# Do you use a sanding sealer or wood filler in your projects



## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

I just finished a Walnut burl for a small table. I put several coats of lacquer and noticed lots of divots.
So I sanded it down to bare wood and used CrystaLac wood grain filler. I have used this several times
before and it works ok. It says it dries Absolutely clear but it dries white but you
can mix it with stains so it will work on most woods. It says its non shrinking but it does shrink. So
my question to you is what do you use as a wood filler or sanding sealer or your cutting boards or
furniture to get a nice smooth finish. The Walnut burl came out very nice the second time.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Larry; the hardwood floor guys have access to stainable wood filler, but it comes in one gallon cans. They trowel it over the whole floor installation, after the first sanding (and vacuuming up of the dust!), thel lay down the filler which fills everything; grain, voids, nail holes, etc.
Then it's finish sanded, stained, and finished. I seem to remember some of the projects being stained and filled at the same time...the filler is very liquid.




https://www.bona.com/en-CA/Professional1/Hardwood-Floors/Coatings/Filler/Bona-Pacific-Filler/


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

for wood filler I like TimberMate and Mohawk for other type fillers and burn in sticks...
for grain fillers it's Behlin..
sanding sealer.. rarely...
been using them for decades and no issues..
Behlin
Timbermate Water-Based Wood Filler
Touch-Up Fillers/Wood Fillers - Mohawk Finishing


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I started using the stuff in the picture. You can get Timber Mate in a variety of different colors to match the wood you're using BEFORE staining. I find it doesn't shrink. But I don't use it to fill large areas. I generally work it into the workpiece using my fingers to press it in, but if I let it dry, I almost have to sandpaper my fingers to get it off. I also no longer use paper backed sanding medium but use the 3M flexible sanding sheets instead, which seems to last a very long time. 

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...6YAGFRA07KS&rh=i:aps,k:timbermate+wood+filler


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Larry; I realized after I made my first comment that you lumped "cutting boards" in with furniture. Only food grade products can be used on cutting boards! Same for little kids toys. 
Personally, I wouldn't use anything with an open grain for food prep stuff like boards, trays, or salad bowls. That hopefully eliminates the need for grain fillers(?).


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

I spray Nitrocellulose lacquer on just about everything I do except for the kitchen items - cutting boards, trivets, etc. So 90% of what I produce gets sprayed with sanding sealer and gloss lacquer. I only use pore filler on guitars or something requiring a piano/guitar like high gloss finish.

David


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

forgot to mention that I do use sanding sealer to raise the fuzz so I can sand or scrape it off.


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

Thank You all lots of very useful information. Dan I don't use any open or course grain wood for cutting boards.
I do know that Andrei (Mt Wood the cutting board goro) used some sort of grain filler in his cutting boards.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

The only success I've had with Timber Mate is with the Pine coloured one. I normally use thinners based sanding sealer as distinct from the turps based product on open grain timbers. It dries in next to no time so that several coats can be applied if necessary and sanded in between in little time.


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## gmercer_48083 (Jul 18, 2012)

I have to ask, When applying sanding sealer...how long do you let it dry before staining, for the best results? Hours, minutes, overnight, days? I have never used it because of this question.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

*Sterner Stuff*



Knot working said:


> Thank You all lots of very useful information. Dan I don't use any open or course grain wood for cutting boards.
> I do know that *Andre*i (Mt Wood the cutting board goro) used some sort of grain filler in his cutting boards.


Yeh, but he's Russian... >


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

Very funny Dan. Yes he is. He makes some incredible designs.


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

gmercer_48083 said:


> I have to ask, When applying sanding sealer...how long do you let it dry before staining, for the best results? Hours, minutes, overnight, days? I have never used it because of this question.


Assuming it is the shellac (like Bullseye) variety of Sanding Sealer. (There are a few products that claim to be sanding sealer, but are actually not shellac). The alcohol in the shellac flashes off pretty quickly, especially in warmer environments. You can probably get away with a couple hours. As always test out your methods on a scrap piece of wood from your project.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Larry; I am boggled by the complexity of some of his designs! I agree, The Guru of Cutting Boards.

(My "Russian" comment; I just meant that they're not known for being obsessive about 'health' concerns.)


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> Larry; I am boggled by the complexity of some of his designs! I agree, The Guru of Cutting Boards.
> 
> (My "Russian" comment; I just meant that they're not known for being obsessive about 'health' concerns.)


There are edible shellacs and lacquers, you eat them every day. If you take any capsuls or shiny pills they have edibile shellac.
When I went thru my cutting board phase years ago, I used edible lacquer on them.
https://www.amazon.com/edible-shellac/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i:aps,k:edible shellac

Herb


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Good to know, Herb! Obviously OK for kidddies toys then?
I assume they're not waterproof?


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## gmercer_48083 (Jul 18, 2012)

gmercer_48083 said:


> I have to ask, When applying sanding sealer...how long do you let it dry before staining, for the best results? Hours, minutes, overnight, days? I have never used it because of this question.


Thanks Mike. Can I stain after sanding sealer? Then a finish over that?


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

gmercer_48083 said:


> I have to ask, When applying sanding sealer...how long do you let it dry before staining, for the best results? Hours, minutes, overnight, days? I have never used it because of this question.


Garry, here in Western Australia in the summer 10 minutes is long enough for thinners based sanding sealer to be fully dry. Even in the winter around 20 minutes is long enough.


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