Any piece of wood exposed to the elements will eventually rot. It doesn’t matter if it is white pine or pressure treated and paints and stains will only delay the eventual decay.
If the item is relatively inexpensive you can just replace it but in this case the decorative post found outside our front door is starting to see problems. These posts can cost a good amount of money but whats even worse is they are difficult to replace after the aluminum flashing and vinyl siding has been put on. If for some reason you need to replace the whole thing then you will be getting yourself into a pretty big job replacing the flashing that covers the beam and you may even need to call in the help of a siding mechanic to bend the flashing for you.
Here the damage is pretty light. The bottom corner is beginning to rot but because this post is not structural and the area is small we can make a patch and have it looking like new in just over an hour.
If the damage was more extensive or structural we could cut out a section of the wood and replace it or we could cut off the bottom 6 or 8 inches of the post and replace it. If you need to cut the bottom of your post off then you may need to support the roof or beam section that rests on the top of it.
You will need to buy 2×4 studs long enough that they can be forced under the beam to lift the weight off your post but remember to take a measurement before you install the support studs.
This repair procedure can be used in many places around the home including fireplace mantels, moldings, doors and other items where the repair is not structural. The repair should last a few years outside and many more years inside but it is not permanent. Even though body filler is a plastic material you may find that it will bubble and need to be repaired sooner if it is exposed to a high water area.
Things you will need for this job include:
Auto Body Filler
Matching Paint
Disc Sander
Sandpaper
Awl / Screwdriver
Chisel
Paint Scraper
Newspaper
Heat Gun
Lets Get Started
The first thing you need to do is find out how much wood is bad. If you think large sections are bad then install the support studs first for safety.
Using an awl or screwdriver poke the wood lightly, any rot will be soft and easy to remove. You can also use a paint scraper or chisel to remove deeper areas. Keep going until you have removed all of the damage.
Keep the area rough so the body filler will get a good grip on the wood.
The wood must be completely dry. If it is wet you may need to leave it exposed to the sun until it drys or use a heat gun to dry the area. Body filler and wet wood won’t make a good bond.
Mix a little more filler then you think you will need by scooping out fresh filler onto a mixing board with a putty knife. ALWAYS use a clean putty knife when you go back into the can of filler. Never go back into the can once you have started mixing.
You will need to use the appropriate amount of red hardener to activate the body filler. The amount of hardener in the tube is just enough to activate the whole can of filler.
The amount of hardener you use is proportionate to the amount of filler you are mixing. If you are mixing half the can then use half the tube. if you are mixing 1/4 of the can use 1/4 of the tube of hardener. For smaller amounts you just kind of have to guess but it is better to use a little more hardener then not enough.
You want to make sure that you see a color change from gray to pink. After you have mixed a few batches you will understand the right color to allow a good working time.
If you add too much you just need to work faster when you apply the filler to the damaged area.
Filler will stay workable for about 10 minutes. Once you feel the filler begin to stiffen you should disgard it and mix a new batch.
Filler needs to be smooth when applied and as it hardens it will change from a smooth peanut butter texture to chunky peanut butter. This will make it difficult to get good results and you may end up with air pockets which isn’t good.
It will take a good half hour for the filler to harden to the point you can begin sanding it.
Larger areas can be worked with a cheese grater type file made just for body filler.
A 40 to 80 grit sandpaper will allow you to form and level the filler with the surrounding area.
Final hand sanding will provide a sharp corner and level the filler with the rest of the post.
A chisel can be used to cleanup areas and to duplicate details.
The chisel should be sharp enough that you don’t need to use a hammer,
Hammering with a chisel will weaken the bond on the inside between the filler and the wood and cause your repair to fail.
Once you are happy with your repair you can give it a coat of latex paint. You can apply it slightly heavy around the repair to hide the seam between the wood and the filler with brush strokes.
On our project the repair was very simple. The corner and surfaces were flat and didn’t require a lot of working. Your project may require more work but the steps are the same.
Make sure all of the damaged wood is removed.
Make sure the remaining wood is dry.
Apply the filler and shape it with an electric sander then hand sand for a finished surface.
Apply a good latex paint just like you would if you were painting bare wood.
Body filler can be use to make repairs on many products other then your car and because it is relatively inexpensive and stable it will last for a long time.
Remember when applying filler the surface needs to be clean dry and should not be smooth. Whether you are working on wood or metal you should prepare the area with a 40 or 80 grit sandpaper to provide good adhesion.
Body filler should not be use in thicknesses of more then about a half inch. If you are repairing a crack that is 1/4 inch wide and a inch deep that is fine.
If the item you are repairing requires more then this you should add a piece of wood or maybe use fiberglass filler as a base then apply a thin coat of body filler as the final surface.
The YouRepair Store carries all the tools you need to complete a wood restoration project.