Woodhardener

[kevin nee]

Hello, I am painting a Farmers Porch. While doing a ton of preparation, I noticed that one of the floorboards is a little punky. (Left side out of the way). I am thinking of trying a wood hardening product. The wood is tongue & groove fir. Any suggestions on a product that will hold up outside.
Thanks in advance, Kevin

[John Lanciani]

Hi Kevin,

I've used rotfix from system 3 outdoors with great results; https://www.systemthree.com/products/rotfix-epoxy-sealer

[Jim Koepke]

We bought a multi-step process at Home Depot. The first part is sold separate from the second part. My wife did the patching. She did not like it. It seemed okay to me but she may have added too much hardener to the putty.

As always, 414076

jtk

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Years ago, I had a problem with an indoor window sill for an attic window that had been left open for a couple years. (Before I bought the place.) The wood was about the consistency of styrofoam. I could push a screw driver deep into the wood. I used some stuff called Wood Petrifier. It was like water. I got the wood as dry as possible and then brushed the stuff on. I kept brushing it on as long as the wood soaked it in. When it wouldn't take anymore. I blotted up the excess with a paper towel and left it dry for a couple weeks. The surface of the wood got tough much like the tough plastic that truck bed liners are made of. I lightly sanded it and painted. It stayed good for another 20 years. (the house burned down due to a faulty freezer)

[Kev Williams]

While I've never used it myself, many boaters I associate with online swear by 'Git Rot'- might be worth a look.

[Lee Schierer]

I've used MinWax wood hardener and was satisfied with the results. It won't help if the wood is too far gone, but for moderate punkiness it works pretty well.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I have used both Git Rot and the Minwax over the years. Both are great for endgrain like the feet of wooden picnic tables. I make a masking tape dam and then fill it and watch it get absorbed. I had a picnic table which was left outdoors all year n the ran and snow and everything rotted away over the years except the bottoms of the uprights.