Working on woods at times could require that you do some repairs such as filling cracks and holes. Oftentimes, many people overlook the potency of epoxy in doing these word repairs. The reality is that epoxy is more viable in repairing wood cracks than other options such as fillers.
Do you know how to use epoxy to repair wood cracks? If not, this article will guide you through the steps you can follow.
Get an epoxy
There are many epoxy products on the market. The strength and quality of the one you buy will determine the final result. Nevertheless, the price of the product will not necessarily determine the strength of the epoxy.
Being expensive doesn’t mean it is of the highest quality. Cheap ones could also be the one that contains the old formula. To avoid wasting money, it is recommended that you buy the one from any popular brand that you know.
Consider the open time
One of the important considerations when buying an epoxy product is the duration it will take for you to complete the task. The open time is the duration it will take the product to remain in its original state. At the expiration of the duration, the product will change form. In most situations, it will turn to gel.
For most products, the open time ranges between 5 minutes and 1 hour. The crack you want to fill will determine the open time you will opt for. Another thing you will consider is if you will be changing the color of the epoxy. All you need to do is to get a product that will give you enough time to complete the task.
Prep work
Remember you have limited opening time for any type of epoxy that you want to use. It will be wise for you to do some prep work before you start the task. Part of the things you should do include cleaning the surface of the crack. You should also check if it affects the other parts of the wood. If it does, you should mask the area to prevent the epoxy from leaking. Additionally, you should apply sand to the cracked portion
Proper measurement
Before you apply the epoxy to the crack, you should mix it in equal proportion with the hardener. The only time you shouldn’t do this is when you have different instructions on the epoxy product. You should start the mixing with the hardener before you pour the epoxy. You should then thoroughly mix them. You can take a minute or more to do this but you should remember that you have limited open time.
You may tint it
Though optional, you can still add some coloring agent to the mixture, provided you have a preferred color in mind. You should pour a little quantity of the coloring into the mixture, then mix them until you have the desired color. Tinting allows you to apply a mixture that will blend with the color of the wood and make it near impossible to detect that the portion was once cracked.
Apply it
After mixing the solution and finishing with your prep work, you can then carefully apply the mixture to the crack. It is recommended that you fill the crack in excess. Once it is dry, you will be able to send it back to the normal level. Underfilling the crack means you will have to refill again after the initial one is dried. You should leave the filling to dry for a minimum duration of 24 hours before you sand or refill it.
Get rid of bubbles
You will likely get bubbles when you are filling the crack with epoxy. In a situation like this, it is recommended that you first get rid of the bubbles. You can do this by poking the bubbles with a needle.
Sanding
After 24 hours and you are sure that the crack has been cured, you can then sand the excess to ensure that the cure matches with the rest of the wood. Once the crack has been levelled, you should then sand the surrounding area to level everything. The crack should become unnoticeable once you are through with this.
Complete the job
Once the crack has been cured using epoxy, you can then use the work for whatever purpose you desire. The truth is that epoxy will not affect the look of the wood.
Conclusion
You cannot perform the curing of cracks on wood using epoxy if you do not have the necessary tools. Some of the tools you will need are a disposable container and spoon, masking tape, sandpaper, needle, and glove.
