Serious question, has anyone else had issues with that new 'quick set' acrylic filler?

I bought a tube for a quick patch job on a quarter crack last week, cost me about 35 bucks. It set up way too fast, maybe 90 seconds, and I couldn't get a smooth finish at all. Ended up having to pull it all off and start over with my regular stuff, wasted over an hour of my morning. What do you all use for a reliable, workable filler?

3 comments

3 Comments

hugo_jones23mo ago

That stuff is meant for tiny nail holes, not a quarter crack. The tube actually says "for nail and screw holes only" in the fine print. For a crack that size, you need a slower setting two part filler like Bondo or a wood epoxy.

barbara3993mo ago

I used to think it was fine for bigger jobs too!

the_sarah17d ago

It took me ruining a whole door to learn that lesson the hard way. I filled a big crack with that lightweight spackle and thought I was being smart, but it all crumbled out within a week. The worst part was it shrunk so much I had to go back and do three coats, and it still looked terrible. You can't sand it smooth either, it just turns to dust and leaves these little pits everywhere. For anything bigger than a pinprick, you really do need something that cures hard and doesn't shrink, otherwise you're just making more work for yourself down the road.