Can you use drywall compound on plywood to fill holes?

[Kevin Blunt]

Hello,

I am in the midst of working on a stand for my new aqaurium that I will be setting up. I have followed an original aquarium stand design but have made it much stronger. Across the back I have used #10 x 3" screws to fasten some of the pieces. These screwholes have been countersunk and now need to be filled before painting.

I am using paint grade maple veneer ply (veneer core) so it will paint up quite nice but I need to fill these holes first and I have alot of Dust Control drywall compound and was thinking of doing a couple of applications over the screw holes before priming and painting instead of buying some sort of wood filler as these are holes that are big enough for the screw heads. Would there be any reason to not use this approach. I could see if the wood was going to do alot of expansion and contarction but since it is a plywood it should be fairly stable I would think??

Your thoughts please....

[Joe Angrisani]

I'd use something like Elmer's brand "Carpenter's Wood Filler" before I'd use drywall compound. It's cheap, dries fast, doesn't shrink, and sands perfectly.

[Jim O'Dell]

Only thing I'd see as a problem, is the joint compound is relatively soft and easily dug into. I'd go for Bondo. Dries very fast, and sands very smooth. Jim.

[mickey cassiba]

We built a bunch of plywood folding tables at a clothing company years ago. Finished them with drywall mud, sanded and enameled. I heard the tables were shipped to Mexico when the company was a-nafta-tized.

[harry boyer]

light weight spackle works pretty well. be sure to sand more than just the area of the hole. even texture , uniform surface. then it won't flash/hot spot.

[Chris Kennedy]

I agree with Jim -- I would go with Bondo. I've used wood filler as well (don't think it was Elmer's, maybe Minwax?) and it was essentially the same as Bondo -- same consistency, same methodology (paste with hardener) and the same smell.

Cheers,

Chris

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

I agree with Jim -- I would go with Bondo. I've used wood filler as well (don't think it was Elmer's, maybe Minwax?) and it was essentially the same as Bondo -- same consistency, same methodology (paste with hardener) and the same smell.

I think the major difference is that you can get Bondo at your auto store, in larger quantities (if needed) and for a whole lot less money....

[Chip Lindley]

Vinyl spackling compound is a non-shrinking filler that sands smooth for a very nice finish. Cheaper than bondo, and does not have to be mixed. Make sure it is "vinyl" instead of regular spackling compound. "Regular" is about the same as drywall mud--dries soft and porous.

[Jeff Monson]

I'd tend to agree with the bondo suggestions. I think drywall mud would be a poor choice for your application.

[Bob Wingard]

Drywall mud ... especially the pre-mixed variety will shrink enough upon drying that it will probable require a second (at least) application to fill the voids. If you use the type that you mix with water just prior to use, it shrinks very little. Either can be used for your application as long as you know what to expect.

That said, I would prefer to use some DURHAM'S ROCK HARD WATER PUTTY ... a great alternative for your application. Dries fast .. dries very hard .. very little shrinkage .. bonds well .. relatively inexpensive.

[Dan Rude]

+1 on DURHAM's ROCK HARD WATER PUTTY. I recently laid new vinyl floors, my friend who helped me used this to fill all the seams in the underlayment. I might add he has been laying floors for over 30 years and swears by it. Be sure to show us your final build.
Dan

[George Gyulatyan]

+1 for Bondo. It fills well, sands well, doesn't shrink, dries hard, is water proof, and it's cheap.

[Jerome Stanek]

You can use durabond or easysand to fill holes works great and is cheaper than bondo

[Carl Beckett]

I have done just what you are proposing Kevin. In addition, I very lightly skimmed the entire plywood surface to make it smooth (it was a rough grade plywood), and then sanded and painted. (WHY I did this is another question, but I did).

It is on a piece that has been sitting in my house for 6 years now and no issues. I will note that it takes very light use.

Having said that, I wouldnt do it again (and didnt think it was such a good idea the first time but I did it anyway). My concern was that the drywall compound never really 'sticks' to the plywood. So it comes up easily, or pops off at the screw heads. I was concerned about this happening even after painting.

Plaster would be much better (chemical set, not evaporative setup). I would choose automotive filler over the drywall compound.

I think your question was trying to decide to use what you have, or go out and purchase something else for the job. If its a piece you want to last a long time, I would not use the drywall compound. (for something you might have on hand, even something like liquid nails could be put over the screws carefully and then sanded smooth after setting up)

[Gene Howe]

I think I've used every one of the fillers suggested already, plus other concoctions. I keep going back to the Bondo type fillers or the Durhams Rock Hard for surfaces to be painted. Of course, if it's to be stained, I wouldn't buy that sheet in the first place.:D

[David Larsen]

Durhams Rock Hard putty is exactly designed for this application.
If you want to fix a dent in your car, use Bondo.
If you want to fill the cracks in your flooring underlayment, use Ardex.
If you want to fix cracks in your sheetrock, use drywall compound.

You can use other products for other than their intended purposes and mix and match, but there is usually a product out there that is exactly designed for the specific application.

[Don Selke]

Another vote for Durhams on painted cabinets. You can tint it with various colors during the mixing process, sands easily and is very durible. It is not designed for exposure to water.

[Don Jarvie]

Use the DAP plastic wood here. Filling in great, sands well and takes paint great.

[Jim Heffner]

Another idea here, you might want to think about some wood plugs made from the scrap wood left over, or a dowel of the same size and inserted into the holes cut and sanded flush.

[Rich Engelhardt]

(for something you might have on hand, even something like liquid nails could be put over the screws carefully and then sanded smooth after setting up)

The bigggest problem w/using construction adhesive is that a lot of them will bleed through the finish.
Nothing short of removal of the adhesive (or worse) will fix that if it happens.
Been there/done that...
The fourth coat of B*I*N hid the adhesive for a few months,,but,,,it's back & time for another coat.
The adhesive just laughed at Kilz & Bullseye 1*2*3
I'm afraid the last option open to me at this point is to try a coat of difused aluminum & that in itself can be a cure worse than the disease.

[Jim Becker]

Drywall compound tends to shrink when it dries. I much prefer to use a non-shrinking spackle product for filling on painted projects.

[Jason Roehl]

I can't imagine why anyone would want to use anything like Durham's Rock Hard or Bondo or anything else that has to be mixed when there are plenty of ready-mixed products out there that are ready to apply out of the container and will dry and cure tough and hard.

Vinyl spackle (a little tough to sand, dries slowly, doesn't shrink)
Lightweight spackle (needs at least two thick coats of paint, preferably primed first, can flash otherwise, but applies and sands easily, dries fast, doesn't shrink, not all are created equal--different consistencies and "graininesses" available)
Crawford's spackle (like a mix between vinyl spackle and joint compound, dries very fast, sands easily, doesn't shrink)
Crawford's putty (similar to window glazing compound, can be tough to completely fill a hole, does not dry hard, can be sanded but tough to get flush without pulling it out or leaving a divot)

Pick your poison, but mixing is for the birds. I mostly use lightweight spackle, but I also like Crawford's spackle, it's just not readily available around here.

[Guy Roland]

+1 on DURHAM's ROCK HARD WATER PUTTY. I recently laid new vinyl floors, my friend who helped me used this to fill all the seams in the underlayment. I might add he has been laying floors for over 30 years and swears by it. Be sure to show us your final build.
Dan

I have been using Durhams for years #1 it works great and #2 you mix what you need from it power form so if you don't touch the can for years it's still as good as new. No more throwing away dried up fillers.

[David Larsen]

I can't imagine why anyone would want to use anything like Durham's Rock Hard or Bondo or anything else that has to be mixed when there are plenty of ready-mixed products out there that are ready to apply out of the container and will dry and cure tough and hard.

Vinyl spackle (a little tough to sand, dries slowly, doesn't shrink)
Lightweight spackle (needs at least two thick coats of paint, preferably primed first, can flash otherwise, but applies and sands easily, dries fast, doesn't shrink, not all are created equal--different consistencies and "graininesses" available)
Crawford's spackle (like a mix between vinyl spackle and joint compound, dries very fast, sands easily, doesn't shrink)
Crawford's putty (similar to window glazing compound, can be tough to completely fill a hole, does not dry hard, can be sanded but tough to get flush without pulling it out or leaving a divot)

Pick your poison, but mixing is for the birds. I mostly use lightweight spackle, but I also like Crawford's spackle, it's just not readily available around here.

Durham's Rock Hard is a product that you can purchase and use once every five years and it still mixes the same. Premix products do have some advantages, but a shelf life of indefinate does have some appeal. I have a can that is better than 10 years old and it is still like new. I don't use it that often and a container can last a long time.

[Steven Hsieh]

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