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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Painting, Decorating & Tiling Questions >> Filling https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1157652418 Message started by jimbocam on Sep 7^th, 2006, 7:06pm

Title: Filling
Post by jimbocam on Sep 7^th, 2006, 7:06pm

I've been using Polycell Fine Surface Polyfilla and it gives a smooth finish but it's really hard to sand down any ridges you leave with your scraper.

Is there a better filler for walls? Are the ready-mixed ones always harder to sand?

And what's the best product for filling holes or depressions in wood (e.g. from screws, hinges, etc.)?

Cheers... :)

Title: Re: Filling
Post by WOLF on Sep 7^th, 2006, 10:22pm

Hi jimbocam, and welcome to the forum....

i may be one of the joiners on here , but i prefer TETRION filler, (powder form) as it is easy to use, and most of the painter/decorators i know use it, and will not use any polyfilla/polycell stuff....

no doubt Hammy and/or Cora will be along shortly and either put me straight on what they use or agree with me!!!

but Tetrion is not the best seller in trade circles for nothiong!!

in terms of the filling wood, is it going to be over painted afterwards, as if it is..then either a wood stopper product, such as Liberon is good, or again if painted over you can use tetrion...being a screw hole it will need 2 applications, one to "plug" the hole and allow to set, the second application to fill just proud to allow you to sand down flush!, the same applies to the hinge rebates, but they will need a few applications, or if large enough , i personnaly would fill the rebate with a thin strip of timber glued in place, with the resultant edges filled and sanded smoooth once the wood glue has set on the strip of timber!

hope the above helps!!
WOLF!!

Title: Re: Filling
Post by polecat on Sep 7^th, 2006, 10:48pm

Hi Jimbo,

Fine surface filler should be used for those small barely noticable marks that you get in the woodwork. It is made of very fine particles that bond very tight when dry, hence the rubbing down problem you talked about. On the plus side it means it won't just fall out of the small dinks when you rub it down like an all purpose filler would. It is not meant for large area filling. For that I would go with wolf and use Tetrion Interior. For other not too deep holes in wood I use Brummer, (sands lovely) and for large holes in wood I use any two part wood filler. Hope that all helps.

Title: Re: Filling
Post by jasonB on Sep 8^th, 2006, 10:22am

I tend to use Gyproc Easyfill on walls as its meant for drywall joints it sands very easily.

As for timber either two part epoxy filler like bondaglass supersoft or the easyfill if its just the odd hail nole in a bit of architrave.

Jason

Title: Re: Filling
Post by corablimey on Sep 8^th, 2006, 4:50pm

Welcome to jim and polecat, hope you enjoy the forum :)

Never buy that readymade stuff, its a pig to rub down,( I agree with wolf) :) I swear by tetrion also, I never use anything else, I buy it in sacks, they dont sell it in DIY stores, so you would have to go to a decorators shop.
I must admit I do use tetrion for interior wood, ie skirtings and doors if they are to be painted, and I have no problem with it, but for staining I use brummer.

I have used the gyproc stuff that comes in a sack, my god it does go far, but I find it goes off too quick as your trying to fill and goes a bit draggy, but then again I am used to the quality gear. ;)

Title: Re: Filling
Post by hamilton on Sep 8^th, 2006, 6:17pm

Never had a problem with polyfilla fine surface. I would suggest that you are putting too much on and not smoothing it off enough.
You should use a good filling knife that is wider than the hole you are filling, lay it in with the knife at a low angle and the go over it again with the blade nearly vertical to remove excess. A stripping knife is not a good substitute.

Many years ago, I burnt a door off, primed it and filled with tetrion, u/c and gloss etc.
It flaked. The tetrion left the primer. Got on to Tetrion and they said put it on bare wood, it doesn't like to be sandwiched between two coats of paint.

Never used it since.

Title: Re: Filling
Post by corablimey on Sep 8^th, 2006, 6:52pm

Maybe you had a dud bag Hammy, cause I have never had any trouble with it on wood or even on walls for that matter, and I have been using it for years, I have used the odd pollyfilla, but only if client has bought it, I just cant get on with anything else other than tetrion.

Title: Re: Filling
Post by polecat on Sep 8^th, 2006, 7:05pm

Thanks for the wellcome Corablimey. :)

You were right about that Gyproc stuff going off quick but it is a joy to rub down when flattening out a large area. Have you used the Toupret fillers yet? Top quality and work wonders on concrete sills when they are being painted. Heard they are bringing out more ranges, may even rival Tetrion one day (not)

Title: Re: Filling
Post by jimbocam on Sep 8^th, 2006, 7:44pm

Thanks for the advice everyone. :)

I used easyfill when helping a mate once and I liked it and I'll give tetrion a go too.

I'll give your filling technique a try next time, Hammy.