FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Does this dry hard and is it sandable?

A: Yes. It dries very hard and is easily sanded. Since it is water-based, you need to seal it afterward.

Q: Do I need to match the filler to the color of the wood if I plan to stain the wood?

A: GoodFilla is designed to accept stain similarly to wood. However, the stain needs to be darker than the filler. If you are using a light stain, match the filler to the color of the wood.

Q: How do I make a custom color with the base/neutral?

A: A liquid or powdered universal tint or dye is ideal. You can also use paints, food dyes, or stains to create your desired color. Results will vary depending on the pigment load. Always test by applying the final finish over the dried filler.

Q: Can you use the filler outside?

A: Yes. Mix with weatherproof wood glue (such as TiteBond 3 or Weldbond) 20-30% by volume of glue to filler. For extra protection, be sure the area is coated/sealed with a clear coat.

Q: Can I mix wood flour into the filler?

A: Yes. Test the results and color by applying finish to the dry, sanded filler.

Q: Why does the wood filler not seem to be accepting the stain?

A: The wood filler must be fully cured and dry before it can accept a stain.

Q: Why is the wood filler clogging the sandpaper?

A: If the wood filler is completely dry, it will not clog the sander and will dissolve into a fine powder. If the wood filler is not completely dry, it will clog the sand paper.

Q: Is GoodFilla compatible with solvent/oil based products?

A: Yes.

Q: Can GoodFilla be used as a MDF sealer/primer?

A: Yes. Follow the same directions as you would for a grain filler. Wait for it to dry, and sand.

A: Yes, but you will need to apply a coating of some sort like furniture polish or wax to stop it from reconstituting with water when you wash the floor. 

Q: Will this work on dents and dings on windowsills?

A: Yes. If you plan to use it outside, mix with weatherproof wood glue (such as TiteBond 3 or Weldbond) 20-30% by volume of glue to filler. For extra protection, be sure the area is coated/sealed with a clear coat.

Q: Can I use this for an ash hardwood floor to fill a hairline gap?

A: Yes. Match the color as closely as possible, sand, and seal. 

Q: Can this fix a dime-sized hole in a desk?

A: Yes. If the hole is through the wood, you will have to put tape at the bottom, and fill in 1/4” layers. Once you have filled the hole and it’s completely dry, apply a finish coat. 

Q: Does this contain any natural runner latex?

A: No, it does not. We are no toxic, have no VOCs, and our products are good for the planet and safe to work with.

Q: Could this be used to fill in fret grooves on a rosewood fretboard? Trying to make a fretless guitar, without too much trouble.

A: Yes, I just did this with a bass. Worked out perfectly and sanded smooth. 

Q: I have a hardwood flooring project and I need to use oil-based products. Can GoodFilla be used with oil-based stain?

A: Yes.

Q: My cat used my footboard to jump off my bed and scratched it. Can I use GoodFilla to repair my footboard? 

A: Yes, you can use it to repair your footboard. You will need to seal it after it dries with a finish (such as a furniture wax, shellac, any clear lacquer, varnish, polyurethane, or even clear nail polish.) 

Q: Which is darker, rosewood or walnut?

A: The rosewood is a “reddish brown” and the walnut is a “medium brown.” They are about the same in terms of pigment load. 

Q: Can I sand it and paint GoodFilla?

A: Yes.

Q: Can this be used to fill gouges in my high gloss hardwood floor? The gouges are small, resulting from high heels and being objects dropped on the floor.

A: Yes, it can. The repaired area will need to be coated with a high gloss polish/finish to make it permanent and to match the finish of your existing floor. Our Filla-In-A-Bag powdered wood filler would be ideal. You can mix it with a water-based finish or glue, which will make it easier to buff with a polish or wax to a high sheen. I recommend testing a scrap piece of wood before attempting the repair on your floor.

Q: On a guitar, do I need to apply anything on top of this before primer/paint, like a sanding sealer spray, or would I prime/paint right over this?

A: You can prime/paint first or over the filler. You can also apply the filler between coats of primer/finish. 

Q: Can the putty be mixed with sawdust?

A: Yes. Our CLEAR Wood & Grain Filler. Is ideal for making wood flour.

Q: Will this stick to newspaper? I'm trying to give my paper mache mask a smooth finish.

A: Yes. You can thin our product to any desired consistency.

Q: I ordered the 8-ounce white wood filler. The top of the container says "8 ounces" but this container only holds 4 ounces... please explain.

A: The wood filler is labeled by weight, not volume. The product inside the container weighs 8 ounces. GoodFilla is very dense and weighs almost twice that of water. The container's volume is 4 ounces, but you received 8 ounces of wood filler.

Q: Is this food safe, for repairing my salad bowl?

A: Yes. Be sure to coat it with a food-safe oil or wax. 

Q: There are water-based plastic resins. Are your binders/resins plastic based?

A: No. The major component of our products is calcium carbonate.

Q: Does this work better than Timbermate?

A: We were the original importers of Timbermate, and we think so! In addition to all of its other benefits, GoodFilla does not turn black from metal putty knives, is finer so it fills smaller pores, is easier to sand, has a pleasant fragrance, and is made in the USA. 

Q: We have Pergo floors with some gaps. Would this product work?

A: Yes. We would recommend our neutral FILLA-in-a-BAG mixed with artist's acrylic paint to match your floor. Purchase a few tubes of paint close to the floor color, and mix the paints with the powder until you reach your desired color. 

Q: What is the dry time?

A: It depends on the depth of fill and the ambient temperature/humidity. A 1/8" deep void that is 1" in diameter will take under an hour to dry. The thinner the wood filler, the quicker it will dry. Temperature and humidity can affect drying time. 

Q: Will this work well to fill the gaps between boards on a new farmhouse style table top (pine planks), as well as small knot holes?

A: Yes. Once the filler has cured and you've sanded it, apply a finish coat to seal it. 

Q: Does this product require the finish after it’s dried? Can it be left unfinished and just sanded and polished?

A: It requires a finish after it has cured. A polish will work as a finish. 

Q: Can stain be mixed with it to color-match the wood being filled?

A: Yes. Any stain, tint or dye. I'd suggest a dye or tint since they have higher concentrations of pigment and change the color quickly. But get creative!

Q: I'd like to use this on our oak casement trim around the window. Will it do a good job covering the oak grain?

A: It's designed to fill the grain and to leave the beauty of the wood intact. If you are planning on painting instead of staining, our FILLA-in-a-BAG powdered wood filler would be ideal. Mix with desired paint (water-based paint is recommended) to a creamy consistency. Apply the mixture with a credit card or hotel room key, smoothing to a thin layer. Let it dry completely. Sand, and paint.

Q: Can this product be used to fill the grain for kitchen cabinets?

A: Yes! The FILLA-in-a-BAG powdered wood filler is ideal. Mix it to your desired consistency. (You can also add water to the jar version to get a more fluid mix). May need 2 coats, sanding between, to really get a smooth result with no grain but a little grain showing can be good looking too. Watch our video demonstrating how to mix the paint color in with the powder. For a big job like cabinets, I like the nontoxic aspect - no fumes, no worries about skin contact, easy cleanup. It’s so nice. It saves SO much time and sanding!

Q: For the tint-base/neutral color, will it accept dye/stain after it has dried or should I add the dye/stain while it is wet?

A: Tint-Base/Neutral will accept the stain/dye when it’s dry, as long as it's a dark color. If it's a lighter color, match the filler color to the wood color. For example, use red oak filler for red oak wood. You can also mix stain directly into the wood filler.

Q: Will this work to fill a woodpecker holes on the side of my house?

A: Yes. You will need to mix it with an exterior water-based weatherproof wood glue such as TiteBond 3 or Weldbond (20-30% by volume of glue to the filler.) 

Q: How large of a gap can GoodFilla fill? 

A: It can fill very large gaps. Fill in layers not deeper than 1/4" and allow each layer to dry completely before adding more filler.  

Q: I am trying to repair the end of a damaged wood weight for a cuckoo clock. There is about 1 inch that is missing from the end. Will this work?

A: Yes. You will need to build it up layer by layer, letting it completely dry between applications.

Q: I will be pre-staining red oak with an english/red chestnut blend. I want to accentuate the stain, not lighten it. Which color filler do you recommend?

A: GoodFilla is designed to take stain like wood, so the repair is invisible. To enhance the grain, the GoodFilla color should be darker than the stain. 

Q: Will this work on filling wood letter engraving from a CNC machine and not come out?

A: Absolutely! It’s perfect for that, and can be matched to any custom color. See our video about using FILLA-IN-A-BAG for inlay.

Q: What is the difference between the trowel ready vs regular product?

A: Trowel-ready is thinner so you can trowel on. It’s ideal for large hardwood flooring jobs, for example. The heavy-body is thicker consistency. The powdered filler you can mix to any consistency, although you can always add water to any of them to get the desired viscosity.

Q: Can this be used on a cutting board that is soaked in mineral oil for its finish.

A: Yes. It's non-toxic. However, it needs the oil to keep it sealed and should be regularly oiled to prevent the filler from getting wet.

Q: I have a farm table top with grooves cut into it. I want to fill with ebony filler and then seal with several coats of polyurethane. Thoughts?

A: This is a perfect application. I used it for rotting wood on a cabinet and it worked wonderfully! Follow the instructions on the package.

Q: Will this work for filling small nail holes on finished and stained trim?

A: It can be used on finished, stained trim if you mix the GoodFilla with water-based wood glue and match it to the stain. 

Q: Will the color of the filler change when lacquer is applied?

A: The filler will dry lighter and return to the original “wet” color once the lacquer is applied.

Q: The wood filler seems to dry lighter than the original color.

A: It will dry lighter and return to the original color once the finish is applied. 

Q: Is this wood filler strong enough to fill in and drill slightly adjusted screw holes and it hold as strong solid wood?

A: Yes. Follow the same directions as you would for a grain filler. Wait for it to dry, and sand.

Q: Is this wood filler strong enough to fill in and drill slightly adjusted screw holes and it hold as strong solid wood?

A: Yes.

Q: Does it come ready to use? 

A: The heavy-bodied and the trowel-ready fillers are ready to go out of the jar. The powdered version, “Filla in a Bag” just needs a bit of water (plus tint/dye/paint if adding) and you can mix what you need for that project. If your filler ever dries up simply add a bit of warm water and stir, and it’s perfect for use!