Furniture with antique value shows traces of time. Woodworm holes are not uncommon and can have a massive impact on the appearance of the wood surface. There are various products that can be used to fill such feeding passages. Problems can arise.
How to fill woodworm holes in wood?
To fill woodworm holes, use filler, repair putty or wood paste and apply it evenly into the feeding holes. Soft wax in matching wood colors is also suitable for repairs and allows for finishing with oils or varnishes.
Preparations
If furniture is stored in a damp attic or basement for a long time, woodworm infestation can occur. As a rule, the animals die when the material heats up and dries. To be on the safe side, you should fight the woodworm before filling the holes. Larvae can remain active after sealing and continually destroy the wood.
Filling compound for sealing
The hardware store offers various products that fill deep feeding tunnels and damage in the wood. They are offered under names such as filler, repair putty or wood paste and achieve similar results. It is important to have a cream-like consistency so that the filler penetrates evenly into the cavities.
Procedure:
- Sand and clean the wooden surface if necessary
- Fill the filling mixture into the aisles using a marinating syringe
- alternatively, put small drops on the holes and smooth them out with a spatula
- Use hairdryer air to improve viscosity
- Let the mixture dry out
Wood dust as a color source
You should not mix the wood dust that is created when sanding the surface with glue and spray it into the hallways. This method gives the filler the right color. However, the filled holes are clearly noticeable after the wood has been treated with impregnation oils, because the repaired areas absorb neither oil nor stain and remain lighter than the wood. Only by painting the abnormalities disappear to some extent, but the glue-dust mixture has a lower adhesive strength than other fillers.
Soft wax for mending
The wax is available in different wood colors, so that you can make the remains of the wormholes almost invisible. The material can be kneaded with your fingers so that it warms up and becomes soft. You can then press the mixture into the filled hole and smooth out the wax residue. Compared to putty, wax has better elasticity and is less brittle. It allows the wooden surface to be refinished with oils or varnish and can be easily scratched out again.
