry, plumbing, appliance repair, and more. The straightforward answer is no. The process with this setup is as follows:

Measure the size of the defect in your project and add a little extra around it. Insert the bit into the plunge router and set the depth of cut to 1/8 inch. The polyester paste is ideal for wood that has deteriorated and rotted. If you have big holes from using recycled wood or from a loose knot, for instance you can fill them with another piece of wood, called a dutchman. Other woodfillerswill have latex in the formula. In this case, you will need to look at an alternative way to fill in the gaps. Push the filler in using your applicator until you you have added enough and the filler sits proud of the top surface. Use even and measured strokes like you used to apply the primer. Some might require an alternative way to fix it. Screw a furring strip on the inside of the wall, Secure the plywood patch to the furring strip, 3. Pinterest addict. Before you go, do you have other areas that need fixing? Move any furniture away before you paint. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/dd\/Fill-Large-Holes-in-Wood-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Fill-Large-Holes-in-Wood-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/dd\/Fill-Large-Holes-in-Wood-Step-1.jpg\/aid10325020-v4-728px-Fill-Large-Holes-in-Wood-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. Epoxy wood filler for large holes is easy to use because it is pliant and easy to handle. Tanglewood Sue is a DIY and Upcycling Specialist and the Owner of Tanglewood Works out of Hyattsville, Maryland. http://rhodylife.blogspot.com/2013/04/diy-repair-hole-in-wood.html. With her passion for art and reinvention, marketing experience, and Bachelors Degree in Broadcast Media, Sue has been able to create a business that not only provides quality pieces but empowers customers to create their works through her library of DIY tutorials and live demos as well as DIY supplies. If you use 34-inch stock, set the rip fence 1932 inch from the side of the blade farthest from the rip fence. might have a gorgeous piece of furniture in your storage room but it clearly Many here would enjoy those steps added to this posting. This type of large hole filler works well with exterior wood because its moisture resistant. Make sure that when you are sanding down the wood filler, you follow the grain of the wood. Sanding in the opposite direction from the wood grain will leave scratches in the wood, which will be visible, especially after painting or staining. Do you have holes in a hardwood floor? Let this sit until it is completely dry. If your hole doesn't go all the way through to the other side of the piece of wood, you don't have to pack as much on, and you can scrape it off a little so it is more even with the rest of the wood. Leave the filler to sit until it is dry, referring to the instructions on the filler container if you are unsure of how long to wait. Step 3: Once the filler is completely dry, put a mask on so you don't breathe in the dust and sand over the filled hole. Apply enough pressure when sanding so that the wood filler would level with the rest of the wood. Judy Ondrla Tremore is a writer and editor for various newspapers and magazines. To start, you will need to gather some tools. This way, the new block of plywood can fit in easily. It's going to be the support for the plywood patch. Some. For good measure, leave the paint to dry overnight so youre guaranteed that it is completely dry before applying the second coat. Once its dried after an hour or so, sand the surface to make it smooth. Filling in damaged plywood depends on the extent of the damage. Make sure that (If your blade has a kerf of 18 inch, the rip fence is 1532 inch from the side of the blade closest to the rip fence.). You can then remove the scrap and make sure the underside is slightly proud. The result is Read more, Of the many primers that I have tried over the years, the Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 water-based primer for interior Read more, Wood pallet works are a great way to improve your home's curb appeal. to moisture, Comes in different colors to match the paint If you want an in-depth explanation, let's go over the differences between the two. Judy Ondrla Tremore is a writer and editor for various newspapers and magazines. It's a similar process with slightly different materials. Inspect the wood and see if there are imperfections or if the paint doesnt look finished. Using painters tape, cover hinges, baseboards, and other areas that dont need priming. Therefore, you don't have to think about appearance. For walls and flat surfaces, it is recommended to use a roller brush. a drop cloth or a sheet on your work surface so that it will catch paint drips Accordingly, they gain water resistance. It's always going to look like you plugged a bunch of holes, maybe with uneven success. Guys, it's been a year. Its necessary to keep the area clean in To fill the hole, youll need to apply the wood filler. If not, apply enough so there are no voids. Select a piece of wood that has a similar color and grain pattern to the wood where the defect was and clamp the template onto it. I am using my front door as an example for this project. I replaced all of the hardware and the locks when we moved in. They were originally brass, but not liking the look, I went with a brushed nickel set. The holes didn't match up perfectly with the existing ones, so I knew that when I was ready to paint the door, I would have to fill the unused hole. Step 1: Get some Wood Filler. Make sure you brush the paint so it evenly covers the surface of the item. I have had problems with large wood putty plugs that dry with indentations or with cracks and needed to go back for second or third applications to get them smooth and full. When the paint is fully dry, apply the second coat. If you don't have a furring strip, you can make one out of plywood. The type of wood filler to use would depend on the type of wood youre repairing. Remove the outer collar (the 9/16-inch one) and lower the depth of cut to 3/16 inch. Using a stirrer and disposable paper plate, mix the wood filler according to the directions of the manufacturer. I forgot to mention Bondo works great for filling gaps! About | Contact | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. Here's the easiest way to fix it! To ensure that the craft sticks adhere to the back of the hole, apply wood glue to the area around the hole of the wood. has seen better days. Sand the dutchman flush after the glue dries. In addition, it can expand and contract with the wood. Keep it close to the lining, but it doesn't have to be perfect. So, you'll have to wait a total of 30 minutes or an hour to be safe. However, their. Don't be afraid to use plenty of paint. It becomes a problem when you don't have access to the internet to check the differences between wood filler and wood putty. If you want an example of filling in a larger hole, here's another YouTube video for reference: As you can see, filling in an extensive hole will follow the same steps. Click here to see this sand sponge on Amazon. two sets of craft sticks and glue them together to create a strong layer. After an hour of thorough research, below I have listed down some of the best options out there that are ideal for covering large holes and cracks. Once the wood filler is dry, sand it using 120-grit sandpaper. These are some concerns that we go over further ahead. means the wood filler conforms to the shape of the wood profile. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. for A high-quality wood primer needs to be applied so that the paint would adhere to the surface of the wood youre painting. What are the Best Wood Fillers for Large Holes? With over nine years of experience, Sue specializes in upcycled painted furniture and other handmade, personalized, and sustainable goods. {"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T19:15:19+00:00","modifiedTime":"2016-03-26T19:15:19+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:26:33+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33809"},"slug":"home-auto-hobbies","categoryId":33809},{"name":"Home Improvement & Appliances","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33939"},"slug":"home-improvement-appliances","categoryId":33939},{"name":"General Home Improvement & Appliances","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33961"},"slug":"general-home-improvement-appliances","categoryId":33961}],"title":"How to Fix Holes in Wood","strippedTitle":"how to fix holes in wood","slug":"how-to-fix-holes-in-wood","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"If you have big holes from using recycled wood or from a loose knot, for instance you can fill them with another piece of wood, called a dutchman. Anything over 1/4 I'd find a way to cut into a rectangle, then cut an appropriately sized piece of plywood or MDF to fit snug. Judy Ondrla Tremore is a writer and editor for various newspapers and magazines. For example, if 4 sticks are required to fill the hole, glue 4 of them together side by side and then create another set. How do you fix the hole if you have plywood walls? Then it's simply a case of waiting for it to dry before sanding and then you can paint. By using our site, you agree to our. If you then use Ronseal High Performance Wood Filler (mixing the filling compound with the hardener as per the instructions on the tin) you can do the job in one application without worrying about the filler cracking. Can You Sand Concrete Walls? You can use them indoors for decoration Read more.
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Attach the 5/16-inch collar to the base of your plunge router, followed by the 9/16-inch collar.

Insert the bit into the plunge router and set the depth of cut to 1/8 inch.

Clamp the template onto the board with the defect, making sure that the hole in the template is over the defect.

Run your plunge router clockwise along the inside edge of the template.

Carefully route or chisel out the remaining material in the center of the template.

Remove the outer collar (the 9/16-inch one) and lower the depth of cut to 3/16 inch.

Select a piece of wood that has a similar color and grain pattern to the wood where the defect was and clamp the template onto it.

Route clockwise around the edge of the template.

Be sure to keep tight to the edge of the template; otherwise, youll cut into the dutchman itself.

Remove the dutchman from the scrap wood by setting your table saw to cut 1/8 inch into the board.

If you use 34-inch stock, set the rip fence 1932 inch from the side of the blade farthest from the rip fence.