Sealing the deal - filler up!

[cellist]

Hi folks. I'd love some input into which commercially available grain filler/sanding sealer I should consider for tabletops. I've been using a wipe on polyurethane concoction, but it's not filling the pores on the jarrah or blackbean tabletops very well.

If you suggest something, can you tell me where to buy it as well?

Much obliged, and thanks in advance.

Michael in Mundaring, Western Australia

[ian]

The big B carry one made by Wattyl — don't know of another commercial one
when I used it I applied it with a rag.
a rubber squeegee is also useful

It's oil based and you can dye it, if you want

I understand that they are fairly easy to make yourself, and if you do it is almost always fresher than the commercial stuff

an alternative is a sanding sealer — I've been using Feast Watson's again from the big B



ian

[Master Splinter]

Timber Mate (available in your local Bunnies) water based wood filler seems to get the tick here a lot - you can tint it (get the 'natural' colour if you want to tint) or buy pre-tinted. Indefinite shelf life, you can re-use what you sand off (just add water and apply again) and it doesn't clog sandpaper.

Or if you want a heavy-duty approach, epoxy resin and the tinting colours of your choice. For jarrah I find that epoxy with a reddish-black transparent dye in it works a treat - matches the sort of sap runs that occur naturally.

[STAR]

The big B carry one made by Wattyl — don't know of another commercial one
when I used it I applied it with a rag.
a rubber squeegee is also useful

It's oil based and you can dye it, if you want

I understand that they are fairly easy to make yourself, and if you do it is almost always fresher than the commercial stuff

an alternative is a sanding sealer — I've been using Feast Watson's again from the big B



ian

I have used Feast & Watson Sanding sealer over a Silky Oak small slab and was very happy. It is available at the Green Shed.

[Cruzi]

Luxury Paints, Luxseal.

Quicker drying than both brands mentioned and cheaper.
Sands better than both and clouds less than Feast Watson.

[AlexS]

Just be aware that there is a difference between wood grain filler and sanding sealer. Wood grain filler is rubbed into open grained wood to fill the pores. Sanding sealer binds to the surface fibres and hardens, so that when you re-sand them you get a nice smooth surface. You probably don't need woodgrain filler on close-grained wood, but you may need sanding sealer.
You can (and usually should) tint woodgrain filler. Make it slightly darker than the wood and it's less noticeable. It won't make any appreciable difference to the finished colour. Rub it in with a piece of hessian, wiping off as much as possible from the surface. When it's dry, sand to the desired finish. You can tint with powder pigments, eg brickie's ochre or other colours.

I use Wattyl woodgrain filler, & shellac as a sanding sealer.

[andrewsd]

It is much cheaper, and you get a better colour match, if you make your own and add pigments to suit.