How to choose wood putty?

With the help of wood putty, various defects and surface nervousness can be eliminated. In addition, the putty can improve the performance of the lumber and extend the life of the lumber. It is necessary to apply such a composition before finishing the wood. Building materials manufacturers offer many different types of wood fillers. We will consider the features of choosing a putty for wood in more detail in this article.

Putty work can be carried out with any type of wood, with any degree of material wear. Wood is putty mainly to eliminate defects on the surface, but this is not the main function of putty on wood.

Among the advantages of using the mixture are the following:

• Hydrophobic properties. The putty prevents moisture penetration into the wood structure.
• The mixture can be used to seal deep cracks, repair damage from poor wood processing, and restore decorative elements made of wood.
• Parquet mortar has a high level of adhesion. The putty applied to the floor easily penetrates cracks and hides surface defects.
• After the mixture is completely dry, it becomes transparent and does not change the natural look of the wood structure.

There are many different types of wood putty, which differ in some properties, color and composition.

By composition, the following types of mixtures are distinguished:

• Plaster.
• Acrylic. The acrylic mixture extends the life of the wooden structure. The positive qualities can also include a low price, good adhesion rates, a large assortment, and a short drying time. Fast drying, heat and moisture resistant acrylic putty is excellent for treating wooden floors.
• Waterproof. A kind of acrylic mixes. The composition of waterproof solutions, in addition to acrylic, includes some resins and latex. It is used for both indoor and outdoor work.
• Shrink-resistant. They differ in the absence of material shrinkage and good adhesion rates. Suitable for finishing furniture and new flat floors.
• Nitrofasteners (solvent based). Such mixtures contain solvents. They are resistant to household chemicals and moisture.

• Adhesive. These materials include mixtures made by hand on an adhesive basis.
• Latex or polymer. Polymer and latex putty easily lay on the surface, forming an even layer. They are characterized by a high drying rate. The disadvantages include the high cost. Perfect for parquet flooring.
• Oil. Produced on the basis of natural oils. They have good strength and moisture resistance. The disadvantage of this solution is the long drying time.
• Oil and glue.
• Alkyd. The mixture contains alkyd resins. The alkyd putty is elastic and viscous. It is mainly used as a coating for painting with enamels. Also, varnish fits well on such a coating.
• Epoxy. Epoxy putty has a plastic structure and a high level of adhesion. This solution can be used as a base coat or for finishing.

Colorless and colored compounds are distinguished by shades. Colorless putty hides various damages on the wood surface.With this solution, you can restore the old floor. To form the base layer, the thickness of the putty applied can be from two millimeters to several centimeters. For finishing, you need to apply a layer of one to five millimeters thick.

Colored furniture putty is used for restoration and is selected according to the shade of the wood. With the help of such a mixture, they fill and level the damage on the surface resulting from the long-term operation of the wooden structure.

Products from well-known manufacturers are often expensive. To save money, you can make your own putty. If you choose good ingredients, then the quality of home-made material will not be inferior to store-bought mixes.

You can make glue or oil-glue mixtures yourself.

Before you start making putty, you need to study proven recipes and choose the most suitable method:

• The most popular method of making a putty solution involves the use of chalk and PVA glue as the main components. The manufacturing method is reduced to mixing chalk and PVA glue to a homogeneous state. The resulting mass should resemble sour cream in consistency. The disadvantage of this solution is the drying time (twenty four hours). If you need a putty to fix cracks in wood, then you need to add some fine sawdust to the resulting mixture.
• There is another simple putty recipe using chalk as the main ingredient. Chalk must be mixed with acrylic varnish to obtain a pasty mass. If the paste is too thick, add a little water. Drying time for such a putty is twelve hours. In order for such a solution to be used for leveling surfaces, it is also recommended to add sawdust to it.

There are also the most complex recipes for making putty mixtures at home.

To prepare a mixture for painting, the following components are required:

• resin oil (turpentine) - 70 grams;
• flax seed oil - 290 grams;
• gelatin - 30 grams;
• pumice powder or perlite powder - 40 grams;
• casein - 30 grams;
• sodium tetraborate (borax) - 22 grams;
• ammonia (18%) - 28 grams;
• water - about 350 grams.

First of all, it is necessary to mix turpentine and linseed oil with pumice or perlite powder. Add water to the resulting solution and stir thoroughly until smooth, then add the rest of the components. The finished mixture must be heated to 90 degrees and stirred until smooth.

In order not to be mistaken when buying a putty, it is worth choosing products from well-known manufacturers:

• On the territory of Russia, the three leaders in terms of production of paints and varnishes include the company VGT... The company has been supplying a wide range of high quality building materials to the Russian market since 1992. All products of the company have appropriate quality certificates.
• Company Parade is a major manufacturer of finishing materials. The main feature of the products of this enterprise is environmental friendliness. Finishing materials are made only from high quality imported raw materials using the latest technologies. Products undergo strict quality control at every stage of the production process.

All paint and varnish products have quality certificates and can be used in medical institutions. Parade is the first organization in Russia that has the right to use the 100% EcoQuality label

• Plant "Rainbow" is a leader in the manufacture and sale of paints and varnishes. The products of this company are widely demanded in different regions of the world.In addition to high quality products, LC "Raduga" offers a high level of customer service. The company's employees are ready to develop a new product, in accordance with the specific requirements of the customer.
• Company "Olympus" sells its products in Russia and the CIS countries, successfully competing with well-known Russian and foreign brands. Paints and varnishes are manufactured using the most modern equipment from high quality European raw materials. The employees of the organization strictly control the quality of raw materials and finished products, and also actively introduce the latest technologies into the production process.

• Company "Lacra" manufactures paints and varnishes in Europe and Russia using modern Western technologies. All products manufactured by these enterprises comply with world quality standards. The Lakra company is one of the three leading manufacturers of paints and varnishes in Russia.
• Other large manufacturers of wood putty include: Bostik, PHZ, Tikkurila, Smes, Synteco... The products of these companies are also of high quality and are in great demand in the finishing materials market.

Having familiarized yourself with the leaders among the companies for the production of putty, it is necessary to study the reviews on the most popular products. This will help you make the right choice and buy quality material.

VGT's “Extra” acrylic wood putty is very popular. This material has only positive customer reviews.

Consumers highlight the following product advantages:

• high quality;
• low cost;
• lack of smell;
• elasticity;
• water resistance;
• frost resistance;
• ease of application;
• fast drying.

Buyers do not note serious shortcomings of this material.

The following minor cons are highlighted:

• the material is produced in containers of only small volumes;
• the putty brightens a little when dry;
• short shelf life.

Parade moisture resistant wood putty also has a lot of positive reviews. Customers appreciated the high quality of the material, ease of application and short drying time. However, there are also negative reviews about this material. The disadvantages included a high level of shrinkage, quick drying on a spatula during finishing work and cracking of the coating.

Consumers highlight the wood putty from the Lakra company. Reviews say that this material is easy to use, odorless and dries quickly.

Buying any finishing material, the consumer first of all expects to become the owner of a high quality product. A high-quality wood-like filler must meet certain criteria.

Let's highlight the main ones:

• the mixture must be homogeneous;
• the putty coating should be easy to sand;
• high level of adhesion;
• the composition should not contain impurities;
• short drying time;
• ease of application;
• the dry mixture should consist of small particles so that the finished putty lies in a thin and durable layer;
• environmental friendliness.

High quality putty is not the only selection criterion.

In order to choose the right mixture, it is important to pay attention to the following factors:

• Place of work: for exterior or interior decoration.
• Mix color. Manufacturers produce putty in a wide variety of shades of natural wood: pine, wenge, beech, oak, cherry, etc. By choosing a mixture of a suitable color, the treated surface can be left unpainted and immediately varnished. White putty is used for touch-up or for leveling the surface.
• Purpose of work: basic or finishing.
• The purpose of the work. In this case, it is important what result you want to get: surface treatment for painting for better adhesion, masking of defects, crack filling and leveling, restoration, improvement of the qualities and certain characteristics of wood.

As with all other types of finishing work, a number of preparatory measures must be taken before putting putty on a wooden floor. First of all, it is necessary to prevent the likelihood of the appearance of contamination from the putty mixture in the room in which the finishing will take place. If you need to putty the walls, then window frames, doors, furniture, floor surfaces must be covered with plastic wrap.

You also need to take care of your own safety. Some putty mixtures have a pungent, unpleasant odor.

Next, you need to prepare the necessary tools.

For finishing work you may need:

• wide and narrow iron spatula;
• a bucket or any other container for the mixture;
• paint brush, roller or construction gun (convenient for applying liquid mixtures);
• sandpaper;
• construction scraper;
• steel wire brush;
• trowel for plastering;
• sponge.

Before proceeding with the application of the putty to the wood, the surface must be prepared for finishing. If there is already a layer of paint or plaster on the tree, it is advisable to clean it, otherwise the putty may peel off from such a surface. You can use a blow dryer, solvents, or a wire brush to remove old coatings.

When working with a solvent, you must adhere to the following rules:

• the product should be applied evenly over the entire surface;
• after application, you must wait fifteen minutes;
• swollen paint must be removed with a spatula;
• if the procedure is carried out indoors, then the room must be well ventilated.

To improve the adhesion of materials, the wood must be primed. In addition, most primers contain antiseptic components. Wood treated with such a composition will be protected from fungus, mold and moisture. It is desirable that the composition of the primer is similar to the composition of the filler material.

Three coats of primer must be applied to the surface and allowed to dry thoroughly. The exact drying time of the mixture can be found on the packaging of the primer. After the wood is completely dry, you can start the putty process.

Before applying the putty, it is necessary to carefully inspect the surface for cracks. If defects are found, it is necessary to seal the cracks with putty. It is better to cover the most problematic areas with large defects with self-adhesive tape serpyanka, which will reduce the consumption of putty during finishing and prevent cracking.

After removing defects on the surface, you can proceed to the main finishing.

When applying putty to the surface, it is worth adhering to the following algorithm:

• Using a narrow iron spatula, putty is spread on a wide tool.
• The mixture is applied to the surface with diagonal movements from top to bottom.
• The thickness of the first layer should not exceed three millimeters.
• After applying the first layer, stripes will remain on the surface. When the putty is dry, the defects are eliminated with sandpaper.
• The thickness of the last layer should not be more than one and a half millimeters.
• At a favorable temperature, the putty dries for about a day. It should be noted that this is the maximum drying time.

In order for the result of the work done to meet expectations, it is necessary to follow some rules.

Basic recommendations for applying putty:

• When carrying out finishing work, it is important that the air temperature is at least five degrees Celsius. Otherwise, the mixture will thicken, making it difficult to penetrate the crevices.
• Before the main processing, all depressions in the surface must be sealed.
• It is advisable to use a stainless steel spatula.

How to seal cracks in furniture with putty, see below.