Repair Rotted Wood |
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Wood, especially exterior wood trim molding, can become saturated with water and rot in isolated spots. To save the cost and work of replacement try to repair this damage with a car body filler like Bondo®. This is a two part putty which when mixed, will set to a rock–hard patch. Before you start make sure the wood is completely dry. Start the repair by digging all soft, rotted wood from the affected area. Remove all debris and saturate the edges of the damaged area with a prime/sealer and let it dry for an hour or more. Build a form around the damaged area using small pieces of thin plywood or similar material. Mix enough Bondo to fill the patch area following the label directions. Once the filler is mixed, work quickly to fill the patch before it can set. For deep fills pour the putty and float it out with a putty knife or similar tool. For shallow areas use a putty knife to "butter" the filler into the damaged wood. On vertical surfaces the filler will run off and must be held in place with a piece of plywood. It sets in a few minutes so it is possible to hold the mold in place with your hand if necessary. As soon as the filler has set, remove the form and use a paint scraper or heavy 80 grit sandpaper to remove any excess and shape it into the surrounding surface. Use a sanding block to keep trim molding surfaces flat and square. After the excess filler is cut down, smooth the surface with a finer sandpaper such as medium 120 grit. This must be done in the first few minutes. After that the filler will become too hard to sand by hand. Prime the patch with an alkyd–based exterior primer on exterior wood and latex inside. Let the alkyd dry for 24 hours and latex about 2. | |
