filling holes in skirting boards and door linings

[sanjayp]

I've just had a carpenter in to fit new skirting boards (amongst other things). He fitted them using quite large screws. I need to fill the holes with the screw heads but don't want to use anything like pollyfilla because I want to stain the skirting with a clear stain and the pollyfilla would be visible. The carpenter suggested that I use car body filler and sand it down as this is closer to the color of the wood.

However, I wanted to know whether there is anything else I can use instead because I bought a can of car body filler and it seems horrible stuff to work with (a very think sticky substance).

In addition, I had new doors and architraves fitted throughout the house so I now have loads or large holes in the old door linings to fill (where the old hinges, locks etc. used to be). Again the carpenter suggested using car body filler since the holes are large, sanding and then painting over it. Is there anything else I can use here?

cheers
sanjay

 

[jackpot]

I used Wickes' strong wood filler. Came in a tin with a small tube of a catlalyst to dry and harden the filler. The more the catalyst the quicker and less time to work on it. Used it to fill in old door latch mark and old hinge recesses in the frame..Also chip in the skirting etc. Worked a treat as you can drill it and do preety much anything else.

 

[nstreet]

I would have expected the holes to be filled as part of the job. I always use a woodfiller.

 

[Zampa]

DONT use car body filler...I cant see how he said its closer to the wood colour....its normally either white or pink...and it doesnt take stain.

For holes go for the wood fillers as mentioned above..theres loads on the market.

For any gaps in the skirting and architraves go for cuprinol colored flexible filler....its in a tube just like caulk

 

[sanjayp]

DONT use car body filler...I cant see how he said its closer to the wood colour....its normally either white or pink...and it doesnt take stain.

For holes go for the wood fillers as mentioned above..theres loads on the market.

For any gaps in the skirting and architraves go for cuprinol colored flexible filler....its in a tube just like caulk

thanks. I was hoping I didn't have to use the awful car body filler stuff!

can you use wood fillers for large holes in architraves (ones where a latch has been removed)? i.e. can you sand them so that they blend in the existing architrave? I though i shouldn't be using anything 'flexible' as it won't set hard and I wont be able to sand it. Also, I just had a look at the description of some wood fillers on the screwfix site and it says that you can only apply upto 5mm deep?? I will need to apply much thicker than that.



cheers
sanjay

 

[Zampa]

Build the filler up layer by layer