Do you have furniture cracks, grooved floorings, and dented window frames at home? You know fixing these things require time, effort, and a few bucks from your pocket. Good thing there’s the stainable wood filler to give you a budget-wise solution. 
If you don’t have any idea on how to choose the best wood filler, then you’ve come to the right place.
Here, we’re going to show you how to choose the right filler and the important things you need to look for this product. Likewise, to save you some time, we also included an in-depth review for the top 10 best stainable wood filler for 2020.
Best Stainable Wood Filler Reviews 2022
Elmer’s E887Q Stainable Wood Filler
[amazon box=”B001T4YU7K”]
Tools included:
- Volume: 3.25 oz
- Solvent: Solvent-free
- Indoor/Outdoor: Both
- Shrinking & Cracking Resistant: Yes
- Dry time: Quick
- Sands easily: Yes
- Clean Up: Easy with water
| pros | cons |
| • Quick dry | • Need to secure tube sealing for it dries quickly |
| • Easy clean up with water | ? |
| • Effectively fills gaps and cracks | ? |
This really works well in filling deadbolt boreholes, cracks, gaps, and reinforce screw holes. It dries quickly and you can sander or drill it after drying. If you want to paint it, better use a primer first before painting. The color is like pine with some dark granules.
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Minwax 42853000 Stainable Wood Filler
[amazon box=”B000KKMZRG”]
Tools included:
- Volume: 16 oz
- Solvent: Oil & Water
- Indoor/Outdoor: Both
- Shrinking & Cracking Resistant: Yes
- Dry time: Quick
- Sands easily: Yes
- Clean Up: Oil/Water
| pros | cons |
| • Lasts longer | • Hardens maybe too quickly |
| • Take stains better | ? |
| • Completely fills rotten wood parts | ? |
This perfectly fills rotten wood parts and don’t resist stain. You can place some screws on the part to be filled to give extra anchor for the filler. No worries, the screw heads will be covered by the filler. After applying the filler, it hardens around 3-5 minutes. Apply light sanding to smoothen surfaces. Sanded fillers take stain better than unsanded ones. You can use the Minwax Dark Walnut 2716 stain.
[amazon fields=”B000KKMZRG” value=”button”]
Elmer’s E914 Carpenter’s Color Change Wood Filler
Tools included:
- Volume: 16 oz
- Solvent: Solvent-free
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor
- Shrinking & Cracking Resistant: Yes
- Dry time: Quick
- Sands easily: Yes
- Clean Up: Easy with water
| pros | cons |
| • Toxic-free, solvent-free | • Doesn’t contain much wood fiber |
| • Easy clean up with water | ? |
| • Naturally dries with color change | ? |
| • Good fill for holes, gouges and cracks | ? |
This is a good choice to fill scratches, gouges, and holes in your wood surfaces. It has a natural drying action with a color change to indicate it’s ready to be sanded, stained or painted. Initial color is vibrant purple then changes when drying naturally until it becomes pink or matte white. This is intended for indoor use, toxic-free, and solvent-free.
Elmer’s E855 Carpenter’s Wood Filler, 3.25-Ounce Tube, White
Tools included:
- Volume: 3.25 oz
- Solvent: Solvent-free
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor
- Shrinking & Cracking Resistant: Yes
- Dry time: Quick
- Sands easily: Yes
- Clean Up: Easy with water
| pros | cons |
| • Stainable and paintable | • Secure opening to prevent the filler from hardening |
| • Easy clean up with water | ? |
| • Easy to apply and quick dry | ? |
It goes onto any gaps or cracks and sticks nicely and dries fast. A little sanding gives a near-perfect patch look. You can paint it over when dried if you like. Put a drop of water in the lid before closing it to prevent any clog up. The filler looks lighter upon application but gets darker after drying. A little sanding and some polyurethane as topcoat get the job done.
J-B Weld 8257 KwikWood Wood Repair Epoxy Putty Stick
Tools included:
- Volume: 1 oz
- Solvent: Solvent-free
- Indoor/Outdoor: Both
- Shrinking & Cracking Resistant: Yes
- Dry time: Sets in 15-25 minutes, 1-hour curing for the light tan color
- Sands easily: Yes
- Clean Up: N/A
| pros | cons |
| • Really easy to use | • Doesn’t take many stains |
| • Dries quickly and strong bond | ? |
| • No strong smell and solvent-free | ? |
This is an epoxy stick which requires the correct ratio. You need to cut a portion to be used with a knife and use it within 5-10 minutes or else it hardens. Allow 1 hour curing time before sanding or applying any stress on the applied portion. It’s really good for basic repairs for the bond is strong after the curing period. Easy to use and solvent-free.
Famowood, Red Oak 40022134 Latex Wood Filler-Pint
Tools included:
- Volume: 1 pint
- Solvent: Solvent-free
- Indoor/Outdoor: Both
- Shrinking & Cracking Resistant: Yes
- Dry time: 15 mins
- Sands easily: Yes
- Clean Up: Easy clean with water
| pros | cons |
| • Easy to apply | • Slightly pricey but worth it |
| • Stainable/Paintable | ? |
| • No strong harmful odor | ? |
| • Easy clean up with water | ? |
This filler is easy to use, dries in 15 minutes and can be smooth or rough finished. You can do rough finish with taping knife before sanding to avoid clog-ups. It has a very good color match with red oak strip flooring. There’s a slight odor but not harmful nor disturbing. It’s a good filler for nail holes, dents, gaps, and rotted wood parts.
Donald Durhams 076694000015 1-Pound Rockhard Water Putty
Tools included:
- Volume: 1-lb
- Solvent: Water
- Indoor/Outdoor: Both
- Shrinking & Cracking Resistant: Yes
- Dry time: Quick
- Sands easily: Yes
- Clean Up: Easy with water
| pros | cons |
| • Easy to apply | • Too much amount applied will be difficult for sanding |
| • Quick drying time | ? |
| • Affordable and good quality filler | ? |
If you usually use adhesives and epoxy fillers, this stuff is a good choice to have. First, mix this product with resin/hardener until you have reached desired thickness. After, do the regular application process when using epoxy in filling holes, bonding surfaces, and filling gaps or cracks. Remember not to overfill the area to be applied as this will be difficult for sanding later on.
Dap 21506 Plastic Wood Filler, 16-Ounce
Tools included:
- Volume: 16 oz
- Solvent: Acetone or lacquer thinner
- Indoor/Outdoor: Both
- Shrinking & Cracking Resistant: Yes
- Dry time: Quick
- Sands easily: Yes
- Clean Up: Easy with water
| pros | cons |
| • Strong and quick dry | • Slightly needs more patience when using it |
| • Gives that natural fiber look | ? |
| • Can withstand temperature and humidity changes | ? |
This filler is solvent-based that uses acetone or lacquer thinner solvents. You need to slowly add solvent until you get the right viscosity for the application. It’s both suitable for indoor and outdoor applications. It can withstand temperature and humidity fluctuations and other outside changes. You can also apply water or oil-based paints for the hardened surface.
Abatron WoodEpox Epoxy Wood Replacement Compound
Tools included:
- Volume: 2 pints
- Solvent: N/A
- Indoor/Outdoor: Both
- Shrinking & Cracking Resistant: Yes
- Dry time: Quick
- Sands easily: Yes
- Clean Up:
| pros | cons |
| • Easy to use and apply | • Slightly slides off when applied to clean dry wood |
| • Strong bonding to surfaces | ? |
| • Perfectly holds paint and dries tan | ? |
This product is an epoxy-based solid system where the mixing ratio for the 2 parts is 1:1 by volume. It’s a white powder but dark brown and light pine wood-epoxy are also available. You need to mix the 2 parts at 1:1 ratio and it forms a wet sand consistency which you can mold in various shapes. It sticks very well to any wood surfaces. Apply like a regular putty and let it cure. You can sand it after curing to get a smoother look.
Bondo All-Purpose Putty, Designed for Interior and Exterior Home Use
Tools included:
- Volume: 1.9 lbs
- Solvent: Solvent-free
- Indoor/Outdoor: Both
- Shrinking & Cracking Resistant: Yes
- Dry time: 15 minutes
- Sands easily: Yes
- Clean Up:
| pros | cons |
| • Easy to prepare and apply | • Quick drying time, need to be really cautious |
| • Good for large and deep repairs | ? |
| • Little shrinkage | ? |
This filler works the same way as the Bondo plastic filler in repairing autobody. It comes with a red hardener when mixed with the beige Bondo, it turns to salmon color. The curing time is dependent on the amount of hardener mixed. Apply a small amount of hardener to have more time mixing and applying onto the surface.
It’s really good for larger repairs and other stuff such as hiding countersunk lag bolts. This product is easy to prepare and the amount to be applied depends on the repair. A quarter inch thickness dries in less than one hour which can be sanded directly. There’s very little shrinkage so better do multiple applications when dealing with deep cracks.
Buyer Guide
Things we need to know
Below are some of the important things you need to know and look for when choosing the best wood filler.
1. Wood Filler Types
Cellulose-Based
- Composed of binders and wood fibers
- Available as dry formula, premixed solvents, and water solutions
- Dry formula: longer shelf-life
- Premixed solvents: Quick-dry
Gypsum-Based
- Used for furniture repairs
- Made from crystalline mineral powder
- Indoor applications only, not waterproof
Vinyl-Based
- Waterproof
- Uses emulsion as a binder
- Lightweight, fluffy, and easy to use
- Dries quickly if applied in thin coats
- Made of calcium carbonate and polyvinyl dispersion
Epoxies
- Moisture-resistant
- Contains petroleum contents
- Also works as a wood adhesive
- Strong binding on any wood types
- Cannot be stained but can be modified by sanding or drilling before it dries
2. Interior or Exterior applications
Fillers for indoor applications don’t require solvents and free from any strong odor. They’re more friendly and safe for people inside your home. Likewise, it doesn’t need to be waterproof unlike the ones used outside the house.
In contrast, fillers for external applications must be stronger and resistant to the outside environment. They have strong binding action and waterproof abilities to withstand environmental changes. Typically have a strong odor due to its solvent.
3. Drying time
All products have different drying time. Typically, fillers dry around 10-15 minutes. You can also read the product label to know how long it takes to dry.
4. Environment-friendly
To help save the environment, you can choose fillers that contain environment-friendly ingredients and don’t use solvents with strong odors.
5. Clean Up
It’s always the clean up after usage which adds the burden for the user. Most water-based fillers are easy to clean with a soap-water solution. In contrast, nonwater-based types require a specific solvent in order to remove excess coatings on the surface.
