When your furniture cracks or breaks down, you throw them in the garbage or donate them to charity organizations. But, Filling holes with wood filler can be an excellent option to fix a construction defect.
It dries very fast and does not shrink. The question is “how to fill a hole in wood and redrill” to repair and make it usable again.
You can fill a hole and redrill your wooden furniture in many ways. Wood filler is the best option.
Also, you can use wood dust and glue or wood plugs to complete your repair job. Even you can redrill any hole filling with wood filler if filled correctly in your project.
Just put sawdust in the hole and press down with a pin to ensure there is enough. After that, add some super glue and allow it to dry. Then rub the surface with the rest of the wood, and you can start drilling again.
How To Fill A Hole in Wood And Redrill?
When you think about filling a hole in wood, the first thing that may come to your mind is the wood filler. Also, there are some other methods to fill a hole in the wood and redrill. Let’s have a look at them!
Method 1: Using Wood Filler
You may find screw holes in furniture very often. There are also some holes or cracks caused by transport and carrying. These are the common forms of damage to furniture. You can repair these holes or cracks easily using Wood Filler.
There are many wood fillers available in hardware stores. They all make the filling job efficient, with little change in drying time, preparation method, and results—steps to fill holes using Wood Fillers.
Step 1. Prepare the scraper
Take a piece of scraper and scrape out the surface of the wood and remove any kind of dust or paints. Clean the surrounding areas of the hole properly using a wet cloth.
Step 2. Fill the hole
After cleaning is completed, it’s time to fill the hole with Wood Filler. Take your preferred Wood Filler and fill the hole appropriately.
Use your finger or putty knife to compress the filler in the hole. You may need to overfill the hole because it may shrink down after the filler is dried up.
After filling the hole, keep it for some time to dry properly. The required time to dry the filler may vary for different filler and wood types.
Take a putty knife and spread the filler in the hole evenly. You may need to give some pressure to fill the hole perfectly.
Step 3: Polish it up
After the filler is dried up correctly, polish it using sandpaper and ensure that the filler is leveled up with the wood surface. Double-check if the hole is correctly filled with the filler; if not, reapply the filling process.
Step 4: Redrill the wood
Now that the hole is filled up and polished adequately, you can redrill the wood as you need and make it usable again.
Also Read: How to Remove A Seized Bolt With No Head
Method 2: Using Wood Plugs
Using wood plugs to fill holes and redrill in furniture is another popular method. Wood plugs are available in wood shops. You can collect them from shops or make them at home if you have the necessary tools.
Wood plugs are nothing but some small pieces of wood that are shaped in a way to fit in the holes and fill them. These are often used to fill large holes that are more profound and straight than the usual holes.
Different shapes of the wood plug, like a straight cut or angled cut wood plug, will be needed for various holes—steps to fill holes using Wood Plugs.
First of all, determine the type of holes in the wood and select the suitable wood plug that fits accurately.
Then, take some wood glue and paste it into the outer and inner sides of the hole.
Fix the wood plug in the hole and keep pushing it inside the hole using Hammer or other tools.
Keep pushing the wood plug slowly inside the hole until it best fits and is tight inside the hole.
Now, keep it for some time to dry the glue and adjust the wood plug with the wood firmly.
Cut off the extra wood plug and polish it using sandpaper.
Method 3: Using Sawdust and Glue Mix
Another quick and cheap method to fill wood holes is sawdust and glue mixtures. You most probably have Sawdust in your home, and if it is, you can use them rather than buying expensive wood filler products. It will save both your time and money.
Using Sawdust and glue, you can make wood filler in your home, which is more effective than ready-made wood fillers from the shop. This method is beneficial for you if you run out of commercial wood filler or do not have enough time to go and buy them from shops.
Making homemade wood filler may be a bit tricky for you if you have no previous experience. Remember to wear hand gloves and a face mask while making wood filler from sawdust and glue. Now, find out the steps to fill holes using Sawdust and Glue.
Step 1: Safety First
Wear a facemask and hand gloves to protect yourself from dust and dirt.
Step 2: Prepare Sawdust
Make sawdust using sandpaper or using a sander machine unless you have already.
Ensure the sawdust has the same color as the wood you need to fill holes in.
The hole fill will not be perfect if you have some big size of wood parts in your prepared sawdust. So, filter them out and collect the filtered sawdust in a bag or a container.
Step 3: Prepare Mixture/Paste
Now, take the sawdust to a clean surface, add wood glue slowly, and mix them with a stick. You have to be very careful in this step so that the mixture doesn’t get too loose!
Keep checking if the mixture has become thick and sticky. You need to be quick because the mixture may get hardened in a short time and will be useless.
Step 4: Fill the hole
After the mixture gets thick, check if you can roll them with your finger. If you can, the mixture is ready to use in filling holes.
Now, apply the prepared sawdust and glue mixture/paste in the holes and cracks. Use wood putty to push the paste into the hole and spread it evenly.
Fill the holes and remove any extra paste from the surface of the wood. Clean the surface and keep it for some time until it dries up.
Step 5: Polish the surface
When the paste is dried completely, take sandpaper and polish it properly. Finally, use a wet cloth to clean the wood surface and give it a fresh look.
How to Redrill After Filling the Holes in Wood
After successfully filling the holes, you may need to redrill in the filled portion of the wood to attach a screw or nail. Redrilling in the same place can increase the probability of cracking if it is not handled carefully.
To reduce cracking, you will need to follow some safety measures while drilling into the newly filled holes. Please, follow the following steps to redrill the woods:
Step 1: Add some toothpicks or matchsticks
Before starting redrilling, add some matchsticks or toothpicks to the newly filled area. It will increase the strength of the filling.
Step 2: Make a bit larger hole
Make a larger hole if you want to use wood plugs to fill the holes and redrill in the newly filled area. In this way, the hole becomes much more consistent and can be easily filled. It will also make smoothing the surface simpler.
Step 3: Mark the position
Before starting the drilling, make a mark on the surface using a pencil where you want to redrill. This will help to make a hole in the right place.
Step 4: Redrill the hole
Now, take a driller and place the drill head on the marked point in the wood surface. Start drilling slowly.
Do not try to drill too fast; this will ruin your newly filled holes. Also, do not drill so deep, and also ensure that you drill at the right angle.
Step 5: Use a wider screw diameter
While redrilling and screwing new screws, you should consider using a wider diameter screw than the previously used ones. It will help to avoid cracking the wood again.
Step 6: Clean it up
After redrilling and screwing, polish the surrounding of the screwed area and make it clean for a better-looking and extended lifetime.
FAQs
Can you Redrill into wood filler?
Yes, you can redrill wood filler. Although drilling infill is relatively easy, much of its success is due to the correct application of the filler and the fact that it is allowed to dry completely. If the glue is not dried completely, drilling may take all your efforts in vain. Two-component epoxy wood putty and reusable wood putty prevent cracking during drilling. When drilling wood filler to secure the screw, consider the hole depth.
How do you fill a stripped screw hole in wood?
You can use wood filler wrapped between your fingers with rope the size of a bare screw hole. After that, fill the hole until it is even with its surface. Wait for it to dry, mark the pre-planned hole, then drill a slightly smaller hole than the screw. Hopefully, it won’t dissolve the cured filler.
You can use Bondo outdoors if your area is large and dirty. Rub and smear to fit the color around. Wood filler does not congeal and holds the screw in a convex hole.
Can you screw a filled area with wood filler?
When filling a hole in wood, ensure that glue has entered the spot without leaving tiny air bubbles. It loosens the screw. It is preferable to use an adhesive that does not become brittle when dry. The most pleasing filler is the wood particles and glue mixtures. Before installing the screw, an additional pilot hole is required to guide your screw in the correct direction and prevent damage to sensitive wood parts.
Final Verdict
Reading our article to the end, we hope you’ve found the answer to the question – “How to fill a hole in the wood and redrill?”.
Remember that it is not so easy to fill the screw holes, repair cracks, and redrill in the damaged wood. You will need patience and determination to be successful in this job.
You may also increase the risk of damaging the wood further if you want to redrill or re-screw the newly filled area after repair. But, if you follow the steps stated in detail above, you will be able to fill the holes and redrill the woods successfully without any damage.
Finally, don’t forget to choose the suitable filler and filling method for your specific kind of damage/holes. We hope this will help you a lot in your repairing job.
