Automotive body filler (Bondo) available in "Classic" and stranded reinforced formulas for heavy build-up applications works very well at a fraction of the cost of the product that you are demonstrating. I've used it for rotted wood moldings and frames for 40 years, particularly useful for 100 year old Victorian scroll work moldings that are difficult to reproduce today. Applications on my own home that are 20 years old are holding up fine and undetectable today. Bondo is also a two part epoxy that can be drilled, sanded and shaped with common woodworking tools and no special applicator required.
I've heard that the downside of automotive body filler is that it doesn't expand and contract as much as the epoxy they are using here, so if you use it outside it's more likely to crack and pop off
@@StratKruzer No. I've never used any type of bonding agent for wood repairs with Bondo. Just make sure that all the damp rot is removed and dry the cavity with a heat gun before filling the void.
I save the wood "dust" from sanding and use it when mixing epoxy. It stiffens the mix and makes it easier to sand. It works as well as expensive fillers.
@@danarzechula3769 I would like too know as well. Also does anyone know which epoxy and primer he is using. I haven't seen it in the comments but I will continue looking
Great video! Good explanation of the contractor grade versions of this, but there are super easy homeowner ways to do this too. JB Weld 'Kwikwood' is a putty that you knead the parts together and once mixed you just press it into the void after clearing out the rot. You can easily knead it and shape it for about 20 minutes before hardening. After 1 hour it can be sanded and painted. Nowhere near as messy as this. The end result is surprisingly tough and blends very well with the wood. Tbh, this rot is so extensive it would have been easier to rout out the remaining wood square-ish and cut a filler piece of wood to fill this large area.
Tom, after I learned about this product, I have kept a supply in my garage for the next project that pops up. Your window project in this video was a large undertaking and I have never taken on a project this large before. I have used this on window brick mold and other applications on the exterior of my house. Currently using it on my French door threshold. I have found in the cold weather it can take a lot longer to setup. I always get nervous thinking maybe I did not mix it correctly. Recently ART was sold out of the large double tube, which I love to use with the caulking gun. Due to Covid shortages they were having trouble getting stock for the large double tube. I was encouraged to order the smaller project size, which I do not like as much, I found when I went to reuse the smaller tube after a couple months, there was some hardening at the applicator tip area. I recently saw ART had the larger tubes in stock, so I bought one. It is great stuff.
I have used that method with concrete repairs, on large repairs tie wire can be wrapped around the screws in a random pattern to make mesh like grid for extra reinforcement.
@@BlessednFree only if you don't use untreated screws. Useing screws makes a better conection between the timber & the product since one is inert & the other expands & contracts.
I have been using bondo for 10 years too and as long as water doesn't get into the wood under the bondo, it will last! I don't know why some complain that it doesn't work but it does work. Others say it's not water proof. But so is wood! That is why we paint over it. Yes, it can crack and separate where it meets the wood, but if you keep an eye out, the problem can be fixed before more damage can be done. Cheap, fast repair and easy to apply. I'll keep using it until my window sills become 100% bondo. :p
I am working on a rotted window sill much like the one in this video and I like how Tom made the template to match the profile of the molding. Instead of using an epoxy, which can be pricey, I have decided to use some foam insulation and Bondo.
Except for the fact that the template he made was absolutely useless as he didn't cut it straight and you could see that he ruined the work he had already done as soon as he took one swipe and they switched the scene. When he was scribing with the pencil he let the pencil fall in the dip of the rot and drew a crooked line. He sat there for 30 minutes making it straight with a knife he didnt cut, off camera. I'd bet on it. 🤣🤣
@@matthewmcneil9812 I was thinking it looked like a good idea but your prob right. Bugger trying to cut those plastic scrapers. I’ve seen neat profile tools but tbh my freehand profiling is reasonably neat on my 70 year old timber windows.
I've used this product, about $85 a tube plus special gun. For some applications its great, no sag at all, totally waterproof, very easy to tool. It is very hard to sand though so go easy, takes 12-24 hrs to dry.
Where the void is larger I cut timber into the area and apply an expanding glue which dose it's stuff and works its always into all the books and crannies making for an seperior bond.
Another use for epoxy. I have two forty year old shovels that are badly weathered and cracked. I smeared epoxy into all the cracks and completely covered the wood. Smooth, shiny and solid.
I have done some woodworks in the past but this woodwork plan ruclips.net/user/postUgkxZF0EMnrujZvqHhGkxiz559uIABJWR9TG helps me do much in a far lesser time than i used to do i have already built several projects with this plan and i intend to do many more soon. Thank you so much!
Keep in mind one of most hazardous things you can do with epoxy is to start sanding it before it's fully cured. So scrape, cut but don't sand until the next day. I've made some wooden strip kayaks and so I've used a lot of epoxy. The cheapest easiest way I might deal with this rotted wood work is to get a less expensive brand of epoxy, mix it up (as a liquid) then add filler. A filler I've used many times in a pinch was instant pancake mix. Baking flour (that Gold bond stuff that keeps dry for a year? It's not really food anymore) makes a great filler. Mixed in with the epoxy I've never had any bugs or problem. If you mix your epoxy and then add the filler right away you get longer working time. If you let the epoxy sit mixed for 5 minutes, then add the filler, it goes off a lot quicker.
Thank you for the video very nice job! I appreciate how you show how to do the template with the spatula. I fixed 3 rotten wood beams and 3 window sills. I took away the wood rot first , then apply a product call Rotten wood restorer by Bondo. It really harden the wood in few minutes. Then i used Wood Bond, sanded it and painted it. Looks great!
It doesn't work as good for exterior purposes though. It doesn't expand and contract with the wood nearly as much as this epoxy will, so it could crack and then pop off. May not happen a lot, but it's a very real possiblity.
@@AxcelGamer97 yeah I probably only use it for diy home repairs vs a paid job, but so far so good here. Replaced all the rotted trim of my windows here and it looks pretty darn good from a few feet away.
@@sean9820 I bet it works fine when you're doing it yourself like that. I've usually ended up just going the route of cutting out whatever is rotted and putting wood there simply because it's usually just one section of trim instead of a whole bunch like in this video. I've used Bondo a lot though for interior projects, such as trim, and it's worked great on that front.
@@AxcelGamer97 amen brother! I should note I did cut out and replace the wood as well, used the bondo to blend and fill the two/any gaps. Also had some rot on the bottom of our doors, which I again just filled and sanded. Little areas here and there where it helped in a big way.
Outstanding. I buy my epoxy by the half gallon and one of several thickening agents.When dry, its solid like plastic and a little flexible. Great video. I have done the same thing around my home, several times. Process confirmed. Fantastic
I've used the Bondo on exterior repairs and it does crack in some instances. As far as Minwax it's it's basically Bondo. I do like using the wood hardener Minwax makes. I would like to use the epoxy stuff that they use then then make my decision on what is best
"Before we apply the epoxy I have to apply a 'bonding agent' to the wood so the epoxy adhere's to the wood." What's the name of the "bonding agent" in case I want to try this. Also, do I need a router or can I just attach the triangular shaped grinding bit to my drill?
You can use a dremel. I have no clue what the bonding agent is. This video isn't that helpful other than to show you how to do it once you guess what materials these bozos are using.
Love the video. My house, is 1880 years old,, lol the kitchen windows show this the most. In the spring of 2021 I will attack these areas better armed with the knowledge I gained today 8 Nov.20.... well done Guys.
This is exactly what I needed to know. I have a Catalina Macaw which has chewed up several interior doors and other parts of my house. Is that a special 2-part epoxy made especially for wood?
Question: If the rotted part is touching something prone to moisture, such as a concrete slab, will repairing the wood with epoxy prevent rotting in the future? Or will the moisture transverse up into the wood above it?
Not sure what he used for bonding agent. Years ago I prepared soft rotted window sill areas with liquid thin penetrating epoxy that wicked in through the wood about 1 inch. It made soft wood fibers into hard plastic fibers never to rot and ready for filling. I bought it from *"The Rot Doctor"*
you dont need to but you should. that rot looks like it was into the casing I would be worried it was letting water trickle down the wall, could definitely weaken the the plate/sill between floors and be a strucural issue. But ol' tommy is pretty smart he probably peaked down in there and made sure it wasnt an issue. The nice thing about replacing with epoxy or PVC board is that mofo won't rot out again in another 6 or 7 years. When we bought our house 3 years ago the rear door threshold had some rot in it, they hired someone as part of the presale repairs to fix it. He just cut it out a few inches and stuck wood in it (cheapest option). That sumbitch is already soft again. I am going to cut out all the trim and replace with PVC board, permanent fix.
I wonder if epoxy gives any structural strength? I have a table with rotten legs. I wonder if this is strong enough to support the table (around 15kg weight) or I'd better replace the legs.
I've used Bondo, and Bondo wood filler. They both work fine. Minwax High Performance Wood Filler is another great product. I used it to update an old door when I removed the mortise lock and updated to a modern type lockset. Got hard as a rock and I was able to drill out for the bolt.
I started using a lot of epoxy and polyester resin with and without fiberglass strands, or microbeads or colloidal silica on my house after buying a boat!
I use Durham's "Rock-Hard" Water Putty. It only lasts around 10 years - longer if you prep the surfaces properly and paint it well, but it costs under $10.
I just bought this stuff and it is perfect for the job I needed to do in our corner window. For that window the number of parts that would have to be removed would be time consuming. With this you dig out all the rotten wood, sand as much as possible, pretreat with the bonding agent and will the void. It dries very fast. Sand and paint. In the future when all of the siding is replaced that would be the time to replace the wood window surrounds, not now.
@@phild9140 You need to apply it quickly. If you are too slow and work it too much you will get pits or grooves. I used a belt sander to smooth it because it becomes hard as a rock. I had window sills that had rot all the way through the middle. The results are amazing. Do order more that you think because it goes fast. You don't want to run out.
One thought on the Bondo use, i thought it absorbed water, that is why we need to use tiger hair when filing in a rust hole and not go straight to bondo. Bondo is so easy to use and sands so nice, i can see how convenient it would be in this application.
I know people who have used bondo for fiberglass repairs on their boats who report that water absorption has never been a problem. But wood absorbs water too, so I am not sure why that would be a problem when repairing damaged wood.
Hi, thanks for this video! I dug out some rot from the bottom of a couple of exterior door frames. The resulting spaces are each about the size of a baseball or maybe a little bigger. Would it work to fill the holes with "great stuff big gap filler", trim it to be almost flush with the door frame, cover with a little regular wood filler, and paint? Hope that's not a dumb question. I already have all these materials, so that would be convenient, rather than buying epoxy/etc. Thanks!
I've tried this myself using JB Weld Wood Epoxy. It works but it's pretty difficult to make it look as good as new. If you only have a tiny amount of rot this might be the easiest and cheapest method, but next time I run into this situation I will probably just replace the wood.
Before I purchased my house the previous owner had a contractor repair a sill using car bondo, this allowed the water into and around the entire window. The entire sill and surrounding wood rotted out and now I have to replace the window, window sill, frame, and flashing. Real wood and a real contractor is my next choice!
Is that a bonding agent or a wood hardener? I would always apply a preservative wood hardener after getting rid of as much of the rotten stuff as possible. It needs to soak in as far as possible to kill off the rot spores and make a solid surface to bond too. Also, I just use cheap, generic epoxy fillers. They will last longer than the wood anyway.
I sometimes drill small holes into the existing old wood (maybe 1/2") and pour the wood hardener directly into the holes so that the liquid hardener distributes itself deeply throughout the wood. Sometimes use a hypodermic needle, without the needle, to direct the hardener to specific spots. You can get them at your local drug store for a few pennies or sometimes for free.
Lots of people asked (wondered the same), I think I found it! Bonding agent: Primatrate for Flex-Tec Epoxy Epoxy: Flex-Tec Wood Epoxy OR get the Kit: Flex-Tec Dual Cartridge Starter Kit 101 ($230+ when you factor in sales tax and shipping) forget it!
After reading some of these comments... Will bondo in fact work??? Buy the time you purchase the gun and the epoxy. Cost adds up. Also I am not seeing the epoxy used in the video on the Amazon links. Can anyone help?
That's what i was thinking. It seems like an awful lot just to fix two pieces of window trim. Seems to me like it would be much quicker and cheaper to just pull the boards out, cut some more boards to size, and put them in.
I already tried to use some regular wall putty, but it's too liquid to shape. Can I put epoxy on top of another wall putty ? Or I have to remove the wall putty first ?
We use that on wooden boats that used to call it get right but basically it's just a poxy injected into the wood and it makes it as good as new even stronger I believe
This looks fine, except for the skim coat applied on the face of the sill. Epoxy does not allow liquid water or water vapor to pass through itself. When you apply a skim coat over the face of the sill, moisture can be trapped inside the wood, leading to accelerated rot and the skim coat separating from the sill. 5 yrs seems to be the lifespan of this kind of repair in the humid philadelphia area.
I’ve seen this too in marine industry. People coat varnish or epoxy on both sides of wood. A small scratch allows water in and lack of ventilation and oxygen causes ramped rotting
I took note of negative contractor comments about the cost of the materials Tom Silva selected for this job? I am an amateur in this area but my immediate reaction was I wonder if this material is easier to work with and to form? I am restoring some 106 year old screened porch framing wood that has wood rot from a water leak. I chose PC Rot Terminator and their PC Woody product. These are good products but much harder to spread and fill holes than what I see in Tom's video. The worst part of the job is the preparation but that is closely followed by the application of the epoxy repair product difficulties if it wants to stick to everything it touches. So, if I have to do this again I will very strongly consider Tom's choice of product and will likely be glad to pay the extra cost. None of us attempting these kinds of repairs on old houses want to have to go back and do one of these tedious repairs, which are primarily manual labor, over again.
bondo cheaper and sets up faster. also you need to add something to the large holes for the epoxy to grip or it will eventually fall back out. nails or screws into the good wood will work great.
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Love Tom Silva,I have watched him for over 25 years and he always has something new for me to learn ,thanks Tom !
I like how Tom cut a special template from the plastic putty knife to have the correct profile of the wood. Very cool!
Automotive body filler (Bondo) available in "Classic" and stranded reinforced formulas for heavy build-up applications works very well at a fraction of the cost of the product that you are demonstrating. I've used it for rotted wood moldings and frames for 40 years, particularly useful for 100 year old Victorian scroll work moldings that are difficult to reproduce today. Applications on my own home that are 20 years old are holding up fine and undetectable today. Bondo is also a two part epoxy that can be drilled, sanded and shaped with common woodworking tools and no special applicator required.
I have been thinking of trying Bondo. Does it require a bonding agent, and if so what’s a good one?
I agree. Body filler is much cheaper and very strong too. Epoxy is not needed.
I've heard that the downside of automotive body filler is that it doesn't expand and contract as much as the epoxy they are using here, so if you use it outside it's more likely to crack and pop off
@@StratKruzer No. I've never used any type of bonding agent for wood repairs with Bondo. Just make sure that all the damp rot is removed and dry the cavity with a heat gun before filling the void.
Chris Graham Thanks! I have some window repairs coming up, so I appreciate your advice.
So wonderful to see an expert at work. Not enough worker like Tom Silva.
I like the second way he mentioned. Take out just the rotted part and replace that with a small piece of wood. Saves time, effort and money.
I still miss this old house and not to forget norm
Cutting that knife for your perfect custom shape is such simple genius!
I save the wood "dust" from sanding and use it when mixing epoxy. It stiffens the mix and makes it easier to sand. It works as well as expensive fillers.
Great tip what is the ratio
@@danarzechula3769 I would like too know as well. Also does anyone know which epoxy and primer he is using. I haven't seen it in the comments but I will continue looking
Great video! Good explanation of the contractor grade versions of this, but there are super easy homeowner ways to do this too. JB Weld 'Kwikwood' is a putty that you knead the parts together and once mixed you just press it into the void after clearing out the rot. You can easily knead it and shape it for about 20 minutes before hardening. After 1 hour it can be sanded and painted. Nowhere near as messy as this. The end result is surprisingly tough and blends very well with the wood.
Tbh, this rot is so extensive it would have been easier to rout out the remaining wood square-ish and cut a filler piece of wood to fill this large area.
IS there anything that JB Weld products can't fix?
@@surfordie82 Toughest epoxy filler and repairer on the planet.
This man is a master of his craft.
Tom, after I learned about this product, I have kept a supply in my garage for the next project that pops up. Your window project in this video was a large undertaking and I have never taken on a project this large before. I have used this on window brick mold and other applications on the exterior of my house. Currently using it on my French door threshold. I have found in the cold weather it can take a lot longer to setup. I always get nervous thinking maybe I did not mix it correctly. Recently ART was sold out of the large double tube, which I love to use with the caulking gun. Due to Covid shortages they were having trouble getting stock for the large double tube. I was encouraged to order the smaller project size, which I do not like as much, I found when I went to reuse the smaller tube after a couple months, there was some hardening at the applicator tip area. I recently saw ART had the larger tubes in stock, so I bought one. It is great stuff.
In the larger voids use screws so the expoxy binds to the screws as well making a much better bond.
good idea
I have used that method with concrete repairs, on large repairs tie wire can be wrapped around the screws in a random pattern to make mesh like grid for extra reinforcement.
@@dodge96sport Rodger.. sounds like a fiddle I would sort out in the fly..
Screws will rust out over time making it look like crap many years down the toad
@@BlessednFree only if you don't use untreated screws. Useing screws makes a better conection between the timber & the product since one is inert & the other expands & contracts.
great tip about making a tool to match the profile I could have used it yesterday Thanks Tommy
Yep, great tip. I do this kind of work often, I'll be using this little gem.
Show the whole process, beginning to end! I want to see the repair after it's painted.
its like being a house dentist
Except you don't get such a big hole in your pocket
Tom is so clever. I love watching him work.
Been using auto body filler for this for 10 years. I stay at that house today and it showes no signs of failing.
Thanks for info will try.
I have been using bondo for 10 years too and as long as water doesn't get into the wood under the bondo, it will last! I don't know why some complain that it doesn't work but it does work. Others say it's not water proof. But so is wood! That is why we paint over it. Yes, it can crack and separate where it meets the wood, but if you keep an eye out, the problem can be fixed before more damage can be done. Cheap, fast repair and easy to apply. I'll keep using it until my window sills become 100% bondo. :p
I have used Bondo, which is used for auto body repairs. Works well and cheap. Purchased it at Lowe's
I am working on a rotted window sill much like the one in this video and I like how Tom made the template to match the profile of the molding. Instead of using an epoxy, which can be pricey, I have decided to use some foam insulation and Bondo.
Except for the fact that the template he made was absolutely useless as he didn't cut it straight and you could see that he ruined the work he had already done as soon as he took one swipe and they switched the scene. When he was scribing with the pencil he let the pencil fall in the dip of the rot and drew a crooked line. He sat there for 30 minutes making it straight with a knife he didnt cut, off camera. I'd bet on it. 🤣🤣
@@matthewmcneil9812 I was thinking it looked like a good idea but your prob right. Bugger trying to cut those plastic scrapers. I’ve seen neat profile tools but tbh my freehand profiling is reasonably neat on my 70 year old timber windows.
YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME tom teaches me so much I want to be a carpenter when I get older too
I hope you are younger than 18.....if not you're going the wrong way.
Awesome! Would of liked to seen it finished thought!
Would have liked
I've used this product, about $85 a tube plus special gun. For some applications its great, no sag at all, totally waterproof, very easy to tool. It is very hard to sand though so go easy, takes 12-24 hrs to dry.
If there is a big cavity that needs to be filled, you can use scrap wood blocks to make the epoxy go further.
Emmm I used people's s lasting
Where the void is larger I cut timber into the area and apply an expanding glue which dose it's stuff and works its always into all the books and crannies making for an seperior bond.
Another use for epoxy. I have two forty year old shovels that are badly weathered and cracked. I smeared epoxy into all the cracks and completely covered the wood. Smooth, shiny and solid.
Epoxy, great idea! What kind of epoxy and bonding agent [brands?] ? There are many.
I have a large project and need bout a gallon.
Thanks!! I now know what to do for a couple of window sills. 👍
I learned from watching this video that we can tackle this ourselves! Thank you!
I have done some woodworks in the past but this woodwork plan ruclips.net/user/postUgkxZF0EMnrujZvqHhGkxiz559uIABJWR9TG helps me do much in a far lesser time than i used to do i have already built several projects with this plan and i intend to do many more soon. Thank you so much!
What bonding agent do you apply before you apply the epoxy ?
Keep in mind one of most hazardous things you can do with epoxy is to start sanding it before it's fully cured. So scrape, cut but don't sand until the next day.
I've made some wooden strip kayaks and so I've used a lot of epoxy. The cheapest easiest way I might deal with this rotted wood work is to get a less expensive brand of epoxy, mix it up (as a liquid) then add filler. A filler I've used many times in a pinch was instant pancake mix. Baking flour (that Gold bond stuff that keeps dry for a year? It's not really food anymore) makes a great filler. Mixed in with the epoxy I've never had any bugs or problem. If you mix your epoxy and then add the filler right away you get longer working time. If you let the epoxy sit mixed for 5 minutes, then add the filler, it goes off a lot quicker.
Another good filler material is the dust from a shop vac or dust collection system on your table saw if you have one.
Thank you for the video very nice job! I appreciate how you show how to do the template with the spatula. I fixed 3 rotten wood beams and 3 window sills. I took away the wood rot first , then apply a product call Rotten wood restorer by Bondo. It really harden the wood in few minutes. Then i used Wood Bond, sanded it and painted it. Looks great!
I use super glue to harden wood. The liquid type soaks right into the fiber.
Cool so i Rotten Wood Restorer. I really love the product , very easy to apply and dried very hard very quickly
They say Bondo dries hard and doesn't give with the weather so it will crack
Bondo makes an all purpose "fill" for about $11 per tub. Might be a bit more difficult but works beautifully and can be painted/sanded.
It doesn't work as good for exterior purposes though. It doesn't expand and contract with the wood nearly as much as this epoxy will, so it could crack and then pop off. May not happen a lot, but it's a very real possiblity.
@@AxcelGamer97 yeah I probably only use it for diy home repairs vs a paid job, but so far so good here. Replaced all the rotted trim of my windows here and it looks pretty darn good from a few feet away.
@@sean9820 I bet it works fine when you're doing it yourself like that. I've usually ended up just going the route of cutting out whatever is rotted and putting wood there simply because it's usually just one section of trim instead of a whole bunch like in this video. I've used Bondo a lot though for interior projects, such as trim, and it's worked great on that front.
@@AxcelGamer97 amen brother! I should note I did cut out and replace the wood as well, used the bondo to blend and fill the two/any gaps. Also had some rot on the bottom of our doors, which I again just filled and sanded. Little areas here and there where it helped in a big way.
I’d use bondo any day considering this epoxy stuff they showed was nearly $100 for the bottle and doesn’t include their “special” gun.
Outstanding. I buy my epoxy by the half gallon and one of several thickening agents.When dry, its solid like plastic and a little flexible. Great video. I have done the same thing around my home, several times. Process confirmed. Fantastic
Harry Paul Garcia have you found a resonantly priced 1/2 gallon size of epoxy?
I've used the Bondo on exterior repairs and it does crack in some instances. As far as Minwax it's it's basically Bondo. I do like using the wood hardener Minwax makes. I would like to use the epoxy stuff that they use then then make my decision on what is best
He is Using Flex-tec HV (see at 2:07). At $200+ per twin Bottle kit of Epoxy, I might as well pay for the wood replacement...
+Erick GT yup your right around 200$ holy crap
"Before we apply the epoxy I have to apply a 'bonding agent' to the wood so the epoxy adhere's to the wood." What's the name of the "bonding agent" in case I want to try this. Also, do I need a router or can I just attach the triangular shaped grinding bit to my drill?
You can use a dremel. I have no clue what the bonding agent is. This video isn't that helpful other than to show you how to do it once you guess what materials these bozos are using.
Here is their video, they also make thge bonding agent ... watch?v=EcRoCm9Am0g
Get an EndRot kit, it's like $40 and a lot easier to work with than the stuff they are using.
Slick Trick with the putty knife making template
Love the video. My house, is 1880 years old,, lol the kitchen windows show this the most. In the spring of 2021 I will attack these areas better armed with the knowledge I gained today 8 Nov.20.... well done Guys.
Great video!
This is exactly what I needed to know. I have a Catalina Macaw which has chewed up several interior doors and other parts of my house. Is that a special 2-part epoxy made especially for wood?
Damn good show. I've been watching for many years. Thank you PBS.
Question: If the rotted part is touching something prone to moisture, such as a concrete slab, will repairing the wood with epoxy prevent rotting in the future? Or will the moisture transverse up into the wood above it?
Wood should never be close to concrete without a vapor barrier in between
The problem with this lies in the cost of this epoxy kit.
It cost more than replacing the whole window trimming
You must have a very low value for labor...
Not sure what he used for bonding agent. Years ago I prepared soft rotted window sill areas with liquid thin penetrating epoxy that wicked in through the wood about 1 inch. It made soft wood fibers into hard plastic fibers never to rot and ready for filling. I bought it from *"The Rot Doctor"*
So you don’t need to remove the wood and replace the whole sill? I’m in Milwaukee. Do you make house calls? 🙏
you dont need to but you should. that rot looks like it was into the casing I would be worried it was letting water trickle down the wall, could definitely weaken the the plate/sill between floors and be a strucural issue. But ol' tommy is pretty smart he probably peaked down in there and made sure it wasnt an issue.
The nice thing about replacing with epoxy or PVC board is that mofo won't rot out again in another 6 or 7 years.
When we bought our house 3 years ago the rear door threshold had some rot in it, they hired someone as part of the presale repairs to fix it. He just cut it out a few inches and stuck wood in it (cheapest option). That sumbitch is already soft again. I am going to cut out all the trim and replace with PVC board, permanent fix.
Love the trick with the knife
I wonder if epoxy gives any structural strength? I have a table with rotten legs. I wonder if this is strong enough to support the table (around 15kg weight) or I'd better replace the legs.
My new project for rotten pation door. Thanks
Thanks for sharing this great strategy
I use Bondo, a gallon is like $16.00. Works Great for wood and i still have a lot left for Auto. Repairs.
I've used Bondo, and Bondo wood filler. They both work fine. Minwax High Performance Wood Filler is another great product. I used it to update an old door when I removed the mortise lock and updated to a modern type lockset. Got hard as a rock and I was able to drill out for the bolt.
I love RUclips I'm a visual learner this is great!
I started using a lot of epoxy and polyester resin with and without fiberglass strands, or microbeads or colloidal silica on my house after buying a boat!
Smart using that rubber mat on the front porch.
Tommy Silva is the man!
As soon as I get the epoxy mixed, is when it starts raining.
You are in the craftsman club now
It's actually much easier to just get a can of auto body Bondo. Works fantastic! And easily sanded and then painted.
I use Durham's "Rock-Hard" Water Putty. It only lasts around 10 years - longer if you prep the surfaces properly and paint it well, but it costs under $10.
Does it flex though?
@@cooperwelder75 no
You can use Bondo and it works really well and a lot cheaper than epoxy and it's paintable as well
That was slick well done with the putty knife making your temple
Thanks for this invaluable information
I just bought this stuff and it is perfect for the job I needed to do in our corner window. For that window the number of parts that would have to be removed would be time consuming. With this you dig out all the rotten wood, sand as much as possible, pretreat with the bonding agent and will the void. It dries very fast. Sand and paint. In the future when all of the siding is replaced that would be the time to replace the wood window surrounds, not now.
Thanks for the review. If you don't use the entire tube/tubes is their a way to cap them and save them? Was it somewhat easy to sand and form? Thanks!
@@phild9140 You need to apply it quickly. If you are too slow and work it too much you will get pits or grooves. I used a belt sander to smooth it because it becomes hard as a rock. I had window sills that had rot all the way through the middle. The results are amazing. Do order more that you think because it goes fast. You don't want to run out.
Yes the tubes come with caps so you can close it up. I used the tube style where you mix after you dispense.
@@toycarcollector thank you for the reply. I was hoping I could sand it by hand. Still might purchase it though.Thanks again.
One thought on the Bondo use, i thought it absorbed water, that is why we need to use tiger hair when filing in a rust hole and not go straight to bondo. Bondo is so easy to use and sands so nice, i can see how convenient it would be in this application.
I know people who have used bondo for fiberglass repairs on their boats who report that water absorption has never been a problem. But wood absorbs water too, so I am not sure why that would be a problem when repairing damaged wood.
Hi, thanks for this video! I dug out some rot from the bottom of a couple of exterior door frames. The resulting spaces are each about the size of a baseball or maybe a little bigger. Would it work to fill the holes with "great stuff big gap filler", trim it to be almost flush with the door frame, cover with a little regular wood filler, and paint? Hope that's not a dumb question. I already have all these materials, so that would be convenient, rather than buying epoxy/etc. Thanks!
This is exactly what I was thinking of doing to my exterior door rot? Curious if you tried it Kelly McConnell.
Looks like a great idea, as long as someone else pays for it.
Can I use Bondo for this kind of repair also?
I've tried this myself using JB Weld Wood Epoxy. It works but it's pretty difficult to make it look as good as new. If you only have a tiny amount of rot this might be the easiest and cheapest method, but next time I run into this situation I will probably just replace the wood.
Before I purchased my house the previous owner had a contractor repair a sill using car bondo, this allowed the water into and around the entire window. The entire sill and surrounding wood rotted out and now I have to replace the window, window sill, frame, and flashing. Real wood and a real contractor is my next choice!
What about killing the fungus? Isn't that a must before covering over the affected area?
I have a wood Pilar supposed by a concrete base.
Is it possible to use this kind of solution?
I have some epoxy used to set steel dowels in concrete. Will that work?
Is that a bonding agent or a wood hardener? I would always apply a preservative wood hardener after getting rid of as much of the rotten stuff as possible. It needs to soak in as far as possible to kill off the rot spores and make a solid surface to bond too. Also, I just use cheap, generic epoxy fillers. They will last longer than the wood anyway.
Yeah they just skipped over the mysterious "bonding agent" like they were afraid of it. I need to know.
I sometimes drill small holes into the existing old wood (maybe 1/2") and pour the wood hardener directly into the holes so that the liquid hardener distributes itself deeply throughout the wood. Sometimes use a hypodermic needle, without the needle, to direct the hardener to specific spots. You can get them at your local drug store for a few pennies or sometimes for free.
@@g.e.boroush5176 That's an excellent idea.
Thank you that was very good info. It will come in handy this spring, as I fix a. Few spots i noticed this winter.
What bonding agent did he use?
Lots of people asked (wondered the same), I think I found it!
Bonding agent: Primatrate for Flex-Tec Epoxy
Epoxy: Flex-Tec Wood Epoxy
OR get the Kit: Flex-Tec Dual Cartridge Starter Kit 101 ($230+ when you factor in sales tax and shipping) forget it!
Flex-Tec was my first formulation. Dura-Fix is my new product. Available on Amazon.
I love your video. But are there simple materials we can use now .?
This is very cool! I have a couple of rotten window sills on my house and this technique should do the trick.
After reading some of these comments... Will bondo in fact work??? Buy the time you purchase the gun and the epoxy. Cost adds up. Also I am not seeing the epoxy used in the video on the Amazon links. Can anyone help?
We should be done with this small repair in two to three days.... 🤣
"How much is that in dollars, Tommy?"
That's what i was thinking. It seems like an awful lot just to fix two pieces of window trim. Seems to me like it would be much quicker and cheaper to just pull the boards out, cut some more boards to size, and put them in.
Does epoxy stay on in -30f as well as heat?
As a handy man I use Durham's Rock Hard water putty. Home Dumpo has it and is a crap-ton cheaper too. In the paint isle.
What is the name of the bonding agent liquid?.
ART (Advanced Repair Technology) Prime-A-Trate/Bonding Agent
What time of work is this if wanted to get a repairman for ?
There is a 4th way! I used some cheap all-purpose filler from Wilco (UK). It's cement based and not the usual plaster one.
I have a real log cabin that has some wood rot in the center of a log that is about 3ft long. What type of epoxy should I use?
I already tried to use some regular wall putty, but it's too liquid to shape.
Can I put epoxy on top of another wall putty ?
Or I have to remove the wall putty first ?
We use that on wooden boats that used to call it get right but basically it's just a poxy injected into the wood and it makes it as good as new even stronger I believe
Where do you find the wood to epoxy bonding agent?
What brand epoxy did you use?
This looks fine, except for the skim coat applied on the face of the sill. Epoxy does not allow liquid water or water vapor to pass through itself. When you apply a skim coat over the face of the sill, moisture can be trapped inside the wood, leading to accelerated rot and the skim coat separating from the sill. 5 yrs seems to be the lifespan of this kind of repair in the humid philadelphia area.
How do you explain the same does not happen when you paint the wood?
Gleison Storto Simple. Paint is vapor permeable.
I’ve seen this too in marine industry. People coat varnish or epoxy on both sides of wood. A small scratch allows water in and lack of ventilation and oxygen causes ramped rotting
Can someone post a pic of the Bondo I need please. Am I also understanding correctly you don’t need a bonding agent?
What is the wood bonding agent he's using?
I don't see it in the list
I've used short strand fiberglass .
I took note of negative contractor comments about the cost of the materials Tom Silva selected for this job? I am an amateur in this area but my immediate reaction was I wonder if this material is easier to work with and to form? I am restoring some 106 year old screened porch framing wood that has wood rot from a water leak. I chose PC Rot Terminator and their PC Woody product. These are good products but much harder to spread and fill holes than what I see in Tom's video. The worst part of the job is the preparation but that is closely followed by the application of the epoxy repair product difficulties if it wants to stick to everything it touches.
So, if I have to do this again I will very strongly consider Tom's choice of product and will likely be glad to pay the extra cost. None of us attempting these kinds of repairs on old houses want to have to go back and do one of these tedious repairs, which are primarily manual labor, over again.
is the bonding agent necessary since it's not listed on the shopping list? seems like there are a lot of types of bonding agents.
Brilliant. Hope this works for me on one of my crank outs. I doubt it.
bondo cheaper and sets up faster. also you need to add something to the large holes for the epoxy to grip or it will eventually fall back out. nails or screws into the good wood will work great.
Great video
System 3 Rot fix kit is a much easier way to go and a lot less expensive.
What about the right corner of the Upper sash. Will epoxy fall down?
Isnt the epoxy really bad for wood as it stops it breathing and traps water in? Like it accelerates rot
Wonderful display You have inspired me to work on my channel, thanks. 🐼
Need this on a house that I own.. I'm not talented like this... Don't have a lot of time either for a project like this..