Cleaning up after you use Durham

Cleaning up after you use Durham’s Rock Hard Water Putty is so important to the success of your project.  Keep in mind – Durham’s dries Rock Hard – so if proper clean-up is NOT followed, you may have some difficulty removing dried putty.  

When applying Durham’s, you will want to work as cleanly as possible.  We recommend to smooth off putty as much as you can to help eliminate the amount of product you will have to sand after it has completed drying.  When filling a void in wood or other surfaces, we recommend leaving the putty a bit proud so you can sand to a smooth finish on your surface. When using putty as a wood filler for smaller holes such as nail holes, you will want to level putty off as much as you can.  Durham’s Water Putty will not shrink.  It actually expands slightly as it dries which gives it the ability to stick and stay put in the repair area. Durham’s is not just a wood putty, it can also be used to patch plaster, drywall, concrete, or used in crafts to repair furniture, create or repair statues, as well as tile mosaics and sand sculptures. The possibilities are endless! 

After mixing and applying Durham’s, it is recommended that you remove any putty from your tools and mixing container while putty is in its putty form. Paper towels can be used to wipe off your putty knife and remove from your mixing container.  When most putty has been removed, you can rinse off with water.  It is best to avoid rinsing off in a sink to prevent putty from hardening in your plumbing.  

If your putty has hardened, you may soak in water or vinegar which may help loosen the putty.  Unfortunately, the best method to remove hardened putty may be via chisel or other mechanical methods such as a rotary power tool.