Wood filler and wood putty for nail holes, gouges, cracks, rotted edges and scratches in furniture, trim, cabinets, doors and paneling. This collection groups every filler and putty we list by the job: hardening fillers you sand, stain or paint (Minwax Stainable Wood Filler and High Performance Wood Filler, DAP Plastic Wood and Plastic Wood-X with DryDex, Eclectic Wood-Tex, Bondo Wood Filler, J-B Weld KwikWood), pre-colored putties that go in after the stain (Minwax Wood Putty and Color Putty), and touch-up sticks for scratches in finished wood (Minwax Blend-Fil pencils, Varathane Fill Sticks, Old Masters Putty Sticks and DAP Blend-Stick).
Start with one question: is the wood bare or already finished? On bare wood, use a filler that dries hard, sand it flush, then stain or paint. Minwax calls Stainable Wood Filler a stainable, paintable latex filler for indoor and outdoor unfinished wood, and DAP says Plastic Wood-X with DryDex goes on pink and dries natural, so you can see when it is ready to sand. On wood that is already stained and finished, press in a putty that matches the color. Minwax Wood Putty is non-hardening and color-matched to Minwax Wood Finish stains, and U-C Coatings says Color Putty goes in after the wood is stained or sealed and does not dry sandable-hard.
Choose by job
| Job |
Fillers and putties for it |
Notes (maker) |
| Holes, gouges and cracks in bare wood you will stain or paint |
Minwax Stainable Wood Filler (Natural; 1, 6 and 16 oz), DAP Plastic Wood-X with DryDex (Natural; 5.5 oz, half pint, pint), DAP Plastic Wood All Purpose and Plastic Wood Professional, Eclectic Wood-Tex (Fir/Maple, pint) |
Minwax Stainable: latex, indoor and outdoor; shallow fills dry in about 2 hours, deeper ones 2 to 6 hours. Plastic Wood-X: interior and exterior; sand, drill, nail, stain and paint; about 2 to 6 hours for fills up to 1/8 inch and up to 36 hours for 1/4 inch and deeper. Wood-Tex: made with wood flour; waterproof and fast setting; VOC about 215 g/L |
| Rotted, split or missing wood; rebuilding edges and corners |
Minwax High Performance Wood Hardener (pint) with High Performance Wood Filler (6 and 12 oz), Bondo Wood Filler (pint and quart), J-B Weld KwikWood (Tan, 1 oz) |
Minwax HP filler: two-part, indoors or out; carve after about 20 minutes, sand after 30; brush the hardener on rotted wood first (hardens in 2 to 4 hours). Bondo: two-part with cream hardener; non-shrinking; about 3 to 4 minutes working time; sand in about 15 to 30 minutes; apply at 45°F or above. KwikWood: hand-mix epoxy putty, interior or exterior; 15 to 25 minute work life; sand, drill or paint in about 1 hour |
| Nail holes in trim, paneling and cabinets that are already stained and finished |
Minwax Wood Putty (9 colors, 3.8 oz), Color Putty oil-based wood putty (16 colors, 3.68 oz) |
Minwax: non-hardening, pre-mixed, matched to Minwax Wood Finish stains. Color Putty: fill after staining or sealing, then one coat of oil-based sealer or varnish; stays flexible and does not dry sandable-hard, so the maker does not recommend it for tabletops or floors; clean up with mineral spirits |
| Scratches, nicks and small chips in finished wood |
Minwax Blend-Fil pencils (#2, #3, #6, #7, #8, #9), Varathane Fill Sticks (7 color groups, 3.2 oz), Old Masters Putty Sticks (9 colors), DAP Blend-Stick (Light Browns and True Browns 4-packs, 3-in-1 Blend Stick) |
Blend-Fil fills shallow scratches after the wood is stained and topcoated. Varathane fill sticks are matched to common stain color groups. Old Masters putty sticks are color-matched for small voids. DAP Blend-Stick is for touch-ups on finished wood |
| Pinholes, dents and body work on metal, fiberglass and other hard surfaces |
Bondo Glazing and Spot Putty (16 oz), Bondo Fast Dry Filler (quart), Bondo Cream Hardener (0.75 oz), Bondo Body Repair Kit Ready Mix pouches |
Glazing and Spot Putty is one-part for pinholes and final blemishes on metal, fiberglass, wood and primed or painted surfaces; thin coats only; sand in about 20 minutes. Fast Dry Filler is for dents, dings and scratches on hard surfaces such as metal around the home or on a car |
| Concrete cracks |
DAP Concrete Watertight Filler and Sealant (Gray, 10.1 oz) |
Gray filler and sealant for concrete cracks; more crack sealants in Concrete & Masonry Sealers
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Find a color
| Color family |
Putty jars |
Sticks and pencils |
| White, natural and light woods |
Minwax Wood Putty White, Natural Pine, Colonial Maple, Pickled Oak; Color Putty 100 White, 102 Natural, 106 Light Birch, 108 Light Oak, 110 Fruitwood, 114 Maple, 116 Butternut |
Blend-Fil #2 Natural and Bleached Woods; Varathane Natural/Golden Pecan/Spring Oak; Old Masters Natural and Gray |
| Golden oak, pecan and mid browns |
Minwax Wood Putty Early American; Color Putty 122 Honey Oak, 136 Nutmeg, 138 Pecan, 144 Teakwood |
Blend-Fil #3 (Fruitwood, Golden Oak, Golden Pecan, Ipswich Pine); Varathane Early American, Summer Oak/Traditional Pecan/Ipswich Pine and Golden Oak/Provincial/Golden Mahogany; Old Masters Light Brown and Medium Brown; DAP Blend-Stick Light Browns |
| Cherry, red mahogany and red oak |
Minwax Wood Putty Cherry and Red Mahogany; Color Putty 118 Cherry and 126 Brown Mahogany |
Blend-Fil #6 Cherry and #7 Red Mahogany and Red Oak; Varathane Red Oak/Red Chestnut/Red Mahogany; Old Masters Red Brown and Mahogany |
| Walnut, espresso, ebony and black |
Minwax Wood Putty Walnut and Ebony; Color Putty 130 Dark Walnut, 134 Ebony, 140 Briarwood |
Blend-Fil #8 (Driftwood, Provincial, Dark Walnut, Early American, Special Walnut) and #9 Ebony and Jacobean; Varathane Dark Walnut/Espresso and Light Walnut/American Walnut/Gunstock; Old Masters Dark Brown, Deep Brown and Black; DAP Blend-Stick True Browns |
Shop related: Prep, Patch, Primer, Caulk and Concrete Repair, wood stains and gel stains, protective finishes and topcoats, and the furniture refinishing cart.
FAQ
What is the difference between wood filler and wood putty?
Wood filler dries hard, so you sand it flush and then stain or paint, which makes it the choice for bare wood. Wood putty comes pre-colored and is pressed into nail holes after the wood is stained and finished. Minwax Wood Putty is non-hardening, and Color Putty stays flexible and does not dry sandable-hard.
Which wood filler is stainable?
Minwax Stainable Wood Filler, DAP Plastic Wood-X with DryDex, Eclectic Wood-Tex and J-B Weld KwikWood are all listed as stainable by their makers. 3M says Bondo Wood Filler can be stained after sanding but absorbs stain differently than wood. Try any filler on scrap or an out-of-sight spot first, since it can take stain differently than the wood around it.
Is wood putty stainable?
The putties here are made to go in after the stain, so you pick the closest color instead of staining over them. Minwax matches its Wood Putty colors to Minwax Wood Finish stains, and U-C Coatings says Color Putty colors can be blended to match a wood tone; only mix oil-based Color Putty with other oil-based Color Putty.
Do you have white wood filler or white wood putty?
For white or painted trim that is already finished, use Minwax Wood Putty White or Color Putty 100 White. For bare wood you plan to paint, the hardening fillers here dry to a natural tone, sand smooth and take paint; Minwax Stainable Wood Filler and DAP Plastic Wood-X are both paintable.
How long does Minwax Stainable Wood Filler take to dry, and what color is it?
It comes in Natural, in 1, 6 and 16 oz sizes here. Minwax says shallow repairs dry in about 2 hours and deeper ones in 2 to 6 hours, and it is for indoor and outdoor unfinished wood.
Which wood filler works outdoors?
The makers rate Minwax Stainable Wood Filler (indoor and outdoor), Minwax High Performance Wood Filler (indoors or out), DAP Plastic Wood-X (interior and exterior), Bondo Wood Filler (interior and exterior) and J-B Weld KwikWood (interior or exterior) for outdoor wood. For soft or rotted wood, Minwax says to treat it with High Performance Wood Hardener before filling.
