Can I Mix The Wood Filler With Epoxy?
Can I Mix The Wood Filler With Epoxy?
You can mix the wood filler with epoxy, but you’ll need to do this in the right ratio. Some wood fillers are created specifically to go with other types of epoxies. Still, you can also mix colorants for an even money-saving solution for your home and professional projects.
First, you’ll want to choose a matching color for your project. Pay attention to the instructions that come with the epoxy wood filler, and read them thoroughly before mixing colorants in. This ensures that you don’t accidentally add too much or too little of a colorant, which can result in unnecessary damage and poor results.
Adding wood dust to epoxy doesn’t make it thicker; the two just mix, and the epoxy is free to drain right back out when it comes into contact with an absorbent surface, such as end grain. It’s best seen to be understood.
When you mix wood dust and epoxy, the epoxy is free to drain out again when it comes into contact with something absorbent, like end grain. This is because the wood dust doesn’t make the epoxy thicker; rather, they just mix.
The best way to understand this is to see it for yourself. You can always use a paintbrush to add epoxy to the wood, this is a thicker application, and you will probably have to sand it with 100 grit once you finish.
Just as with oil-based epoxy, the water-based epoxy wood filler will remain on the edges of your project and can be sanded with 100 grit once it has cured. However, if this is your first time working with water-based epoxy, be sure not to mix in too much hardener as this could result in poor results and damage your project.
When working with oil-based epoxy wood filler, you’ll need t to conform to the direction of your mix. The best way to do this is to work from the center and cover the wood, achieving even color.
If you have a lot of epoxies, it will take longer to take effect. If you are impatient, you can wait until the epoxy has dried completely and sand it with 100-grit paper once it has cured.
Can You Sand Epoxy Wood Filler?
You can sand epoxy wood filler. However, you’ll need to do this carefully to avoid damaging the wood. Once the epoxy is cured, you can sand, paint, and reinstall the wood.
The time it takes for the epoxy to cure depends on temperature, but it is best to leave it undisturbed for at least 24 hours. Phenolic micro balloons make epoxy sandable, but they are plastic.
This means that machine sanding can cause the paper to clog fairly quickly. You can dry sand epoxy resin, but it is not recommended unless you are sanding wood and epoxy at the same time.
Wet sanding is always recommended, as the heat generated by dry sanding can cause the epoxy to soften, making it more difficult to sand. If you choose to dry sand, use lower-grit sandpaper to avoid clogging the paper too quickly.
When sanding epoxy wood filler, remember that it is not sandable like wood. If you try to dry sand it with a finer grit paper, it will catch on the wood grain and cause the steering wheel to jam.
However, you can wet sand the epoxy, but there are some precautions you need to take. First, keep an eye out for dust; this is a carcinogen, so you must wear a mask and protect your lungs.