Can I use automotive bondo to fill large holes in wood?

Question

The redwood fascia across the front of my house has a large 6 inch hole that has rotted out. Does anybody have any experience using "bondo" to fill holes in wood???
Thanks

Answer 1

I've seen bondo work with wood, but I don't think I'd trust it in this environment...that's pretty harsh if your redwood has rotted, that's generally a VERY rot resistant wood.



I would use something made to repair rotted wood like the product in the link. Essentially you need firm up the rotted wood surrounding the edge of the hole after you remove all the wet, loose and fully rotted material, then fill it. I try to put a backer behind the hole in if you can, it will provide support when filling the hole.



Make sure while you're at it that you try to figure out where the excess water that caused the rot is coming from and try to take care of the original culprit.

Answer 2

Bondo Wood Filler

Answer 3

HI There,



Bondo is excellent for filling in cracks and holes caused by wood rot. A few years ago we had a bad year for wood rot and I had several windows and lower door frames to repair. The repairs have lasted for more than ten years and are unrecognizable.



What you will need:



1. MInwax wood Hardener at the paint store. http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/maintenance-repair/minwax-high-performance-wood-hardener



2. Bondo......http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1383207



3. Sandpaper 80-100 grit( optional..some steel wool)



How to use:

1. Use a screwdriver, knife or chisel and remove as much rot as possible. Try to get down to the "good wood" if possible.



2. Use a small brush and apply the Minwax wood Hardener liberally all around the inside of the hole. Let it dry for a couple of hours.This hardens the wood and stops the wood rot from spreading.



3. If the hole is deep you can pound/ press some steel wool inside the cracks and bottom of the hole.This helps to use less Bondo. I also put splinters and/or wood chips inside while applying Bondo.



4. Fill the hole with Bondo and let it dry.

After the Bondo has dried enough smooth the outside.

You will probably need to apply a second light layer to fill in any low spots.



5. After Bondo has dried prime and paint the spot.



This works for me. You need the wood Hardener to harden and stop the rot inside from spreading.

Bondo also can be used to fill in holes in concrete steps, etc.



Hope this helps,

Al

Answer 4

I have used Bondo for years to fill holes in wood windows where the wood had rotted. The Bondo will last for years and years in the outdoor environment with no problems at all. If the holes in wood (or in a tree) are deep than I fill the holes with saw dust until the sawdust is about 1/4 inch below the surface. I fill the remaining portion with Bondo. It really works!

Answer 5

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Answer 6

Absolutely - I used it to repair the bottoms of 11 wood columns on an outdoor porch over twenty years ago. I just recently removed them to redeck the porch. All the Bondo patches were solid and intact. Originally, I removed the soft spongy wood with a screw driver - and drilled in some oak dowels for reinforcement on any repair section deeper than about a half inch then applied the Bondo in 2 to 3 layers to ensure there wood be no voids. Then I primed and painted the columns with oil based paint. The repairs so far have withstood both rain, snow and sleet. I have used it extensively making repairs on wood architectural features two older homes - built in the 1887 and the other in 1920's. It works great - I used the automotive grade.

Answer 7

There are epoxy filler products similar to bondo designed specifically for wood. They're somewhat softer than bondo and can absorb wood stain better. They're also formulated to better match the expansion/contraction characteristics of wood.



Epoxy wood fillers work moderately well. For a piece of dimensionally-sized lumber you're probably better off just replacing the wood. If it's an elaborate column or ornate piece of trim, then a filler can be a much cheaper alternative. A stained or painted finish will obviously hide the patch better.



Remove all the rotted wood first, of course, and use a wood hardener to firm up what's left.

Answer 8

Bondo will work, but for how long is an open question. It depends on your particular environment. The better you can seal the work the longer it'll last. Be sure to remove all rotted wood.



Good Luck.

Answer 9

yes bondo is perfect for filling wood if you are painting what you are fixing but if you are staining something then you might want to try some type of opaxy for the filler bondo does not take to stain that great

Answer 10

This Old House demonstrated using Bondo for wood repair, dozens of other videos on line for proof it does not fall out, I my self, used it for more than 15 yrs on my house and still solid as the wood. You paint it with wood for protection.

Answer 11

How To Use Bondo

Answer 12

I haven't used bondo to fill cracks and holes, but there is something similar that does the trick for me. Mix one part wood dust or shavings with one part of white glue, mix well and then apply before it dries.

Answer 13

I did supply about 50 gallons of Bondo to a customer years back when they were restoring wood sills on a old historic school. He is the one who called me for it and told me that it works great. 3M now owns Bondo itself, and here is a link to it. It says metal, wood, aluminum ... in the description.



Hope it helps.



http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Car/Care/Products/Product-Catalog/Pages/?PC_7_RJH9U5230ONO70I0C3275H2K94_nid=NBQL2W6JXCgsXRMSG6848Wgl023S6JDZQ4bl

Answer 14

Here are literally thousands of organized woodworking projects in a members area and all you have to do is get them off your computer any time you want. Go here https://tr.im/A5Gtg

There are thousands of plans so decide which one you are going to tackle next. The choice is yours to make so just click on the proper button for the specific project and then they are right there for you to pick one. The diagrams and instructions will be right there in the computer for you to access at any time or if you prefer you can print them out.

Answer 15

dont use bondo its for metal. It will fall out in a very short time. Ya gotta replace the wood, thats the correct way to do it.