Wood filler and putty for wood finishing
Wood Filler
Filler is a finishing material used to fill the pores and grains of the wood to help to make closed pores finish. In the finishing process for wood or veneer, often we find some wood that has big pores and grains, such as Mende, Oak, Meranti, Teak, Mahogany, etc. To make close pores finish for that wood, we better use filler to shorten the finishing step and reduce the use of sealer and lacquer. The wood with big pores sometimes requires 2 times the filler application to fill the pores and grain well.
Filler is made from bulking agents, resins, solvents, and pigments. A bulking agent is a material that has very small shrinkage; when it is dry, it will stay in the same volume. The bulking agent works to fill in and close the grain and pores of the wood. The bulking agent that is widely used is ground silica, which is pulverized to become fine particles. Resin is the binder that binds the bulk agent to have good adhesion with the finish layer. The binding is the same resin to make coatings such as oil, varnish, acrylic, urethane, etc. The type of resin that is used as a binder will determine the type of filler and the basic character of the filler. The pigment can be added to color the filler if necessary.
When nitrocellulose sealer and lacquer are used to finish wood with big pores, the use of filler is absolutely needed to get the close-pore finish. For chemical reaction drying coatings such as polyurethane, acid curing, and UV coating, we can still make close-pore finishes without filler. But the use of filler is strongly recommended because it will reduce the consumption of a sealer and lacquer and shorten the finishing step. The sealer and lacquer are designed to make the film layers and provide protection to the finishing, not to fill the wood pores.
By its resin ingredient, there are various types of filler: acrylic filler, water-based filler, UV filler, PU filler, etc. Meanwhile, according to the way the application is done, there are 2 types of filler: the filler that is applied directly to the raw wood before the finishing process begins and the filler that is applied over the sealer or wash coat. The filler that is applied to the raw wood usually requires a good sanding before continuing to the next finishing process. While the filler that is applied after the sealer is applied, like glaze, is also called the wiping filler. This filler is poured, brushed, or sprayed on the surface, then wiped clean with a rag. The wiping filler is easier in application, but the filling property is not as strong as filler applied to the raw wood.
The cleaning and drying of the filler are very important. The filler must be cleaned properly and ensure it is only left inside the pores or grains. Filler also must be thoroughly dry before going to the next finishing process. Excess filler in the surface will produce a bad-looking finish, while the filler, which is not dry, will cause many finishing problems, such as white in the pores, adhesion problems, bubbles, pinholes, etc.
Wood Putty
Putty is made for different purposes with filler. If the filler is used to fill the pores or grain of the wood, the putty is a material that is designed to fill and correct the holes or cracks caused by the imperfection or mistake in the unfinished product. The materials to make putty are the same (similar) as the materials to make a filler, but the putty is made with a higher solid content and designed to be dry faster. Putty is used to fill the gap or hole in the raw wood. Same as the filler, the putty needs to be thoroughly dry and then followed by a good sanding to make sure it leaves only in the holes or cracks. There is also a type of putty that is applied over the sealer or lacquer. This type of putty is available in various colors and can be chosen to match the desired finishing color.
The use of putty should be considered just to touch up in the furniture-making process to overcome the imperfect work of the previous process. Therefore, the use of putty should be minimized as much as possible. The uses of putty that is too much or too big will ruin the finishing look. The wide putty will obviously look bad at finishing results. The big holes or gaps are better corrected with wood. A small piece of wood inserted into the hole will give a better look in the finishing. The putty with good quality may be able to absorb the stain color to make the color be similar to the wood finishing, but the large putty will still obviously be ugly in the finishing look. It is because the putty does not have pores or grain.
Filler is a finishing material used to fill the pores and grains of the wood to help to make closed pores finish. In the finishing process for wood or veneer, often we find some wood that has big pores and grains, such as Mende, Oak, Meranti, Teak, Mahogany, etc. To make close pores finish for that wood, we better use filler to shorten the finishing step and reduce the use of sealer and lacquer. The wood with big pores sometimes requires 2 times the filler application to fill the pores and grain well.
Filler is made from bulking agents, resins, solvents, and pigments. A bulking agent is a material that has very small shrinkage; when it is dry, it will stay in the same volume. The bulking agent works to fill in and close the grain and pores of the wood. The bulking agent that is widely used is ground silica, which is pulverized to become fine particles. Resin is the binder that binds the bulk agent to have good adhesion with the finish layer. The binding is the same resin to make coatings such as oil, varnish, acrylic, urethane, etc. The type of resin that is used as a binder will determine the type of filler and the basic character of the filler. The pigment can be added to color the filler if necessary.
When nitrocellulose sealer and lacquer are used to finish wood with big pores, the use of filler is absolutely needed to get the close-pore finish. For chemical reaction drying coatings such as polyurethane, acid curing, and UV coating, we can still make close-pore finishes without filler. But the use of filler is strongly recommended because it will reduce the consumption of a sealer and lacquer and shorten the finishing step. The sealer and lacquer are designed to make the film layers and provide protection to the finishing, not to fill the wood pores.
By its resin ingredient, there are various types of filler: acrylic filler, water-based filler, UV filler, PU filler, etc. Meanwhile, according to the way the application is done, there are 2 types of filler: the filler that is applied directly to the raw wood before the finishing process begins and the filler that is applied over the sealer or wash coat. The filler that is applied to the raw wood usually requires a good sanding before continuing to the next finishing process. While the filler that is applied after the sealer is applied, like glaze, is also called the wiping filler. This filler is poured, brushed, or sprayed on the surface, then wiped clean with a rag. The wiping filler is easier in application, but the filling property is not as strong as filler applied to the raw wood.
The cleaning and drying of the filler are very important. The filler must be cleaned properly and ensure it is only left inside the pores or grains. Filler also must be thoroughly dry before going to the next finishing process. Excess filler in the surface will produce a bad-looking finish, while the filler, which is not dry, will cause many finishing problems, such as white in the pores, adhesion problems, bubbles, pinholes, etc.
Wood Putty
Putty is made for different purposes with filler. If the filler is used to fill the pores or grain of the wood, the putty is a material that is designed to fill and correct the holes or cracks caused by the imperfection or mistake in the unfinished product. The materials to make putty are the same (similar) as the materials to make a filler, but the putty is made with a higher solid content and designed to be dry faster. Putty is used to fill the gap or hole in the raw wood. Same as the filler, the putty needs to be thoroughly dry and then followed by a good sanding to make sure it leaves only in the holes or cracks. There is also a type of putty that is applied over the sealer or lacquer. This type of putty is available in various colors and can be chosen to match the desired finishing color.
The use of putty should be considered just to touch up in the furniture-making process to overcome the imperfect work of the previous process. Therefore, the use of putty should be minimized as much as possible. The uses of putty that is too much or too big will ruin the finishing look. The wide putty will obviously look bad at finishing results. The big holes or gaps are better corrected with wood. A small piece of wood inserted into the hole will give a better look in the finishing. The putty with good quality may be able to absorb the stain color to make the color be similar to the wood finishing, but the large putty will still obviously be ugly in the finishing look. It is because the putty does not have pores or grain.
can epoxy resin based putty be dried using forced drying system ?
ReplyDeleteyes it can. But it wont help lot. The epoxy putty is dry in 1 or 2 hours. It is already considered fast.
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