The Best Wood Fillers for Your Home

If your bookcase or flooring is showing signs of wear and tear, there’s no need to buy new furniture. A wood filler will take care of those cracks and scratches. Here are some of the best wood fillers regardless of the job size.

Wood is everywhere in your home—hardwood floors, various pieces of furniture, the deck in the backyard. Although it’s a very durable material and comes in various shades like maple and cherry, there are wood fillers that can be used to fill any wooden voids or pores that have come from years of damage. Here are some of our favorite wood fillers that will take care of any blemishes in your house.

Finding the Right Wood Filler

Here are some things to consider:

• Type: Water-based fillers are most suited for indoor projects. They have less odor, dry quickly, and are easy to clean up afterward. Solvent-based fillers are ideal for outdoor projects. They attach to the wood a lot stronger and are weather-resistant, but they have a stronger smell and are a little difficult to clean up.
• The Job At Hand: You should buy a wood filler depending on the job at hand. Most fillers are designed for a particular job like filling voids or gouges, while others are intended to fill pores in open-grain woods. Also, if you have a small, indoor job, then you don’t need a pint’s worth of filler, and the opposite is also true.
• Color: If you plan on painting on top of the filler, then pick one that is stainable or paintable and comes in white or clear. You can also find wood fillers that resemble the original wood color.

Best for Flooring: Goodfilla Wood Filler

One of the best wood fillers for flooring jobs is this 8-ounce bottle from Goodfilla. It’s great because it also comes in larger size options, and it’s available in an array of different colors to match the color of the wood. Plus, you can even add in another stain to get the perfect shade. It’s water-based, easy to use, and designed for professionals by professionals. Regardless of the job, just sand, prime, fill, and seal every knot on your to-do list, and you are all set. It’s also nontoxic and has zero VOC.

Best for Kitchen Cabinets: Coconix Floor and Furniture Repair Kit

This floor and furniture repair kit is great for all types of wood. It comes with instructions on how to match the color of your wood, and it’s great for filling chips, cracks, holes, knot covers, or any other blemishes you may be dealing with. The finish is great whether you’re working on a colored desk or a baseboard, and we definitely recommend this product if you’re dealing with marks on your kitchen cabinets.

Best Multipurpose: DAP All-Purpose Wood Filler

DAP provides one of the best wood fillers on the market, and its high-performance, solvent-based wood filler is versatile and effective. This plastic wood filler dries quickly and is shrink- and crack-resistant. It contains real wood fibers, so it looks and acts like real wood. When hardened, it’s stronger than the wood itself when comparing it to white pine.

Best for Small Jobs: Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Filler

For small jobs, check out this affordable white filler from Elmer’s. You can sand and paint over it easily for a smooth finish. It cleans up easily as well. It’s only for indoor jobs like filling nail holes in molding strips or gouges in hardwood floors, so if you’re looking for a great wood filler for smaller jobs, this is a great option.

Best for Big Jobs: FamoWood Latex Wood Filler

This pint-sized wood filler from FamoWood is great for big jobs around the house, and it’s also one of the best wood fillers out there in general. It’s great for indoor or outdoor use, and it’s solvent-free, so there’s low odor. It offers an easy water cleanup, and it won’t crack. You can stain and paint over it, and it will dry in about 15 minutes for a quality finish.