Finding the right wood filler for screw holes is hard, but not as hard as discovering a screw hole. At that moment alone, you experience all the stages of grief. Should you cover it with a massive ornament? Or would you sell the entire house completely?
The discomfort is real. But you’re here because you’ve heard of excellent hardwood gap fillers, and you’re down to try them out. Luckily, I’ve found a traumatizing number of annoying screw holes in my life and tried an even scarier number of wood fillers. So, I know the best fillers for different kinds of screw holes in wood surfaces.
Read on as we explore my experience with the best wood fillers for screw holes, their perks and downsides, and why I recommend them.
My Top Rated List for The Best Wood Filler for Screw Holes
Each time I found screw holes, they were a bit different from the last. So, when I searched for fillers, I needed them to be interior, durable, versatile, and even cost-friendly.
Here’s is best wood filler for screw holes in each category:
| Product Image | Product Name | SimpleWoodWorking Rating | The Fun Bits | The Not-so-fun Bits | Link |
 | The Elmer’s E914 Carpenter’s Color Change Wood Filler | Best for Indoors | – It dried relatively quickly, making it perfect for small, quick projects – The filler’s consistency is smooth and not crumbly | – It didn’t take the stain very well, but it seemed to need a much darker shade – The wood filler’s consistency hints that it wouldn’t do well for cracks deeper than 3 inches. | Check Price Here |
 | Gorilla All-purpose Wood Filler | Best for Durability | – For me and my mates who’ve used this product, it has proved sturdy and durable (my nephew’s roughhousing should have bullied that screw by now) – It is drillable, so you can replace the previous screw without damaging the wood surface – It dries fast. The recommended time is 2-6 hours, but mine was ready by the fifth – The variety of colors is convenient if you want to skip the staining | – The product was hard to remove from the tube (perhaps a bad batch?) | Check Price Here |
 | DAP 542 Series Natural Plastic Wood | Best for Versatility | – The product is food safe and suitable around the kitchen – The price is a great value for money – It employs DryDex technology to indicate when it fully dry | – The product dries out quickly, even from the air in the tub – The dried product could be better in terms of stain absorption | Check Price Here |
 | Minwax Color-matched Wood Filler | Best Under a Budge | – It dries fast – The product gives great value for the cost – The color variety allows you to fill wood gaps and skip the staining | – The colors seem to be an issue due to darkness. Go up color when ordering – The fillers penetrate the end grain of the wood and make it darker. So, consider sealing the wood before filling it. | Check Price Here |
 | J-B Weld Tan KwikWood Wood Repair Epoxy Putty | Best for Outdoors | – The filler holds well and withstands strain like wood – It takes stain well, making it versatile for different wood colors | – This filler wasn’t dry even after 24 hours. It would take 12 hours more, capping the drying time at 36 hours. | Check Price Here |
 | Elmer’s E891 Carpenter’s Stainable Wood Filler | Best Stainable | – The filler takes stain well, making it suitable for virtually any wood surface – Fresh from the tub, the product is easy to use. Beginners and experts can agree. | – The filler is better suited for interior use – It dries quickly, even from the air in the tub | Check Price Here |
 | COCONIX Wood Restore PRO Professional Floor & Furniture Repair Kit | Best for Flooring | – The color variety gives room for flexibility and adaptations. – When paired with a wood filler, unique flooring colors are no match | – On its own, it doesn’t do much for screw gaps. Instead, you must pair it with a convenient putty or paste | Check Price Here |
Best for Indoors: The Elmer’s E914 Carpenter’s Color Change Wood Filler
Hear me out: I knew to expect quality from Elmer’s because of the glue, but this wood filler bamboozled me. When I applied it to the screw hole, it went from purple to natural as it slowly dried. It was smooth sailing till I got some filler onto the edge of my wooden drawer, but with some water, the filler came right off.
Next came sanding, and the wood filler didn’t give issues, so I went in with the 220-grit sandpaper. Alas, the Elmer’s E914 Carpenter’s Color Change didn’t take stain very well. You’ll need a really dark stain to ensure the best results.
Overall, the drying process was quick, and the wood filler was sanded. The Elmer’s E914 Carpenter’s Color Change is designed as intended, and I tested it as such. You might not get the same results in an outdoor setting.
The Fun Bits
- It dried relatively quickly, making it perfect for small, quick projects
- The filler’s consistency is smooth and not crumbly
The Not-so-fun Bits
- It didn’t take the stain very well, but it seemed to need a much darker shade
- The wood filler’s consistency hints that it wouldn’t do well for cracks deeper than 3 inches.
Best for Durability: Gorilla All-purpose Wood Filler
Gorilla showed out with their Gorilla All-purpose Wood Filler. The package came in a 6-ounce package, with an option to order from the natural, golden oak, and walnut stains. Trust me; I quickly seized the opportunity to seal the screw holes in our old walnut crib.
The product’s consistency was thick, and when it had dried, there wasn’t any shrinking or cracking. We still wanted a screw in the putty, so I went in with my drill to fix the copper screw. It’s been a few months, and the drillable wood filler hasn’t come out of my young nephew’s crib.
The Gorilla All-purpose Wood Filler did give me some issues as I filled the gap because I struggled to get the product out of the tube. After a small hassle, I got it out, and it behaved normally for the rest of the process.
The Fun Bits
- For me and my mates who’ve used this product, it has proved sturdy and durable (my nephew’s roughhousing should have bullied that screw by now)
- It is drillable, so you can replace the previous screw without damaging the wood surface
- It dries fast. The recommended time is 2-6 hours, but mine was ready by the fifth
- The variety of colors is convenient if you want to skip the staining
The Not-so-fun Bits
- The product was hard to remove from the tube (perhaps a bad batch?)
Best for Versatility – DAP 542 Series Natural Plastic Wood
The DAP 542 Series Natural Plastic Wood is a pink 16 oz tub for filling holes in wood. When testing it out, I was dealing with a few large screw gaps in the kitchen door, so I needed a food-safe wood filler.
Using a syringe, I filled in the screw hole to ensure there were no spaces. Thankfully, The DAP 542 Series Natural Plastic Wood doesn’t have a strong smell, so the filler could dry without disturbing the kitchen. After drying for nearly 40 hours (recommended 36 hours), I sanded it down with my 180-grit sandpaper.
Since we have a honey maple kitchen door, I slathered on some wood stain and got it uniform (the wood filler is neutral when dry).
The Fun Bits
- The product is food safe and suitable around the kitchen
- The price is a great value for money
- It employs DryDex technology to indicate when it fully dry
The Not-so-fun Bits
- The product dries out quickly, even from the air in the tub
- The dried product could be better in terms of stain absorption
Best Under a Budget – Minwax Color-matched Wood Filler
When I ordered this product, I expected another Minwax high performance wood filler, and I wasn’t disappointed. The Minwax Color-matched Wood Filler is a 6-ounce tub available in five colors, including white and natural. And from the price-value ratio, it is the best wood filler for screw holes in the cost-effective category.
Its small size means it is better suited to small projects, like the annoying screw hole in our bookshelf. The product squeezed out pretty easily as I fed filler into the screw with a syringe.
I let it dry, and to my utter disbelief, it dried darker. But that was my error. Overall, the drying was pretty quick and hassle-free, except for some shrinking.
The Fun Bits
- It dries fast
- The product gives great value for the cost
- The color variety allows you to fill wood gaps and skip the staining
The Not-so-fun Bits
- The colors seem to be an issue due to darkness. Go up color when ordering
- The fillers penetrate the end grain of the wood and make it darker. So, consider sealing the wood before filling it.
Best for Outdoors – J-B Weld Tan KwikWood Wood Repair Epoxy Putty
I ordered the J-B Weld Tan KwikWood Wood Repair Epoxy Putty to seal the screw gap in our patio furniture. It is a putty-like consistency, so it required some kneading before I could apply it. The formula is a layer of two compounds that’ll mix and allow you to shape and use it.
I let it sit for a full day, but it needed 36 hours to fully harden. Luckily, after then, the J-B Weld Tan KwikWood Wood Repair Epoxy Putty was fully hardened and almost stonelike. After chiseling and sanding the excess, I had a seamless seal over the pesky screw hole.
Overall, the wood filler is structurally sound and compatible with stain. So, it is a great option for screw holes and outdoor wood construction projects.
The Fun Bits
- The filler holds well and withstands strain like wood
- It takes stain well, making it versatile for different wood colors
The Not-so-fun Bits
- This filler wasn’t dry even after 24 hours. It would take 12 hours more, capping the drying time at 36 hours.
Best Stainable – Elmer’s E891 Carpenter’s Stainable Wood Filler
The Elmer’s E891 Carpenter’s Stainable Wood Filler is the premium choice for wood owners who want to stain the filled screw hole. If your preferred filler has hard-to-source a wood color, then you might want to consider this stainable filler.
It comes in a 16-ounce tub that I found cost-effective. But I saw the real value after filling the screw hole. The Elmer’s E91 Carpenter’s Stainable Wood Filler responded well to my 180-grit, sanding off like dust instead of crumbling down.
It also absorbed my honey maple stain and blended in uniformly. I did, however, notice one downside – the product dried rather quickly. So, you might need to use it in a short time after purchase.
The Fun Bits
- The filler takes stain well, making it suitable for virtually any wood surface
- Fresh from the tub, the product is easy to use. Beginners and experts can agree.
The Not-so-fun Bits
- The filler is better suited for interior use
- It dries quickly, even from the air in the tub
Best for Flooring – COCONIX Wood Restore PRO Professional Floor & Furniture Repair Kit
The COCONIX Wood Restore Floor and Furniture Filler is perfect for filling screw holes in hardwood floors. It comes with a set of 10 tubes to give a color range and even allow the buyer to mix colors. The kit featured a direction for color matching, and I found it relatively easy.
When I bought this set, I paired it with the Gorilla All-purpose Wood Filler in case staining was its strong suit. The COCONIX Wood Restore Floor and Furniture Filler is cost-effective and easy to work with, but it isn’t enough on its own.
The Fun Bits
- The color variety gives room for flexibility and adaptations.
- When paired with a wood filler, unique flooring colors are no match
The Not-so-fun Bits
- On its own, it doesn’t do much for screw gaps. Instead, you must pair it with a convenient putty or paste
Our Overall Favorite
After comparing the best wood fillers in each category, our final verdict goes to the The DAP 542 Series Natural Plastic Wood. Its uniqueness is in its variety, and I found it useful in indoor and outdoor application. Plus, since it is food-safe, the DAP 542 Series Natural Plastic Wood is also pretty handy in the kitchen.
Let’s Rewind…
That pesky screw hole doesn’t have to annoy you much longer. With this guide, you’re sure to find the best wood filler for screw holes in whichever category you need. Just be careful with the colors. You can’t have too many patches of annoyingly mismatched furniture!
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