How to Use Sawdust & Glue for Wood Filler

Wood filler is a putty-type substance that is used to fill in gaps, gouges and holes in wood. Commonly used for woodworking projects or for home improvement tasks, wood filler is available commercially in a wide variety of colors and can easily be found in the hardware section of most department stores. However, when a trip to the store is inconvenient, when you cannot seem to find store bought putty in the right color, or when only a small amount of filler is needed, you may want to simply make your own.

• 1

  Collect a handful of fine sawdust. Use sawdust from the wood you are working with to ensure a precise color match. Make use of sawdust from sanding if possible, as this has very small grains. If this is not possible, be sure to remove any large wood particles from the portion you've gathered.

• 2

  Place the sawdust on a spare piece of plastic or cardboard or a small square of aluminum foil.

• 3

  Add a small amount of white glue to the sawdust. Mix the glue in gradually, thoroughly blending the two substances with your hands prior to adding more. When the mixture is the consistency of thick paste, stop adding glue.

• 4

  Push the wood filler into the gap, hole or gouge with a putty knife or popsicle stick. Once the damaged area has been filled, smooth the surface of the putty, scraping off as much extra material as possible in the process.

• 5

  Allow the wood filler to dry completely and then sand it gently with fine grit sandpaper creating a flat, even surface.