Keeping your deck or patio looking nice year after year can be challenging, and this is especially true if you use it heavily. Maybe you like to entertain your friends or you have a lot of plants you shift around. Whatever the reason, it's not uncommon for chips or cracks to appear in your deck. These chips can present hazards if you walk over them because they can result in splinters in your feet, but wood filler is one way to help repair them quickly and easily. Wood filler will sink into the chips or cracks and solidify, and this will help keep your deck looking nice for years.
But, there are so many high-quality wood fillers out there that it can be very difficult to pick out the correct one for your needs. I understand that not everyone will have the time to put the research in, so I picked out 10 excellent wood fillers and reviewed them for you. You can look at them and use the buyer's guide to help you narrow down the 10 picks to find the best wood filler to help you fix your deck. As a bonus, you can use many of them year after year without an issue.
Small holes can slowly start to rot and mold in your deck, and this can lead to problems with rotted wood that you'll have to replace eventually unless you patch it.
1. Elmer's Color Change Wood Filler
You get a plastic tub of this wood filler when you order it, and the lid snaps on to form an airtight seal that will keep the product soft and pliable until you need it. It resists cracking and shrinking as it dries out, and this can help prevent open spaces in your deck. You can clean it up with water, and it is a solvent-free formula. You'll know it's ready to sand, paint, or stain when the color fades to a neutral tone.
Benefits: Drawbacks:2. DAP Inc Latex Plastic Wood Filler
If you need a slightly more durable wood filler, try DAP Inc's latex plastic model. This is a stainable and paintable filler that you can apply with a trowel and mold it into place to seamlessly cover any chips, gouges, or cracks in your deck. The 16-ounce package features a fast-acting formula that will withstand harsh weather conditions without breaking down or wearing out. If you apply a layer of paint or stain over it, it'll take the color very well so you can hardly tell that you had to fill the area. It works well on light or dark-colored stains and paints, and you can use it indoors and out. This product is strong enough to use on structural repairs.
You can use this wood filler if you live in rainy or humid areas because it dries quickly enough that you won't have to worry about it washing out. It's crack and shrink resistant, and you can use it to anchor screws or nails to the side of your deck to hang your flowers or baskets. You'll get a smooth and hard finish once it dries completely, and the plastic tub will keep it soft and moldable until you need it.
Benefits: Drawbacks:3. FamoWood Latex Wood Filler
This filler is solvent-free, and it doesn't have a strong smell associated with it. This allows you to easily use it indoors or in closed spaces without getting overwhelmed. It's a professional-grade product that will be able to withstand heavy use without breaking down, and it comes in 11 different colors that you can match to your deck's coloring to make it blend in better. The plastic tub has a lid that seals tightly closed to keep the filler soft and ready to use wherever you need it next.
Benefits: Drawbacks:4. PC Products Wood Repair Epoxy
This is a two-part wood filler that works to replace any missing or rotted wood. It resists dry rot, mildew, freshwater, saltwater, and UV light to hold up against different weather conditions and environments. You can use it both indoors and out, and it has an application temperature that ranges from 35°F to 115°F, and there is a service temperature range of -20°F to over 200°F. If you apply it when it's 70°F, you get between 30 and 40 minutes to adjust and mold it before it hardens, and this is plenty of time to ensure that it doesn't pull away from the sides of the crack or gouge to form a tight seal.
There is a high tack factor on this wood filler that helps to reduce sags and drips while it hardens, and this lends to a more seamless look. You have to mix Part A to Part B in equal volumes before you apply it to get the correct consistency, and you can stain, paint, or machine it after you let it dry. The epoxy comes from real wood to help lend a more natural look that blends into your existing wood grain on your deck. Finally, it'll survive heavy use for years without wearing away or fading.
Benefits: Drawbacks:5. Minwax Stainable Wood Filler
This is a sustainable wood filler that will survive harsh weather conditions and heavy use, and it dries very quickly once you get it in place. This formula comes specially made to accept Minwax pertaining wood stains, so you should try to pair the filler and stain to get the best results. However, it also works well with other types of stains. This product sands easily to help you blend it in better, and it holds the stain color very well. The latex formula allows for soap and water cleanup when you finish applying it.
Benefits: Drawbacks:6. Bondo Home Solutions Wood Filler
3M's product will help you replace or restore damaged or rotted sections of wood on your windows, doors, furniture, fences, shutters, decks, patios, and more. You get one quart of the filler solution that you can quickly and easily apply to any gaps, cracks, or holes in the wood, and you do want to ensure that you work it deep into the spot before you let it dry so you get an even finish. This is a permanent solution that won't shrink, crack, or chip away as it dries and you continue to use your deck or patio. It can also stand up to different weather conditions without breaking down, and this is useful in certain environments.
Once this wood filler dries, you can shape it, sand it into place, route it, drill it, plan it, stain or paint it just like you would traditional wood. It does dry relatively quickly, but it puts off a slightly stronger smell that makes it difficult to use it inside. It can also cause mild skin and eye irritation. You can use it indoors if you have a well-ventilated area, but it works best outside.
Benefits: Drawbacks:7. Water-Based Wood & Grain Filler
This wood filler has an unlimited shelf life because you can reconstruct it with water, and it's freeze-thaw stable. It works well on furniture, your deck, patio, fence, windowsills, door frames, or crafts. All you have to do is apply it, wait for it to dry, sand it, tint, and prime it. This is a green product with a non-toxic formula and no VOCs. There is a full year warranty attached to this product, and it has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. The company will refund your money or replace the product if you're not completely satisfied.
Benefits: Drawbacks:8. Dap Plastic Wood Filler
Dap's plastic wood filler comes from manufacturers in the United States that use very high product standards to ensure you get a professional-grade product that works very well each time you bring it out. This filler handles like putty with a soft texture, and this makes it easy to mold into your gouge or crack before it gets too hard to work with. You can use it on a huge range of surfaces, including paneling, doors, molding, plywood, lumbar, and other wood furniture and objects. Once you apply it and get it into the shape you want, it'll start to harden up with exposure to air.
Eventually, this wood filler will give the surface and body that mimics wood, and this makes it difficult to tell the difference when you look at it. You can sand, cut, stain, drill, varnish, plane, lacquer, or paint this filler just like you would any other wooden surface to help blend it into the deck and hide the face that you patched it in the first place. This product meets Federal Specification TT-F-340C for durability and longevity, and you can use it on the exterior or interior of your home without a problem.
Benefits: Drawbacks:You can choose from 9 different shades and a pound container, or it comes in a one, two, three, four, or five pack of 3.75-ounce cans. This allows you to tailor your wood filler to your project size, and you can be sure you won't run out halfway through. The cover screws on to create an airtight seal that keeps your putty soft and easy to use. It's best suited for smaller projects because it doesn't come in larger sizes, but you can buy multiples at one time.
Benefits: Drawbacks:10. Aqua Coat Wood Grain Filler
The final wood filler on the list comes from Aqua Coat, and this product works well if you're a DIYer or a contractor, and it works to fill the grain and seal your wood's pores before you stain or paint it to get a smooth finish. It works best on walnut, mahogany, ash, or oak because they're very porous wood types. This product is waterborne and eco-friendly, and it's non-flammable, non-combustible, fast drying, low odor, no VOCs, and easy to apply. You can sand it to smooth finish, and it offers excellent adhesion that won't pull away from your deck or patio when it dries. You can clean it with water and get a smooth finish.
Filling in the wood grain on your deck or patio before you lacquer or paint it helps to give you a smooth finish while sealing the pores to keep the water out and prevent mold and rot. In turn, this can increase the life of your deck, and it works well with oil and water-based paint, lacquer, and primers. You can mix it easily with any water soluble dyes or pigments to get a perfect color match, and it'll dry within 45 to 60 minutes of applying it and scraping away the excess. You can then lightly sand it before you apply your primer or paint.
Benefits: Drawbacks:Best Wood Filler Buying Guide
Water-Based or Solvent-Based Fillers
The first thing you want to decide is whether you want water-based or solvent-based fillers. You can use them both to fill pores or chips in wood, but there are a few key differences between the two.
- Solvent-Based - These tend to have an epoxy of vinyl base with a higher VOC content. These wood fillers can take around an hour to dry after you apply them, and you'll need turpentine or acetone to clean them. These are the more expensive of the two wood fillers, and they're better at resisting humidity, water, rot, extreme heat, frigid cold, and they work best on exterior wood projects.
- Water-Based - These tend to have a gypsum, wood fiber, or cellulose base with a lesser potent smell and very few VOCs. They can be slightly more versatile than solvent-based fillers because you can easily dilute them with water. They dry in around 15 minutes, and you'll only need water and soap to clean up. They're also the cheaper of the two types.
Take a look at your deck before you pick out your filler because the size of the pores in the wood will dictate which type of filler you need. Bigger holes need a thicker filler while smaller holes need a thinner consistency.
You can get wood fillers in sticks, squeeze tubes, and tubs. If you get one in a tub, they're usually a no-mix formula that you can apply directly to your porch or deck with a spreader or a putty knife. Two-part fillers have to mix before you apply them. Tube fillers require a very small amount to fill pores and voids, but stick fillers require you to rip a small chunk off and apply it with your hands. Tubs are very economical for larger projects, but the sticks are the least cost-effective and only make sense to use if you have tiny cracks or scratches.
Environment Recommendations
Buying a high-quality filler will give you a versatile product that works on different wood types, colors, styles, and more to keep them looking like new for years.
Wood fillers come in dozens of styles, colors, consistencies, and brands. You want to do your research and make sure that you're matching your filler to your need, because this is one way to ensure they last. You can take a look at my 10 picks and use the buying guide to help sort through them until you come to the best choice to patch your deck.
