Durham’s® is a great wood filler product for most home improvement projects – but
because our product is not waterproof, you must take certain precautions when you
plan on using Durham’s outdoors. With some knowledge and prep work – Durham’s can
be an effective exterior wood filler. Durham’s is an expanding wood filler – it slightly
expands as it dries which is that give it the ability to stick and stay put. Durhams is a
heavy duty wood filler that dries Rock Hard®.
Check out tips below for information on using Durham’s Water Putty on outside work.
Durham’s repair patches must be kept sealed:
Durham’s should only be used in areas that can be fully sealed from the elements with a
paint or sealant. Do not use Durham’s on deck or porch floors. Durham’s is not
waterproof and will absorb moisture from between boards and underneath a deck or
porch. Also, when there is movement between floor joints or floor boards or expansion
and contraction – it would not be advised to apply Durham’s as a wooden floor joint
filler. Moisture in the putty will cause it to break or crack and eventually the putty repair
will come lose. Moisture in putty will also cause any paint layer to crack or peel away
from your repair exposing it to weather elements further.
Paint vs stain:
Durham’s does not absorb stain – so any repair patch much be painted and not stained.
You can tint your repair putty with water based stain while mixing putty to achieve a
color match. Any material mixed with Durham’s Water putty must be water-based as
putty may not harden if mixed with oil-based materials. We have had some luck with
using water-based stains – but not all are compatible. If you choose to try a water-based
stain, we recommend testing to ensure that putty will accept your water based stain.
Paint continues to peel:
If you are having troubles with paint sticking to your repair, it is likely that you have an
issue with moisture. Your repair patch is either not completely dried, or your area is
getting damp from absorbing moisture. When making large repairs, we recommend that
you fill the void in layers of about ¼” at a time to ensure that each layer has enough
time to dry between layers. The larger surface area you have exposed, the quicker your repair will dry. If you repaired a deep void at one time, it could take many days for your
putty to completely dry. If you cannot determine why your paint is still peeling,
sometimes a patch can be sealed using a thin coating of clear glue (interior/exterior),
use shellac, a clear epoxy filler or an exterior polyurethane and then painting over that.
Temperature during application:
Durham’s must be applied when temperatures are above freezing and must stay above
freezing while your repair dries thoroughly. For optimum drying, putty should be applied
in temperatures of 50 degrees Fahrenheit or above. The lower the temperature, the
slower it will take to dry. Durham’s will not have good strength until is has cured
completely. Also – when temperatures are hot, keep in mind that thick mixtures of putty
on a hot dry day will give you shorter working time.
By keeping your repair area sealed, your Durham’s repair should last for many years!
Customers have used Durham’s to repair and fill holes in siding and other areas
outdoors for years with success – but keeping Durham’s sealed is vital for the success
of your repair!
