How to Patch a Hole in Wood Trim | Ask This Old House
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- This Old House general contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner patch a large hole in painted baseboard molding. (See below for a shopping list, tools, and steps.)
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Shopping List for How to Patch a Hole in Wood Trim:
- _-inch-thick poplar, cut to size to serve as a patch
- Two 1x2s and two 1x4 spacer blocks, used to make a routing jig
- Instant-bond glue (cyanoacrylate) and aerosol accelerator, for gluing together the jig
- 120-grit abrasive disks, for random-orbit sander
- 2-inch (6d) finishing nails, to secure jig to wood trim
- Carpenter’s glue, for adhering the new wood patch
- Cloth, to wipe away excess glue and sanding dust
Tools for How to Patch a Hole in Wood Trim:
- Canvas drop cloth, to protect floor
- Table saw and miter saw, for cutting wood parts to size
- Random-orbit sander, to sand jig and patch
- Hammer
- Trim router and _-inch-diameter pattern-cutting bit, for cutting the hole for the patch
- Wet/dry vac, to collect routing dust
- _-inch wood chisel, for squaring up the corners of the routed recess
Steps for How to Patch a Hole in Wood Trim:
1. Cover the floor near the repair with a canvas drop cloth.
2. Cut a _-inch-thick poplar patch slightly larger than the hole in the wood trim.
3. Next, make a routing jig out of two 1x2s and two 1x4 blocks. Be sure the poplar wood patch fits into the rectangular hole in the middle of the jig.
4. Assemble the jig with instant-bond glue. Apply a bead of glue to one surface, then spray the mating surface with an aerosol accelerator.
5. Press and hold the parts together for several seconds until the glue cures.
6. Remove the patch from the center of the jig, then use a random-orbit sander fitted with 120-grit abrasive to sand smooth the front and back of the jig.
7. Hold the jig against the wood trim with its rectangular opening centered over the hole in the trim. Secure the jig with 2-inch finishing nails; leave the nailheads protruding.
8. Install a _-inch-diameter-by-1-inch-long pattern-cutting bit into a trim router. Adjust the depth of cut to equal the thickness of the jig plus the thickness of the poplar patch.
9. Turn on the router, then hold it flat against the jig with the bit protruding into the opening.
10. Slowly move the router in a clockwise direction around the jig. Be sure to keep the bit’s ball-bearing pilot pressed tightly against the inside edge of the jig’s rectangular opening.
11. As you’re routing, have a helper collect the dust with a wet/dry vac.
12. Square up the rounded corners of the routed recess with a hammer and a _-inch-wide wood chisel.
13. Use the hammer to yank out the nails holding the jig in place.
14. Apply carpenter’s glue to the routed recess, then press the poplar patch into place.
15. Very gently tap the wood patch with a hammer until it’s fully seated.
16. Wipe away the excess glue with a damp cloth.
17. Allow the glue to cure for about 2 hours, then sand the patch flush with the random-orbit sander.
18. Force carpenter’s glue into any gaps you see around the perimeter of the poplar patch.
19. Wait for the glue to harden, then sand the patch one final time.
20. Wipe off the sanding dust with a damp cloth, then prime and paint the patch to match the wood trim.
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How to Patch a Hole in Wood Trim | Ask This Old House
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I don’t think I’ve ever seen Tom Silva in a video without his chisel
I love Dutchmans never realized how much fun they are to make. Table, floor, door, etc
My two cents. I am not a finish carpenter but have a fair bit of experience dealing with molding in homes of all ages. In reply to some of the commenters who say that just replacing the molding is the better way... That may be true some of the time but not all the time. In the trade that I was in, we stopped pulling baseboard moldining unless the home owner had a special need; instead we notched our product to fit around. We lost too many man hours/$ after being surprised by shoddy construction or ancient plaster that shattered or turned to dust above the top of the baseboard (despite every effort to be gentle using small plastic shims etc.).
yup
Mark Thomas
You are totally correct. Everything looks simple to a simpleton. Don't touch anything you don't need to. The liability is too great.
@@Maghanashi, the flooring its sitting on top of too? There is likely unevenness, low spots, etc.. whatever, in certain places. Especially on a house this old.
U can't be serious
Good point plus this molding was at least 3/4” thick considering they routed 1/2” off of it and there was still material left. This suggest it’s the type of molding that is captured by the plaster above. You’d have to rip out the plaster to remove it.
Silva Truly is a treasure to the gc community
Tom Silva is my spirit animal
I like to mix the dust from sanding to the wood glue as filler .
My old shop teacher told me that trick way back in the 90s
The best thing about this is it matches the wood best versus pre made stuff
It could be easier to replace the baseboard but that's a big maybe. You wouldn't know until you started pulling it off. There's potential for damaging plaster or drywall, particularly if someone used glue or construction adhesive when installing. Unless you're 100% sure what you're getting into, this option is a safer bet.
I think the purpose of it was to show "how to fill a hole in wood" otherwise replacing the baseboard would have been easier for sure.
Nice work. You were brave, Tommy, working with that superglue without gloves. And I was impressed how you got the jig's face aligned and flush.
kellerrobert80 wood glue
@@goosecouple he used super glue to make the jig ., but Tommy has Teflon skin its heat resistant and can blunt a nail !!!
@kellerrobert80: He probably has some acetone.
Tommy nailed it again
All critics,
This is a reasonable OPTION opposed to replacement. It demonstrates how to repair instead of replace.
What if the board was a long stretch like 15 feet? Replacing doesn’t seem much more fun now does it?
well said i saw this video a couple of years ago and it stuck in my mind , having a Victorian house with very mice skirting (base board to our american cousins) and i used this method to patch the holes left by sockets(outlets) i did something a bit different i made a jig slightly bigger the width of the cutter all round and this made it so i could cut a patch from a piece of timer and without having to square the corners it works pretty good and its a strong patch that is next to impossible to see once filled and painted
gmrrnracr I agree , that’s the whole point of this show , showing people , specifically homeowners , how to patch something like this . Taking the board off the wall can cause all sorts of problems , like if the installers used allot of caulk it would tear the drywall up and you would have to re paint and fix that . This is a great idea. There are so many know it alls on UA-cam who throw insults at people because they think they are better than everyone or they know better , I commented on another this old house vid just saying that later levels are not as accurate as a pencil line and I was called thick lol anyway I ignore idiots like that , they are everywhere , good comment
Would still be faster to replace 15 ft trim
White duct tape!...... BAM!
gmrrnracr screw a white plastic cover over the hole
The Stanley fatmax chisels Tommy used to square up the corners are really good, would definitely recommend to any apprentices or trades people in need of a new set. pretty sharp out of the box but a quick going over with an oil stone and they are perfect for any carpentry job.
those are chisels from home depot basically
I going learn this tricks for my handyman job in the future this old man is the men !!!
I'm sorry, what?
For those saying that replacing the baseboard is obviously a better fix, you are wrong. If I were to pull the baseboard from my walls I would likely have to re-plaster the areas of the walls above the baseboards. Then I would have to paint those areas as well. Sometimes replacing the entire baseboard makes sense, but it is never always the answer.
Not if you're careful, slip a taping knife in between to protect the wall. BTDT
Cut down a Rice Krispy treat, it will stick in place.
Patch and sand. Mice are free.
That was amazing! I would have never thought of doing it like that. I guess that's the difference between a laborer and a master Carpenter!
Y D dude, there’s a HUGE difference between carpenter and laborer.
Please don't do it like that. It only 'worked' like that because the molding is flat and you can cut a new piece by hand in less than a minute.
(By hand)
It's way quicker to glue in a piece of wood that roughly fits the hole, then use some filler to cover the whole thing and sand/paint it. Not as elegant, but same result without needing a router and a jig.
rutger houtdijk Basically all this homeowner needed to do is to put a piece of wood in the hole and paint over it. Obviously a professional is going to do it the hard way just to make moneyI mean hell else is this company don’t want to stay in business if they do it the right way
Glue the wood piece to ... what? Stuffing a rough piece in there with filler will never leave a flat face. That baseboard will *move*, and the filler won’t.
@@Nill757 glue it to the wood behind the baseboard or cut either the width or height so that it fits tight, fill gaps with epoxy/ polyester and sand the whole thing flush. Have done repairs like that and years later still invisible.
@@rutgerhoutdijk3547 Its a stud wall. What wood behind the baseboard? You can’t know there’s a stud there, and even if it is there, it’s likely insufficiently positioned to back a patch. Plate looks to be below the hole.
Are you a .... Dutchman...?
If you haven't got a router:-
mark the patch onto the base board, drill a hole in each corner then using a keyhole saw cut out the timber where the patch will go.
Put a piece of timber in to use as a back brace and then glue and nail your patch in.
Fill around the edge and nail holes, sand flush.
@Eros Hermes ... back brace can be a scrap of plywood, set with glue and a couple of screws. Very similar to backing up a patch on sheetrock. After that you cut and fit the finish wood... glue, sand, paint.
"Well that's the idear" -Tommy
When I saw this, I was expecting something very different. This is a great job, and very well done. A small tool like that is indispensable... otherwise it is a ton of hand-chiseling. I don't do them often, and do have use for that tool, so I do the same thing but with chisels. A sharp chisel is required though. (By sharp, I mean SHARP. Like Scary Sharp.)
BlackSwan912 +1 many people don't realize the importance of keeping chisels sharp, especially in woodworking.
Nice last forever repair.
Good video!!
We frequently come across baseboards that you could no longer get the "profile" for or it was possibly custom made.
May seem like allot of work to some but I can recall a bunch of times it was a good option.
If you added magnets & a knob painted white, you could have access to the inside if & when you decided to run Internet or phone lines into the wall. Or even a secret hiding place for small valuables..
Rather than going to all the trouble of setting up a jig like that, why not take a piece of wood that is roughly the size of the jig, then cut out a piece in the middle to be your patch? That way the jig (the original wood piece, with a hole in it) already exactly matches the size of the patch (the part you cut from the jig).
Because you lose the thickness of the "kerf" - which is the thickness of the blade used to cut the wood.
Wholly molie, the homeowner is painting... I was about to take a bet how long id take for the trim to get painted!
I gotta figure out how to use my router. It's just sitting there collecting sawdust
Love these guys learn alot from them ...god bless..
Please stop blessing everything you see..
What will that do ?
The invisible man in the sky does not exist....
Sorry you were brainwashed
as a kid ...
Tommy and Norrrrrrm were always gettin' jiggy with it.
I get a kick out of people in the comment section
For the people that are talking about pulling off that molding replacing the whole thing here's the problem with that
Let me give you a little lesson
Step 1 Torn Drywall Paper
Step 2 you could damage to drywall
Step 3 and if it's an older house the drywall fall apart
That's one of the reasons why you would do what Tommy did to prevent all of those things I said
Now I know these things because my pops showed me a few things he was a carpenter he died in 2009
this is plaster, so it makes sense to try and fix it, drywall, not so much. to prevent torn drywall simply use a box cutter to score the caulking/top of the baseboard where it meets the wall. this prevents a tear (i've done it many times with success). damage is definitely an issue but not so much if you make sure to get your pry bar behind the moulding where the new moulding would conceal the damage and to make sure that you are prying on a stud only (otherwise it will most likely break).
0:27 "Slip it in the hole and make it fit nice and tight. I'd also have to put something in the back to hold it so it doesn't slide in."
Big Den I see what you did there.😂😂😂
That just solved 8 problems around my house!
Wouldn't be easier to just round those patch corners instead chisel those corners sharp on that "hole".
Tommy's the MAN!
Did a quick view of posts and didn't see anyone mention using "great stuff" then sanding plus a quick coat of compound. You can also use a wad of newspaper to stuff the hole then finish with autobody filler.... sand / paint.
After reading your comment, the only thing I could picture is, “a wad of newspaper”….and your house.
I would have used my patch and traced it on the trim. Then used my oscillating saw to cut it out. Much faster.
No backing for your patch that way. Never get the face flush nor attach it firmly. Or, if you do manage tweet it, it won’t stay that way.
Mark all he’d do is a piece of strapping behind it nail it off then patch the holes with putty and touch up. many ways to get there than what’s shown here
@@oscarlandag1831 Its not a drywall patch. Baseboard gets kicked and pushed all the time, a major reason why baseboard trim is commonly used instead of drywall flush to the floor. Nailed strapping with no structure behind it will giveway. That routered out Dutchman Tommy did never will.
Quality finish trim is essentially furniture work, where attention must be paid to expansion and strong joinery else the joints don't hold and open up. Nobody uses unglued, outside sided nailed only strapping in furniture cabinetry. Sometimes time is short and one has to do it quick and dirty, but there is no pretending its not dirty, as callbacks will prove.
@MarkHeslep your exactly right it would fail eventually because of exp and cont. but a hack Is a hack is a hack lol
@@oscarlandag1831 Yeap. A hack is hack. I watch a master craftsman like Tommy because he knows how do it right and on the clock.
Perhaps in this application, replacement may have been "better", but i think the point of this video is to show you this repair when things are a little hairier.
Oh! You have done beautiful job.
Did you see how much paint he got on the floor just doing that little patch hahaha. Homeowners are funny.
Nice! I would have piled it full of Bondo until it was protruding, and then sand it smooth. Haha!
Trace around the patch and use your router to cut the hole.
Also could have used a white wooden switch plate to cover it
Perfect!
good god, that man cant paint for crap, that little of a spot and he got more paint on the tarp then the baseboard
He didn't have a great paintbrush, but yeah, that's some serious overshooting.
Never trust a guy that wears checked slip on house shoes.
as far as filling the small voids left.......depending on the patch (fix) , i will mix fine sawdust with wood glue instead of straight glue. Especially on nicer furnishings.
That's fantastic! Thank you. You are a true craftsman
Brilliant video. Thank you. 👍🏻
very nice idea and job
Poor Jerry, now he can't enter his house
Yeah and One coat of primer all over my dust sheet too dude. What’s up with ya, you never used a paint brush.
Lmao!! I was thinking the same thing.
And hes not even using a real paint brush. Those foam pads are what kindergarteners get for making thanksgiving turkey art with their hands and water colors.
Just learned something new.
You sit a cabinet in front of it
Great tip. Thank you.
Nice fix, but maybe 5% of the places I've worked on have a flat base. Most all have a detail of some type.
The jig is up, Tommy.
I've done this with Sheetrock 90, especially a painted baseboard. Strong and easy, and good finish. But for those who want to go original, that's a good job.
Sheetrock, no way
Incredible 😁
This was great. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing!
It looks like one of those holes from a Tom and Jerry cartoon
It could end up being a pretty big job to replace the baseboard, if the wall is plaster, and
the unskilled homeowner crumbles the plaster and has to replace it, but the average homeowner doesn't have the tools or skills Silva using and demonstrating. Silva is just showing off here.
The term “Dutchman” offends my ancestry. I mean, what are we, cheap? Oh yeah... Nevermind. We are. Carry on. 😂
No worries the Dutch aren't the only one's.
@@jonathanharris969 ...awww...lol :)
8 hours labor @ $125 per hour plus materials
1 xyoqnic kit at sherwin $189
Traveling charges $34.95
Knowledge fee $1 million
Results: Priceless
Good idea 👍👍👍
Wow, thanks!
Blank plate
Done
Nice if you have the special little router and it’s cutting bits....
5:17 well that's the eye deer
Festool product placement
Better idear: great stuff foam for a backer, bondo for the patch, sand and prime
Good video
I'm a Dutchman myself but I would never fit in that hole
Tommy's amazing. Some of these comments are depressing. Naysayers are coming out of the woodwork. See what I did there?
Just use a Dutchman to cover the holes they made...see what I did there? 😂
Love this old house! But it seems like it would just be simpler to replace the entire piece. Gotta make a jig, use a router, sand, etc. Seems like a lot of headache.
Why not a patch with rounded corners? No chisel needed
Thats the idear!
Piece of cake if you have some backing board behind to fasten the patch piece to. Diff story if no backing board to work with.
nice job guys
there's two ways to do every job: the right way and the wrong way. if you're lucky, you'll learn how to do it right the first time.
I'd cut a piece of wood. Hold it up over the hole. Trace around it with a fine sharpie. Vibratory tool cut the wood out. Glue the wood in and sand/bondo if needed.
The posted way might be better, but you'd never know unless a truck ran over it.
Glue in the wood ... to what? Tommy has a shelf. You would not, and so that face would never stay flush. Forget bondo here. The seems would show on that long flat baseboard face from yards away.
nice work..
easier to just replace the trim. but neat trick
"Well, that's the idea, sonny!"
great!! job guys
I found a new way to make a router jig.
For most people, I think replacing the baseboard would be the way to go.
Shouldn't we use wood filler instead of glue?
Did Tom say idear? Ha!
Can you fix my Patio cover? I am live south California. We like you guy.
No mortise?
How is this less work than replacing the baseboard?
I would have traced it and then used oscillsting tool and then insert piece
the geometry of this jig would be IMPOSSIBLE if the baseboard hole were *ANY higher or* lower
he forgot to mention that the height of the jig's horizontal wood, which connects the two white portions of the jig, must be short enough to allow for total access from the trim router to the hole in the wall.
What about hearing protection?
The Bostonian made a Dutchman.
Question here... Why not using wood putty for filler ?
Wood glue + sawdust = wood putty
This is awesome if your retired
Should lay a scrap piece of wood over the spot you're hammering. Less chance of denting or scratching the trim
Adam Mcgrath they’re tapping it in. Then they are sanding and painting. No chance of denting.
you aint gunna find doubled up baseboard(nailer) to do this on most production lath and plaster homes.
muy bien .
Fill hole with Bondo it's very strong , fast, easy. Then the second coat skim with Kwikset ,easy to sand and finish over. Bondo and 5-minute quick set the landlord's secret weapon.
Is it really a big Job to just replace the trim ? It’s not even mittered