How to Hide Wood Filler After Staining

Wood filler is a substance that’s used to fill cracks and holes in wooden surfaces to create a smooth surface. While wood fillers can repair gaps in stained wooden surfaces, many homeowners have wondered how to hide wood filler sections when a surface has been previously stained.

How to Hide Wood Filler After Staining

You’ll need to stain wood filler after fixing holes and cracks in previously stained wood. Follow these eight simple steps to hide wood filler after staining!

Step One: Use A Stainable Wood Filler

Different wood fillers will specify on the package whether the filler is stainable. Generally, water-based and solvent-based wood fillers will hold the stain well. Oil-based wood fillers do not hold stains as well and won’t hold color from stains or paint. Make sure you use a wood filler that can be stained over when you want to match the filled section to the rest of the wood.

We recommend Minwax’s Stainable Wood Filler if you’re unsure which wood filler to use, but I also have an in depth review of the top stainable wood fillers. This type of filler is ideal for repairing cracks, nail holes, small gouges, and other defects in indoor and outdoor wooden surfaces.

The wood filler is formulated to accept any of Minwax’s penetrating wood stains, although to be honest you can use any brand of stain. You can also paint over this wood filler from Minwax.

Step Two: Allow the Filler to Dry

Your wood filler needs some time to dry, typically 3-4 hours. It varies depending on several factors, including the type of wood filler, the size of the repair, and the conditions in which it is being used.

The weather also affects drying time! A hot dry day in the summer will dry your filler a lot faster than a humid day or one when it’s raining.

Step Three: Sand the Wood Filler Section

Your wood filler should be dry now and ready for sanding. As the filler dries, it expands, and so you’ll need to sand away the areas that are “spilling over” your wood piece.

Fix any issues with your wood filler or epoxy before power sanding the filled section of the wood. Use 200-grit sandpaper to ensure the wood filler section has a smooth finish that’s easy to stain.

Always sand in the direction of the surrounding wood grain! Small wood filler sections are easy to sand by hand using a piece of sandpaper.

Step Four: Clean the Sanded Wood

Wipe off the excess dust from the wood with a wet rag. You can also use a handheld vacuum to remove any sawdust before wiping the sanded surface down.

It’s important to clean the sanded wood filler section to ensure the stain adheres properly to the stainable wood filler. The cleaned wood must dry fully before you start applying the stain of your choice.

Step Five: Choose the Right Wood Stain Color

You’ll now need to find a wood stain that matches the color of the stained wood that’s been repaired with wood filler. If you still have leftover wood stain or know which brand/color you used, you can proceed to Step Seven.

Step Six: Test the Stain on a Section of the Wood Filler

If you’re using a different stain color to hide the wood filler section, you HAVE to test it first on a test piece. Different wood fillers accept stains differently, which is why it’s important to test the stain before staining the repaired section of the wood.

Make sure you shake/stir the stain before using it. Wait for the test piece to dry before deciding whether the color is right.

If the dried stain is too dark on the wood filler, you can add a few drops of water to the stain to lighten the color. You can then test the diluted stain on a piece of spare wood with a wood filler section. Or, you can opt to test a different stain color altogether.

Overall, lighter stain colors are easier to work with since you can apply additional layers to darken the color if it’s too light after drying.

Step Seven: Apply Stain to the Wood Filler Section

Use a high-quality brush to apply the wood stain to the wood filler section. Use a paintbrush that matches the size of the filled section. Use even strokes to apply a thin layer of stain.

Make sure you don’t over-stain the wood filler section – it’s better to apply additional thin coats to achieve the desired color. Let the stain dry for thirty minutes before wiping off the excess.

Stain coats will take between one and two days to dry fully. Make sure to check the stain manufacturer’s instructions for drying time. You need to wait for the stained wood filler section to dry completely before deciding whether an additional coat is necessary.

Step Eight: Add an Additional Stain Coat

You can repeat Step Seven if the wood filler is too light once the first coat dries. Repeating the staining process to apply another thin coat will ensure you get the correct color to match the rest of the stained wood. Wait for the second coat to dry fully before deciding whether an additional coat is necessary.

Step Eight: Let the Wood Stain Coats Dry

Always let the wood stain coats dry fully after applying them! Increasing the ventilation will make the stained wood dry faster. You can use a portable space heater to speed up the drying process. You can also turn up the air conditioner or use a dehumidifier to lower the humidity level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

It’s important to use a stainable wood filler when filling holes in a surface that’s been previously stained. You can test your chosen wood stain once the section that’s been filled has been sanded and cleaned. Stain over the wood filler section when you’re sure the stain matches the rest of the stained wood! You may need to apply additional stain coats to achieve the desired color.