What to use to fill nail holes in cabs

12 years ago

Hi all and thanks in advance for your help.

My kitchen cabinets are in. They're painted maple with a cream base and raw umber glaze. Very nice and I'm very happy with them. However, my installer (don't get me started) apparently did not feel the need to caulk the nail holes. He did suggest that "I" could use caulk. I assume he meant that acrylic stuff in a tube that the trim guy (LOVE him) used to fill his nail holes, but my painter rolled his eyes and said I should use colored wood fill. OK, love him, too, but I can't find colored wood fill in anything other than wood tones or pure white.

Am I over thinking this? What did you use?

PS -- I know I have to use my touch up paint and glaze when I'm done.

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Comments (9)

lovetorenovate
12 years ago
colored caulk would probably be best. wood fill is good for things than need to be sanded after. you should be able to find some near grout at the big box stores. it comes in several shades (typically matching grout colors). if it's just nail holes - you can probably get away without painting after, this worked for our cabinet guys on our last renovation.
robbcs3
12 years ago
Every kitchen should come with a touch up kit. It not free, but a necessary item for any kitchen install. This includes a little paint/ stain and matching putty for nail holes. It may also include other items depending on manufacturer. If you did not receive one, I would find out about getting one, it will help over the years as well.
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User
12 years ago
Do NOT use caulk! It can get to be rubbery and nasty over time and will attract dirt. You want the "fill stick" that comes in a touch up kit. The kit sometimes comes free with some lines, but most of the time it needs to be ordered extra.
plllog
12 years ago
There's also wood dough. It's stuff that's made for filling wood.
lolab
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks all -- guess I should have mentioned that I had the cabinets custom made, so there was no manufacturer's touch up kit -- just a Snapple bottle of paint and another of glaze. Funny, when I asked the cabinet guy what to use, he said no one has ever asked him that before -- in 25 years!!! I also had to ask twice to get the extra paint and glaze, since apparently no one ever asked for those either.

Live wire oak, that's what I thought about the caulk, too, and once it's in, it's not comin' out.

Anyone else care to weigh in?

I may also cross post this under Building a new home.
Heatherash8210
12 years ago
I would recommend using wood filler. You can get either brown or white filler which comes in a tube. I'm not sure if all types are paintable but I think they are. Its very easy to apply and juat give a lite sand/wipe to smooth out and wa la. very easy.

good luck
Jumpilotmdm
12 years ago
No one ever asked him for touch up or nail filler. He's lying.
The bottle of paint can be mixed with caulk in small batches to make an approximation of the filler color. Be prepared to need more than one application as caulk does shrink and use several rags/towels when applying. Also do not mix them if they are not both the same base [oil vs. water] You should be able to tell be the smell.
catbuilder
12 years ago
Do not use caulk! The best product to use is FastCap soft wax filler. You can blend the colors to get exactly what you need. You shouldn't need to paint and glaze, then.
formerlyflorantha
12 years ago
We have red oak unstained cabs. We bought two or three or four of the mass-produced touchup wax(?) pencils and little color pots in close but not matching colors, which pick up the varieties of color in our wood. DH had a great time mottling the colors and pushing the marbled mix into the holes. Much better than a uniform close-but-no-cigar color in the nail holes.