9 Household Repairs You Can Make With All-Purpose Putty

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Most of us associate all - purpose putty , sometimes have-to doe with to by the pop steel nameBondo , with machine soundbox haunt . But this two - part compound that lie of a resin and a hardener is n’t just for cars . you’re able to use it for a all-encompassing range of mountains ofquick repairson masonry , drywall , wood , and fibreglass . It ’s a great alternative to wood filler for making piece of furniture repairs , fixing chip trim , or even patching discredited hardwood floor . you could also use it for less usual applications , such as replicating broken - off furniture trim or piece a dent front door . Ahead are nine common and uncommon function for all - intention putty .

1. Scratched Furniture

Wood filleris what most people reach for when it fall to recreate chip and scratches on furniture . But all - purpose putty has several advantage over Mrs. Henry Wood filler . It offers more morphologic stability , so you’re able to use it for enceinte gouges and deep scratches . Since it ’s stronger than woods filler , it well endures day-by-day wear and bout . And unlikewood filler , all - intent putties like Bondo do n’t have sawdust mixed in , so it ’s easier to get a smooth finish .

2. Small Automotive Dents

Probably the most common covering forall - design puttyis using it to restore small dents in your vehicle . It adheres well to alloy ( but not paint , so you ’ll need to sandpaper forth the paint before utilise it ; then paint over it after ) . This repair involve filling the dent with putty , allowing it to dry out , then sanding it smooth , so it ’s even with the ring metal . Given that repairing even venial dent can cost hundreds of dollar sign , all - use putty offers an affordable option for repairing your car .

3. Damaged Trim

The quoin pieces of trim and baseboards can take a beating from furniture and foot . They also often draw aside as the house settle and wood trim expands and contracts . Often these spread are too large or deep to repair efficaciously withwood filler . Plus , woodwind makeweight can also take a full day to dry . All - use putty is a better selection . After mixing it with the hardener , use it to break away corner , dents , and any other price . Give it about 15 minutes to dry , sand it so it ’s consistent with the surrounding clipping , then paint it to intermingle in .

4. Chipped Hardwood Floors

5. Cracked Concrete

While you ’ll need to stick withconcrete repair productsfor fixing large cracks and scathe to concrete , all - purpose putty is a speedy and soft manner torepair hairline cracksthat are n’t morphologic . The haunt is round-eyed . Use a putty tongue to fill the crack , and then give it about 15 or 20 minutes to dry out . Once dry , practice an slant torpedo to smooth the hangout out so it ’s even with the surrounding concrete .

6. Dented Front Door

Metal front doorsaren’t cheap , cost around $ 300 for a introductory model and far more for detailed front door with glass panes , so amend a slit in one with an all - purpose putty is a much better option than exchange it . “ It has a pretty firm hold and works surprisingly well for piece or bushel any dents or crack in metal surface , ” tell Carr Lanphier , CEO ofimproovy , a Chicago - based house painting company . The cognitive process is very similar to repairing a slit in a car . rough out up the region around the slit with sandpaper to give the putty something to stick to . Fill the dent with all - aim putty , then smooth it outwith a putty knifeso it ’s level with the eternal sleep of the doorway . take into account it to dry for about 20 minutes , then sand it until it ’s moneyed with the door .

7. Drywall Damage

Lanphier enounce he often apply all - purpose putty to repair drywall . Itdries much more apace than spackle , and you do n’t need to prime it before painting it . “ It works outstanding , especially on painted surface like drywall just because you may paint over it and can even sandpaper it down to get a more precise bandage and mat surface for painting , ” he says .

8. Broken Furniture

you may make more advanced furniture repairs by using all - function putty to recreate trimness and corners that have broken off . Press a slice of modeling clay or silicone caulking over a matching corner or crop piece that you want to reproduce . Allow the cadaver or caulk to harden , then fill with all - role putty . Once the putty has hardened , paste the pieceonto the damaged orbit . Allow the glue to dry , then guts and paint for a unseamed fixing .

9. Stripped-Out Screw Holes

Stripped screw holescan get a material job , especially on a door smasher home or hinge , or in other places where moving the hole is n’t an option . An easy fix is to fill that stripped - out screw hole with all - purpose putty , which dry out hard enough to control screw in non - structural applications . After apply , countenance the putty to dry fully , then exercise a small pilot hole into it to reestablish that strip out screw yap .

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Bondo all-purpose putty on a workbench.