I am no construction expert, but I do like to learn, and am always eager to learn. I have learned a lot from DH while working on some of the projects around the house. However, up until this point, he was always in charge of the “manly” jobs (cutting, sanding, hammering, etc) and I was left to choose the paint color.
That all changed this past week when I decided to re-do a small little wall that sits between our kitchen and living room.
I do not know why I decided NOW was the time that this wall needed to be changed, but I also cannot think of a reason why not (well, except for the fact that we have a million other things that could, and should, be done before a cosmetic change such as this).
However, I quickly discovered there would be some prep work necessary, and it wouldn’t be a quick paint-and-update type project.
There is a board that runs across the wall. The previous owners incorporated hooks onto this board. Since the wall is right in front of the basement door, I imagine that the previous owners would enter the house through the basement, and then hang their coats on these hooks.
Well, the hooks had to go. Not only were they bright gold (my absolute LEAST favorite metal finish), we have no use for hooks there. I would rather hang something decorative from the board, such as a wreath. Not only did the hooks need to be removed, leaving huge holes in the board, but the board itself had a ton of cracks running through the paint and grain.
My goal was to get the board as smooth looking as possible. But, I had never used wood filler/putty before. DH certainly had, on many projects, so I knew I would have a good resource to help me through. Plus, it is using wood filler, not rocket science. I was sure I could at least make a process up on my own and it would still turn out at least halfway decent.
After using the wood filler, however, I do have a few of my own tips that I would like to share!
1. If you have just a small project planned for the wood filler, only buy a small tub of wood filler. Once you have used the wood putty and gotten even just a touch of it in the crevice for the top, air can seep into the container when it is not COMPLETELY sealed. Wood filler will dry out fast!
2. When you open the container, and if the wood filler is a bit tough, add just a couple drops of water and then mix. I do not know the long term impact of adding water to the filler now that it will sit for awhile, but it sure made it much easier to use on this project! Even as I was working, I ended up adding a couple more drops of water as the glob of filler started drying out. I did check and the filler was water-based – I figured, if it has water in it to begin with, adding more cannot hurt!
3. Constantly scrape the sides of the container back down into the middle. While you are using the putty knife to apply the filler to the wall, and then wiping off the excess, that thin little amount you are leaving on the container is drying out quickly. So, just scrape the sides down. It will make the project go much more smoothly as you will not have to be working around dry masses on the sides of the container.
4. CLEAN the surface before you start adding putty. I sanded down the board first, then used a tack cloth, then cleaned it with an all-purpose cleaner (I made sure to let it thoroughly dry). If you do not sand/clean the area, you risk getting clumps of dirt in your filler and permanently onto the surface.
5. Apply a glob of putty onto the space to be filled and then try to get the filler as smooth as possible when wiping it away with the putty knife (I found a 45 degree angle worked best). Do not get the filler flush with the surface or holes, however, as the putty will shrink while it dries.
6. Once it was fully dry (I waited 24 hours), I sanded it smooth and wiped it with a tack cloth to remove the excess dust. Then you can prime and paint, or stain, the surface as needed. I am painting, so I didn’t have to check this, but if you are staining you will want to make sure the filler is stainable!
I know that wood putty is probably something pretty basic for most DIY’ers, but it never hurts to review the basics. Now, onto construction adhesive!
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