Filling the Void

Filling the Void

When making raised panel cabinet doors, I created a void where the biscuit was too close to the end of boards being glued together. Can I salvage them?

Richard Jones: I suppose you could with some effort and careful splicing in of a matching plug of wood, especially if the door will be colored dark and polished. It’s easier to hide blemishes when the finish is dark. It’s probably easier to make a new panel and use this one as a shorter panel in another project.

John Brock: Maybe. When I have voids to fill, I generally use one of the two-part epoxy wood fillers to fill small voids. You can even make it blend in with a little finishing trickery. Seal it and the surrounding wood with fresh dewaxed shellac. Make a series of toners to match the colors of the surrounding wood and growth rings. This technique is covered in Michael Dresdner’s The New Wood Finishing Book.

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