Wood Hardener – BPindex blog

How to get a flawless wood finish

Building Products Index Ltd January 27, 2025 Filler 1 Comment

Wood is a material that’s relied on for both structural and decorative work, and continues to be used extensively in both new builds and refurbishments. Structurally, it’s a very workable and strong material, making it ideal for flooring and roofing, for example. But it’s also appreciated for its natural aesthetic and adds real flourish and character to a property – the reason its used so visibly in interiors and exteriors, think skirting boards, architraves, doors and panelling (a look that’s particularly in at the moment). Getting it to look right, then, can really lift the appearance of a space, whether it’s painted, stained or varnished.

Whilst its rustic look is appreciated in certain settings, such as in the beams of a heritage property, wood can also be used for high impact finishes where it needs to be flawlessly smooth. Front doors are one such example where a high wood finish can make a real statement, particularly when overcoated with a high gloss paint. To achieve this look, the wood needs to be rid of any imperfections and the best way to do this is with a fine finishing filler.

How to do it

Mark Warneke, Toupret’s Technical Manager, outlines how to carry out the work with the help of Toupret Fine Finish Wood Filler, a product designed to create the ultimate finish to all interior and exterior wood.

“First, prepare the surface as you usually would, sanding back the wood and ensuring that it is hard, cohesive, clean, sound and dry. If the wood is damp, treat it with a product such as Toupret’s Wood Hardener, and use a wood repair filler, if needed, to fill any deeper cracks and gaps or to shape and repair any broken or damaged sections. Don’t worry about very small defects and pitting as these will be covered by the product anyway.

“Once dry, or if the wood is already in good condition, prime the surface with paint and let it dry.

“Next, with a filling knife (or blade for larger areas), apply Fine Finish Wood Filler to the surface and smooth it out across the wood so that you’re applying a layer no thicker than 1mm. 450g should cover 1m².”

Fine Finish Wood Filler is a fast-drying product and is compatible with all paints and coatings, meaning you can apply your desired topcoat just an hour later, and with a gloss paint, the effect once dry is a true mirror-finish.

What makes Fine Finish Wood Filler so suited to this type of work is not only that it is fast drying, and able to achieve a finish that looks like glass, but that it can be used both inside and out and is also flexible. And as wood is a living material that expands and contracts with changes in temperature, this means your finish is more resistant to cracking.

Bringing wood back to life with smart filling and finishing solutions

Building Products Index Ltd May 30, 2024 Filler, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

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Wood is an essential material in construction and decoration and comes in many hard and soft species, used for a variety of different purposes, indoors and out. Much like other materials, it needs to be maintained and, from time to time, repaired. As a versatile and multifunctional material, it’s important to find the right solution to not just repair wood, but to restore it.

Wooden surfaces can be more susceptible to degradation as they are used for hard-wearing functions and in areas prone to erosion such as on balustrades, window frames, decking, fencing, skirting boards and doors. They are also open to the elements when used outside.

For some repairs, cutting out or replacing entire lengths of wood may be necessary, but for the more common holes, cracks and general wear and tear, a filler is the optimal solution. Wood fillers are commonplace but are not universal in their restorative properties. Some can be used for deep fills, others for quick repairs and there are many different features and benefits to look out for.

Repair carried out with Toupret Wood Repair Filler

To find the right filler to really bring life back to a wooden material, it’s first important to assess the project you’re working on. Will you be working inside or out? Is the surface condition hard, cohesive, clean, sound and dry? What kind of finish are you looking for, and what kind of job are you carrying out? Knowing the answers to these questions will allow you to identify the products you need.

Finding the right product for the job is what Toupret is all about. The brand recently launched an extended range of fillers for repairing and restoring wood which includes a white and off-white version of their popular Wood Repair Filler and Wood Filler products, already available in a natural wood colour, as well as a brand-new product designed to create the ultimate finish to wood surfaces: Fine Finish Wood Filler.

Toupret’s Wood Repair Filler is the company’s 21^st Century take on a 2-part filler, with several advantages over the heritage 2-part system. It has a longer working time of around 30 minutes (great for perfecting tricky fill, repair and shaping jobs without rushing), is quick drying, can be ready to paint in 3 hours, doesn’t flash, is as durable as a 2-part and can take drilling & screwing, yet it’s very easy to sand. It has almost no odour, so is convenient for use on jobs indoors as well as outside. It can also be used for repairs without the need for formwork, and you can get your tools clean afterwards with just water, rather than using solvents.

Toupret’s Wood Filler is a ready to use product, perfect for small repair jobs that need to be completed quickly, without compromising on the finish, and the all-new Fine Finish Wood Filler is an extra fine smoothing filler that’s designed to improve the finish on primed wood surfaces, inside and out, lifting the aspect of final paintwork. The product is ideal for covering small defects, is flexible and fast drying.

Toupret’s range of products for wooden surfaces is completed with Wood Hardener, a deep penetrating water-based hardener for toughening rotten wood before filling or overcoating, as well as Glazing Putty, a long-lasting product, compatible with all paints and coatings that will not smear glazing and doesn’t stick to your hands.