Thread: Putty filling during floor sanding

Spent the NSW long weekend sanding my 5 BR + hallway house. It was pretty much 3 x 14hr days (I'm knackered). Didn't help the hired drum sander crapped out 2 hours in - mad rush around I was luckily able to get another one.

A couple of questions:

1. I used Timbermate to fill holes/nail holes. IT TAKES FREAKIN AGES - to even do one room (minimum 1hr plus). Am I slow or is this normal? I can't imagine the pro's taking this long on a job to putty up....
2. When putting the putty down, I just used my finger to push it in the holes. I found the putty knife the tub recommends didn't work as it just lifted the putty back out. Again - doing it wrong and if so what's right?

Looking forwards to a big AHA when you guys tell me the easy way

btw - I only filled one room's nail holes. Decided the time wasn't worth it and they don't look that bad on the Murray Pine (which is full of "character" anyway).

me and the boss can fill 80m2 of baltic pine in about 1hr and 30min use a 50mm paint scraper to putty with the rotta cotta ones r good black and red handle

The room I just did was about 10sqm and I fingered it - took about 20mins I guess. The putty I used wasn't nice runny stuff like the bloke on the Cabots "how to page" so using a blade was just painful.

Fingering FTW.

so are you guys using Timbermate or another product?

the Timbermate stuff is really dense and rubbery - freer flowing stuff would definatley speed up the process.

I asked similar questions when I did my house. Pulling carpet and lino nails took one full day of sun-rise to well past sun-set worth of work. Punching in the nails took the best part of another day and turned my brain to mush. Filling in all the holes (including the ones left by the carpet and lino nails) seemed to take a lifetime and felt like I had done permanent damage to my finger. As mentioned in other threads, it really is a job that makes you wonder if it is worth doing it yourself compared to how much it costs to get a pro in.

cheers Gooner (I'm not the only one). Luckily all my nails were already punched when I ripped up the carpet!!!

I can putty up about 50sq. metres in a half hour or so. Like Christopher we use a 50mm paint scraper.
First up dig out a lump of timbermate from the tub and roll it up in your hands to about the size of a golf ball or a bit larger. Wet your hands under a tap and keep kneading and rolling the ball, the water and heat off your hands will soften the putty.
Get down on your knees and using your thumb firmly push the putty into the nail hole, at the same time push the front of paint scraper blade swiftly under your thumb and then retract the blade just as fast, then move to the next nail and repeat.
With a bit of practice you can putty up almost as fast as you can crawl/grovel along the nail lines. A decent pair of knee pads helps minimise the pain. Good luck

Originally Posted by TimDavis

......keep kneading and rolling the ball, the water and heat off your hands will soften the putty. Get down on your knees and using your thumb firmly push the putty into the nail hole, at the same time push the front of paint scraper blade swiftly under your thumb and then retract the blade just as fast, then move to the next nail and repeat.....

....and repeat 10,000 times.

In my case.. literally.

This is my husband and my first try at renovating the old house we bought. I have been researching your site and have found it very informative and at times quite funny, especially the posts left by gooner and his renovations. Keep up the good work all!!! Also Dusty has been very helpful in all the info i have been searching. Thanks!

As an alternative you can mix the Timbermate to about the consistency of toothpaste with water and a hand held mixer, then you can simply fill your holes that way.

Attached are some photo's showing holes and gaps being filled in the exact same manner.

Works a treat, and once the putties dry if there are any you may of missed, or some that have sunk a little they can quite easily be touched up later.