Durham’s® Rock Hard® Water Putty is a must have for carpenters, woodworkers, DIYers, and homeowners looking for a high-quality product for home repair. Why is it the go-to repair product for so many? Durham’s Wood putty is an extremely versatile and economical solution for wood repairs of all kinds.
Can You Stain Durham’s Putty?
Durham’s Rock Hard Water Putty does what it says – it dries Rock Hard which is the reason it will not take stain; it does not absorb oil-based materials. Keep in mind – Durham’s Water Putty is NOT wood; therefore, it will not react the same as wood. We have seen some people try a water-based stain, but I would caution you to test this first before applying to your project.
Durham’s Wood Putty has a yellow tint to it, and since it acts differently than wood, it is also going to absorb water-based stain differently, so it will not look the same on wood as it does on putty.
How do I get wood putty to match the woodwork that I am trying to repair? Even though Durham’s Water Putty does not absorb stain after it is dry – you can mix in the stain when it is still in putty form. Since Durham’s Water Putty is a powder-based wood filler, it allows you to color the putty for your specific needs when you are mixing.
How to Color Durham’s Putty
You can add water-based stain to your mixture, or you can also add water-based paint to the mixture. To find the exact color match solution, it may require trial and error. We recommend that you test a small batch of putty to ensure the color will match after cured.
For light-colored wood like pine, we have found that adding a bit of white paint to the wood putty mixture works well for blending repair areas. Be sure when selecting the stain and paint products to mix into your putty that you go with water-based paints. Oil-based stains or paints may prevent Durham’s from curing correctly and may not harden.
Final Thoughts
Yes, it is possible to color your Durham’s Putty! Durham’s will not absorb oil-based stain, so make sure you are using water-based materials, whether it’s paint or stain.
Be aware that the color of your water-based stain in your putty might differ to how it looks on wood so to get the perfect color, add your water-based stain or paint to your putty mixture and use a test patch to make sure it matches.
