How to Repair Rotten Wood

Ask Danny, Carpentry, Repairs and Installation by Danny Lipford

The top board in our bench has a couple of spots of dry rot. We can’t change the board at this time and would really appreciate your home remedy.
- Denny and Danna

Auto body filler works great for repairing rotten spots in wood since it hardens in a matter of minutes and can be used to fill large areas.

Start by using a chisel to remove the rotten wood. If the hole is large, drive a few nails or screws below the finished surface to give the filler something to grab onto. Next, mix up a batch of filler, and apply it to the hole following the safety instructions on the can. It sets quickly, so don’t mix up more than you can use in a minute or two. Once the filler has set for a few minutes—but before it has time to get really hard—use a sharp chisel or hand plane to remove any excess, then sand it smooth and finish.

Danny

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One Comment on “How to Repair Rotten Wood”

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  1. nathaniel shofner Says:
    June 29th, 2008 at 22:39

    we resent had some foundation repair done on

    our small frame church building.they tried

    but could not fix a bump and a 2″ dip in the

    entry area of sub-floor out of fear of damag-

    ng a main support beam. how this be fixed.

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