What Wood Filler Can Rebuild a Broken Corner?

Repairing, repainting, and refinishing furniture is addicting. There is something about restoring a piece of furniture and transforming it into something beautiful. Maybe it is the notion that nothing is beyond hope if shown some TLC? The idea of renewal sparks a bit of joy in my heart. Hope and joy are something we all can use a little more of these days.

Life can be rough on furniture and not all pieces age well. If your furniture piece is solid wood, it has the best chance of being fixable. This post will provide information when it comes to repairing nicks, dings, scratches or broken off bits of furniture. Find out about the different types of repair materials and which one is right for your job. I also included a tutorial on repairing a broken off edge to a drawer front.

Finished Drawer — Before and after when fixing a broken corner on a drawer.

Wood Filler

Wood filler is great for using in cracks and gouges or gaps in woodworking projects. Basically, it is great for repairing any surface imperfections. Be sure to use is prior to painting or staining. Don’t use it outdoors because it isn’t weatherproof.

Wood Glue

An adhesive that bonds wood pieces tightly together. Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA) is usually yellow or white glue typically used for carpentry projects and can be used for many projects.

Wood Putty

Wood putty is oil based and will not harden so it remains flexible. It can not be stained but comes in a variety of tones to match most wood projects. Its main use is for patching small holes in projects that are finished.

Can Wood Filler Be Used As Glue?

Wood filler is not an adhesive, so I do not recommend trying to use it to affix two pieces of wood together. Think about it for a minute. Wood filler is a thicker compound than wood glue. The filler takes up way more space between wood pieces than glue and it is not as sticky.

With that said, I do know of those who have used wood mixed with sawdust to create a wood filler for small holes in the surface of their project. So while wood filler does not work well as glue, wood glue and sawdust can be used as a wood filler.

Can Wood Filler Be Stained?

Be sure to read the label of the product you are choosing or using. Not all wood fillers are stainable. If staining your project, be sure to choose a stainable wood filler so the area filled will accept the stain. Just be sure to not go over the patched spot too many times with the stain because it may absorb the stain differently than the original wood with several coats.

What Is The Best Stainable Wood Filler?

Since my dad has passed on, I had to refer to my other childhood project consultant, Bob Vila. On bobvila.com the different wood stains were ranked into various “best” categories. Here’s what I found:

Best Overall: Minwax Stainable Wood Filler

Best Bang for the Buck: FamoWood Latex Wood Filler

Best Budget: J-B Weld 8257 Kwikwood Repair Epoxy Putty Stick

Best for Decks: Abaton Wood Epoxy Epoxy Wood Replacement Compound

Best for Pine: Timbermate Maple/Beech/Pine Hardwood Filler

Best for Red Oak: Goodfilla Water-Based Wood & Grain Filler

Best Gypsum Based: Donald Durham’s 4 Pound Rockhard Water Putty

Best Epoxy Based: PC Products PC-Woody Wood Repair Epoxy Paste

Best Latex Based: DAP 8135 Plastic Wood

Best Cellulose Based: Elmer’s E887Q Stainable Wood Filler

What Type of Stainable Wood Filler Do I Need?

The type of wood filler is categorized by what is in it. There are four main types of wood filler: Cellulose based, Epoxy Based, Gypsum Based, and Latex Based. Here’s brief description of each.

Cellulose-based~ Typically the wood filler will just say that it uses real wood fibers (the cellulose) on the packaging. Typically less expensive than epoxy or latex. It is water based and can be mixed with stain before applying to the project. This will help when sanded, the color will be more consistent. Be sure to check the product for indoor or outdoor use, if you want to use outdoors.

Epoxy-based~ Epoxy based fillers require more prep time before using but are durable. They work great for the outdoors because it can expand or contract with the temperature changes in various weather. Epoxy is water resistant which makes them a great choice for outdoors. Be sure to read all the instructions for mixing and clean up.

Gypsum-based~ Gypsum based fillers are best for indoor repairs like drywall and baseboards. Once dried it becomes rock hard but is susceptible to water damage.

Latex-based~ Latex based fillers take less preparation than epoxy, set quickly and are water resistant. Once dry it is easy to sand, will dry hard enough to drive nails or screws into, and work great for rebuilding corners.

Now that you have some of the basic questions answered, we’ll get to work. Since I am not staining this drawer, I will use Bondo, and epoxy filler. I like using Bondo because I have it on hand, it is easy to shape and whittle down, and it gives a great smooth finish once sanded.

Supply List

Bondo (plus the hardener)
Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors for mixing
Piece of cardboard or recycling as a mixing surface
Putty Knife
Paint Key to open the can
Rubber Mallet to Close the Can
Utility Knife for shaping Bondo
Sand Paper 180 and 220 grit
Paint and supplies
Tarp

Instructions

Step 1:

Remove any loose or broken wood fragments from your piece. If there is a large section broken apart, glue or repair as best you can. The Bondo works great as a paintable filler, it is not intended to be used as an adhesive.

Step 2:

In a well ventilated area, put a half dollar sized blob of Bondo on a piece of cardboard. Place a small line (about an inch and a half long) of the hardener next to it. Working quickly, mix together the Bondo blob and small strip of the hardener with a popsicle stick or tongue depressor.

Step 3:

Swiftly apply to damaged drawer or furniture edge. It is ok to overfill the area with the mixed Bondo. Smooth and shape as well as you can. There are only a few minutes to work before the Bondo sets up, so work efficiently and in multiple batches, if needed.

Patch the broken drawer corner — Build up Bondo on the corner. Don’t worry if it isn’t smooth. If you have more applied than needed, no worries, it is simple enough to whittle it down to the correct shape and size.

Step 4:

Let harden for about 20 minutes.

Step 5:

Once hardened enough that it keeps its shape, use a utility knife to remove excess. Working with the blade edge going away from your body, use the utility knife to slowly whittle down the Bondo to the desired shape. Remove Bondo in thin layers, a little at a time.

DO NOT try to remove large portions of the Bondo in one movement. Doing so will cause irregular cracks or breaks in the material. Or it may cause more damage to the piece or to your person. No need to cut a finger or hand while repairing your furniture piece.

Utility knife to shape — This picture is staged so I am not really cutting towards myself. I couldn’t get a clear photo of how to do it when I was cutting away from myself. Photo magic happening here. Be sure to cut away from your body when you do this step!

Step 6:

Once whittled down to shape, smooth and further shape patching compound with sand paper. Begin with the 180 grit sandpaper (rougher) and finish with the 220 (smoother) grit sand paper.

Sand corner smooth — Once the corner is whittled down to size, use sand paper to make it smooth.

Step 7:

Finally, once shaped and smoothed, the furniture piece is ready to be cleaned and painted.

Bondo works great for repairing damaged corners or edges on furniture that is to be painted. It also works well for filling holes in drawer fronts when switching out the size of hardware. It dries quickly, can be shaped and sanded, and Bondo provides a clean and smooth surface for painting.

See below for links to posts where I used Bondo. Learn how to fix a hole in a hollow core door, fix a broken mirror frame, and fill holes in a dresser.

My hope is that you have some of your questions about wood filler and patching holes in wood pieces answered. Add a comment below if you have anymore questions. Have a great time working on your projects and making a house a home.