Can You Screw Into Wood Filler?
Wood filler is one of the most popular ways to mend a crack in old wooden furniture, and it also can hide nail holes in a pinch. It’s used to help create a seamless look for your home. However, things get dicey after that. Wood filler is not wood. So, that leaves a lot of questioning to do. For example, is it possible to screw into wood filler?
If the screw is just going to graze a small amount of filler, you should be fine screwing into wood filler. Unfortunately, deeper screws and threaded screws do not do well with wood filler. A better option would be to drill out the filler and use a dowel to get the fastening done.
Wood filler is great for superficial repairs but they are not meant to be a full substitute for wood. Get my drift? It’s time to take a closer look into this material.
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Can You Screw Into Wood Filler?
Yes and no. If you have a light, small screw that is not going to be holding much of anything, then you should be able to screw into wood filler without too much of an issue. The problem comes when you have a threaded screw or a screw that you need to be able to bear weight.
Why Is Screwing Into Wood Filler A Bad Idea?
Wood filler might look and feel like wood, but it’s not wood. Its makeup is far lighter and rather brittle. As a result, any holes that are screwed into wood filler will not be able to bear weight. This means that installing a TV over wood filler may result in a broken TV, if not a sudden fall from the bracket.
Moreover, wood filler is also fairly hard, even though it’s brittle. Many people have drilled into it, only to find that they’ve broken the very screws they wanted to put in there.
Do You Always Have To Avoid Screwing Into Wood Filler?
You don’t have to avoid it, but it’s just not a good idea in most cases. A good rule of thumb is that you should not screw into wood filler if you can avoid it. It’s often better to assume that wood filler is best treated like a paper-thin wall that can only hold a thumbtack.
So, if you just want to drill something in so you have a cute place to hang a kitchen towel, drilling through wood filler is going to be fine. If you want to screw a bracket that will hold those fancy speakers you just bought, it could be a bit worse.
What Should You Do If You Need To Bear Weight Near Wood Filler?
This is a tough question, simply because there are a lot of problems with trying to drill through filler. However, that doesn’t mean all is lost. You can still find a way to get the weight-bearing you need through the use of these choices below:
- Move the screw area to a part of your wall that doesn’t involve filler. This is usually doable if you are trying to hang up a picture or get a small light hung up on your wall. It’s smarter than trying to break a self-screwing screw on your wall!
- Consider adding additional supports to the item that you are trying to screw into the filler. Sometimes, having multiple support beams or adding an extra bracket can help reduce the risk of damage to the wood area. Of course, this all depends on the kind of project that you are working with. Use your judgment here.
- Install the item of your choosing on a wall stud. If you can drill through the filler into the stud, then you don’t actually have that much of an issue as long as you can reinforce the area around the drill holes. Make sure you use a string drill and use a starter hole for this.
- Consider moving the item to a different corner of your home if you are installing near a wall. If you are very skittish about the filler harming structural integrity, you may want to avoid areas with filler altogether. With that said, this is not really necessary in most cases.
- Use a dowel instead. If you are trying to get a screw to put two pieces of wood together, use a dowel with ample amounts of wood glue instead. The strength of the dowel will act as a joiner for the two pieces of wood, all while giving you the strength you need to bear weight.
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Related Questions
What is wood filler made from, anyway?
Wood filler is actually pretty simple in terms of its composition. It is generally a mixture of epoxy (or clay, or resin, or lacquer) with sawdust, plus a dash of coloring to help match the color of the wood you have already. Sawdust is the number one ingredient, which is why it has such a similar look and feel to wood when it is added to a home’s furniture.
Why can’t wood filler hold a high level of weight?
Wood filler might be a very hard substance thanks to the epoxy added to its recipe, but that doesn’t mean it can hold a door hinge or anything like that. Though it’s hard, the problem with wood filler is that it can be brittle and prone to cracking. Putting too much weight on the filler will make it likely to crack.That crack turns into crumbling. And, eventually, crumbling turns into collapse. Friends don’t let friends try to hold weight on epoxy. Okay kids?
Which is more expandable, wood filler or wood putty?
Wood filler does have some flexibility, but it is nowhere near as expandable as putty. Putty is actually made to expand and contract. Filler simply isn’t, and will break if you keep bending it. If you want to avoid brittleness, go for wood putty. Its soft, almost clay-like surface is going to be able to absorb a lot more stress.
Ossiana Tepfenhart is an expert writer, focusing on interior design and general home tips. Writing is her life, and it's what she does best. Her interests include art and real estate investments.
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