Patching screw holes

[Myles Moran]

As I was doing the final assembly on my kitchen table, I made a goof and assembled one of the aprons backwards. I didn't notice until AFTER I screwed the corner blocks in. Well crud, I needed those slots on the inside for the top to attach, so I unscrewed it, surveyed the damage, and decided that instead of rebuilding that one piece I would keep on going and do a repair when the table was done - after all the holes really aren't visible at all unless you're basically laying on the ground - and I wasn't about the bail on the Christmas deadline I promised my wife that the table would be done by.

The holes are about 3/32 or so in diameter now. Piloted with a 7/64 and drove a #8 through them. My first idea was a forsner bit and a plug, but I'm worried about having to back the screw out (probably not a big deal since there are 4 screws in each corner block and a sliding mortise to hold the leg) but I'm not sure how well I could match the grain - and I'd be making it bigger.

My next idea was a wax filler with those damage repair sticks, but I know nothing about those and have never used them.

Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.

[David Publicover]

I have repaired mistakes like that by drilling the hole out with a counter sink drill bit and fitting a plug made with a matching plug cutter. If you line up the grain of the plug with the surrounding grains it isn’t as noticeable. After the glue dries, I pare it level then sand and finish. I find it less obvious than filler.
It’s a nice Christmas gift! Good luck with the repair.

[Doug Garson]

Instead of hiding it, make it a feature. Enlarge the holes (and add holes to all the aprons) and fill them with contrasting button head plugs. 8

[Jamie Buxton]

The good news is that the holes are nearly out of sight. If you do an okay job of plugging them, nobody but you will know that they're there.

Here's what I've done...I don't enlarge the holes. That only makes the mistake bigger and more visible. Instead, I pick a piece of the offcuts and whittle it down to a plug that's the right diameter. It is good to try to find a plug that's close to the color of the surroundings. Here's what's very important: the plug wants to be face grain, not end grain. End grain will never be same color as face grain. It is also good if the grain direction of the plug is the same as the surroundings. Making the plug takes a little patience. But it doesn't have to be a perfect mechanical fit. It has no structural importance at all. It just wants to mostly fill the hole. If it isn't perfect, at little glue-filled sanding dust helps. Really what you're trying to do is to not have a big black hole. Darn near anything is less visible.

[Charlie Jones]

I would do it Jamie’s way. Most likely no one will ever notice it. Every time I make something there is a mistake somewhere. No one ever sees it but me.

[Frederick Skelly]

The good news is that the holes are nearly out of sight. If you do an okay job of plugging them, nobody but you will know that they're there.

Here's what I've done...I don't enlarge the holes. That only makes the mistake bigger and more visible. Instead, I pick a piece of the offcuts and whittle it down to a plug that's the right diameter. It is good to try to find a plug that's close to the color of the surroundings. Here's what's very important: the plug wants to be face grain, not end grain. End grain will never be same color as face grain. It is also good if the grain direction of the plug is the same as the surroundings. Making the plug takes a little patience. But it doesn't have to be a perfect mechanical fit. It has no structural importance at all. It just wants to mostly fill the hole. If it isn't perfect, at little glue-filled sanding dust helps. Really what you're trying to do is to not have a big black hole. Darn near anything is less visible.

+1. Do not enlarge that hole.

[Myles Moran]

Thanks Jamie, I think that'll be the ticket. If I dig through my scrap pile in the shop I'll probably be able to find a piece from that same board that I can cut my plugs from.

Now to see how good (bad) my whittling skills are.

[Jim Dwight]

Since you have not applied finish yet, I would probably plug the holes too. But I've used wax crayons several times. Success depends on how close a color match you can find in the crayon. I once fixed one of my Mom's dining room chairs with a screw and wax crayon and the repair was just about invisible. But I used them on my oak staircase and couldn't get a great match so the holes remain quite visible. But they are a viable option, best in my opinion for when the item has been finished.

[Myles Moran]

It is actually finished. 3 coats of arm-r-seal on everything but the top that has 5 and got rubbed out. Unfortunately my dirt cheap phone doesn't take the greatest photos so the finish and grain/color looked washed out vs real life. Depending on the repair I use I'd consider wiping on another coat on that apron to help hide the repair.

[jamil mehdi]

I think if you got some color matched Timbermate filler and sanded it flush, it would pretty much disappear. I wouldn't use plugs unless your going to the same thing everywhere. Plugs never match well and they imply a bunch of mechanical fasteners that don't actually exist.

I'd start with the Timbermate and see how well it hides. You can always add plugs if you don't like the result.

As for wax, you have to apply it after the finish coat. At that point, you're married to it.

Edit: Didn't see that it was already finished. Wax then... or recoat the whole thing again