Wood filler showing through varnish

Patroller · 17 Jun 2011

Hi all,

Please see attached photo's. I have filled in the gaps between the wood on the window seal and then varnished using Ronseal varnish. As you can see it is very visible and looks awful. I stopped once I realised as I thought it was pointless doing the whole seal if it is all going to look rubbish.

What can I do to make it less visible or am I going to have to give this up as a bad job and just paint it white - which I really dont want to do

Thanks all,

foxhole · 17 Jun 2011

Wrong colour filler and excess not sanded off.You can try sanding it back but filler is too light.

Patroller · 17 Jun 2011

So if I rub it right back down again I can try getting a darker filler and trying again. I will have to take a few mm off that lot I suppose so am a bit worried it wont be quite even all over.

Before the varnish went on it wasnt a bad match at all.

matz · 17 Jun 2011

what kind of filler did you use? was it 2 pack? if so some wire wool and nitromores will take the filler out (be careful of fumes

) and if its still in the grain pores use a brass bristle suede brush or spark plug brush or as said sand it back till the filler is a neat line only. Then dig out enough filler from the join to enable darker filler to go in. A good tip when using filler in this way is run masking tape neatly right up to each edge of the join then fill join with filler, then peel away marking tape carefully, let filler set and sand - this way you dont get the crap in the grain pores.

If filler used was water based, sand it out....

Patroller · 17 Jun 2011

Thanks alot for your useful reply.

I used 'Ronseal Multi Purpose Wood Filler'

matz · 17 Jun 2011

in that case, I would definately sand it as already mentioned and when you sand, sand outwards from the join to about 12" to 18" so your effectively feathering the sanding area. I said about 2 pack filler but I dont think the likes of B&Q do one dark enough, I may be wrong....

Patroller · 17 Jun 2011

Thanks again. I will look for a darker one in B&Q tomorrow and try again. I know it will show, they always do, but not nearly to that extent.

matz · 17 Jun 2011

if you use filler thats not 2 pack (ie like the stuff in your pic) still use the masking tape down each edge of the join as this stops the filler going into the grain pores. Insulation tape will do the job as well but make sure you peel it away carefully straight after filler has been applied...

Patroller · 17 Jun 2011

Yeh thats a good idea. Thanks alot.

matz · 17 Jun 2011

forgot to say, you really need to sand the whole lot otherwise you'll have uneven coats of finish in refinishing just the sanded area. I would say use paint stripper but its a bit of a heated subject on these boards so I'm loathe to mention that

seriously, you need to start again or it will be a bodge....good luck!

Patroller · 18 Jun 2011

Not looking forward to starting it all again as I had it smooth as glass and had spent ages on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like a good few hours more work ahead of me now.

Thanks for your help.

Patroller · 20 Jun 2011

I spent another 3 hours on this today and eventually got to using my new pot of dark filler. I used the masking tape as advised and when I peeled it back I could not believe how well it had come out. Perfect lines.

Of course I have yet to stain it but hopefully it will be a better match. Either way, with the straight lines it wont look nearly as messy.

Thanks alot!!!!!!!!!!

Pictures of the finished job to follow when I have done it!

matz · 21 Jun 2011

Patroller said:
I spent another 3 hours on this today and eventually got to using my new pot of dark filler. I used the masking tape as advised and when I peeled it back I could not believe how well it had come out. Perfect lines.

Of course I have yet to stain it but hopefully it will be a better match. Either way, with the straight lines it wont look nearly as messy.

Thanks alot!!!!!!!!!!

Pictures of the finished job to follow when I have done it!

well done!! sometimes theres a tendency to balls something up and be blinded by the time and effort to put it right so you end up with quick bodge after quick bodge on the basis that you've already spent time on the job and can't spend any more. Going back to square one although time consuming will at least get you a great result

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Wood filler showing through varnish

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