Wiping filler for wood finishing

The wiping filler or sludge filler is the wood filler that is designed to be applied by wiping. It is a type of wood filler, the finishing material used to fill the pores and grain that is designed to be applied poring on the wood and wiped clean. As a filler it contains the filling agent to fill the wood grains and pores. But it is mixed with the glaze binder, then it can be applied as a glaze. It is can be colored with pigment to colored the grain and pores according to the finishing need. It is applied over the wash coat by poured on, or brushed and then wiped. It also can be reduced and applied by spray, but then it still need to be wiped off to let the filler fill into the grains and pores. Clean rag or cloth is needed to clean the filler excess at the surface. The dry filler can be cleaned with the steel wool or rag. It does not sanding process.
The wiping filler is mainly need good wiping at the application, but a special tool called peddle wheel can be used to apply the filler. you can see our previous article : peddle wheel for wiping filler

The wiping filler is work well to solve the bubble problem. Some time the bubble problem is caused by the small pores in the wood that create bubble in the finishing layer. The wiping fille which has fine particles can penetrate and fill in the deep and small pores in the wood and prevent the bubbles. The filler is also work well to make the semi close pores finish. It can used to fill in the pores and grain but without fully closing the pores or grain. The thin filler is also can be used to colorize the inside grain and pores, to make the contrast effect at the finishing.

The things that must be considered in the use of wiping filler:

• The surface preparation.

Wiping this filler has characters as a glaze, he will soak into the wood and coloring it. The rough wood surface will risk for to result to the blotchy color caused by the too much absorption by the wood. Since this reason, the filler is always applied over the wash coat. The application to the naked wood is risk to make the blotchy and dirty looked caused by the uneven wood absorption. The wash coat will provide the even and smooth surface for even absorption. The wash coat hold the filler to make the it is cleaned easier.

The wiping filler is not designed to be sanded. It does not contain sanding agent to help the sanding process and tend to attached at the sandpaper when it is sanded.  

• The wiping filler preparation.

This filler will color the pores and grain; it can be used to replace the glaze for this purpose. We need to choose the proper color according to the final finishing color. The color of the filler should be according to the final finishing color needed. It also can be used to make the contrast effect in the grains and pores. There some premix color are available and ready to be used such as: the dark brown, black, van dyke or burnt umber. We also can  tint the filler with pigment to make any color.

The  wiping filler can also be reduced with mineral spirit and applied  by spray. The other slow drying solvent is also can be used to ease in the application. But the slower drying solvent will implicate to the drying time. The reduced filler is used when we need a semi open pore finish or to help avoid the bubble problem.

• The filler application 

The wiping filler is applied by pouring on, or brushed on the overall surface, then wiped and clean off with rag. It is  very similar to the application of glaze. But the wiping filler is thicker and need more power in the wiping. The wiping filler cannot be stay on the surface, it should be left inside the grains and pores only. The filler excess on the surface must be cleaned off. since it could lead to the finishing problem. The highlight cannot be done to the filler, since it does not have layer such as glaze. The filler cannot used to form and built color as the glaze does. 

The finishing processes with this wiping filler is: stain, wash coat, wiping filler, sealer, glaze, sealer, stain pad, topcoat. The wiping filler can be used as the first glaze just to color in the pores and grain, while the glaze (second glaze) is used to form the color or to make the antique, dirty looked or other finishing finishing effect. 

The wiping filler is also need to be completely dry before followed with the next finishing process. It is a oil base so it take quite long time to be dry.

the wiping filer application