Make your Nail Holes VANISH

As a carpenter I love leaving the filling work to the painter.

On those shallow depressions, I like to use a nail or punch to add some depth to the hole before filling

YEAHHH! I asked for this video in a previous comment!! lol thanks man!! you're getting a thumbs up before I even watch it.

One thing to mention is how irregular it is to sand Bondo against a soft pine - If the filler is hard like Bondo and you sand too aggressively you may wear away the pine faster than the Bondo. Another great video!

After trying the usual products out there i settled many years ago on the Durhams rock hard water putty on paint grade trim.. You can mix up a small or large batch with a little water as needed. Sometimes using a small squeeze bottle you can pinpoint a dollop on the nail or screw hole proud of the trim & that eliminates all the excess material and sanding later. Just my 2 cents anyway now retired after 42 years in the trade . Thank god for people like you that carry on the quality of work that you do. Keep up the good work its a great way to make an honest living.

Freak'n love detailed videos on simple subjects like this. Super useful info that will make even my DIY projects look more professional. Thanks Richard!

I've been at woodworking for almost 50 years and I agree with some of the other comments that clearly the best filler I've found by far is MH. I tried Famowood and went back to MH. I've also found that using painters masking tape first over anything I'm going to use a nailer on GREATLY reduces the filler/sanding hassle and time spent. After you run around and fill all the nail holes, you just peel off the tape. What you're left with is just the filler filling the nail hole itself - Very easy to knock down with 2-3 quick swipes of 180-220 grit. Otherwise, doing it the traditional way here, you're trying to bring dozens or hundreds of those tiny "pitcher's mounds" of hardened filler back to virtual flat. LOTS of time required. Hope this helps. LOVE your site and all the QUALITY help you provide!

This is EXACTLY what I've been waiting to see for several years now! Thank you very much!

Holy smokes. That fireplace is stunning. Great work!!

Nicely done. I've been a spray painter for 30 yrs. After first coat of primer, I always go back and use a work light and red glaze to make sure everything is corrected. The light really helps you see everything. And when you're done, it's like glass.

The mantle was absolutely beautiful. I love the detail. Great job.

your craftsmanship and attention to detail are remarkable... you always do great work!

Sheetrock mud is the fastest and best way to fill small nail holes in painted wood. If put on with a trowel with a little pressure the wood will soak up the moisture quickly and the mud will stand proud of the wood and sand off easily and flush. Paint will make the mud hard enough.

As a licensed contractor here in California, just like you I have used just about every single one in the market and I have end up with Old Masters White Putty Stick!…it’s the best and excess putty is removed very easily and clean.

I've been making and finishing off and on for more years than I like to count. I always learn something from you. I'm about to make a pedestal for a faux fireplace, and I know there are going to be a bunch of holes, I'm using an Australian wood filler that looks like it has very much the same properties of the one you like(which I've already ordered)and always did multiple steps. Very much like your method and can't wait to try it. Any time you can eliminate steps, is a good time. Thanks for your content.

I love your channel and have been a subscriber for years, and I wish all carpenters had your commitment to doing quality work. Please don't misunderstand my advice for other painters out there. As a profession painter of 47 years working in Palm Beach and a 17 year veteran contractor I've patched at least a million nail holes. Funny thing, I never minded nail holes before the nail gun was invented. The painters out there know what I'm talking about. FamoWood is a little to grainy for a final fill but it is a good choice, use a putty knife and press hard , it will pop up and leave a crown . Bondo and then glazing putty are the best choices but there is a lot of waste and wasted time, so it depends on the budget. Any of the other choices will work fine as a first fill because I always go over them with a high quality finely ground final coat like Synkoloid (1st choice) or Mh spackle. By the way Bondo makes a special formula for wood that sands much easier, and use white hardener.

Thanks for the wood filler recommendation - helpful. Nice progress on the mantle. Always appreciated.

Nothing like listening to someone with competence who can speak with confidence.

Wow, I'm in the middle of replacing the dinky door casing in my builder-grade house with something more substantial and have been disappointed in the plastic wood filler I've been using to fill the nail holes. You couldn't have posted this video at a better time! Heading over to Amazon right now. Thanks!

I love this channel and have used it to take on my own projects. The only problem is I take so long to finish anything that many of the products I started using because of FCTV are now at the bottom of the list…hardboard filler panels on wainscot, CA glue, and now DAP pink filler. It is nice to see the progression though, I guess I just need to work faster. I’m about a year into a coffered ceiling and 18’/11’ high paneled walls in my 2 story foyer. I should be finished up any day now…