I Tested 7 Wood Fillers for Hardwood Floors: Here are the Best (2024)

Nothing looks better than a clean, well maintained hardwood floor. But if your home is anything like mine, they need some work.

If your hardwood floors are full of cracks, nail holes, or other gaps, filling them can be a great way to improve the look of your home.

To do so, you’re going to need a wood filler that’s specifically designed for hardwood floors. That’s why I put together this list of the best wood filler for hardwood floors you can find. I’ve used each of these for a variety of projects so you can get the best one for your needs. Let’s dig in!

If you’re looking for the quick answer, my favorite wood filler for hardwood floors is the Minwax Stainable Wood Filler.

Best Wood Filler for Hardwood Floors

• #1 Best Overall – Minwax Stainable Wood Filler
• Best Value – Timbermate Wood Filler
• Most Durable – Abatron WoodEpox Epoxy Wood Replacement Compound
• Best Color – Famowood Wood Filler
• Best Putty – Donald Durhams Rockhard Water Putty

1. Minwax Stainable Wood Filler – Best Overall

The best wood filler for hardwood floors is hands down the stainable wood filler from Minwax.

In my opinion, one of the biggest factors in choosing the right wood filler to use on hardwood floors is its ability to be stained. This will help hide your patch job into your floors so it doesn’t stand out like a sore thumb.

While most wood fillers can be stained, some are better than others.

This wood filler can perfectly blend into your floors so you can’t tell that it’s there.

What I Liked:

• Takes paint and stain very well compared to others
• Water based, so it’s easy to clean with warm water and soap

What I Didn’t Like:

• Shrunk slightly when dried

2. Timbermate Wood Filler

Another great choice is Timbertmate Wood Filler. This wood filler is great for hardwood floors because of how easy it is to apply and how fast it dries.

When compared to the Stainable Minwax wood filler above, this one didn’t stain quite as well, so it was a little more noticeable in my floors.

That said, I did like that it didn’t shrink as much and it dried super quick.

What I Liked:

• Doesn’t shrink as much as others
• Dries extremely fast – which is convenient
• Easy clean up

What I Didn’t Like:

• Slight change in color when stain was applied

3. Famowood Wood Filler – Best Colored Wood Filler

Another great wood floor filler is the Famowood Wood Filler. One of the perks of this wood filler is that it’s available in many different colors so you can easily find one that matches your hardwood flooring.

Whether you have a natural, red oak, or even ebony colored floors – you can find a wood filler that matches.

This is one of the thickest wood fillers I’ve come across in the years I’ve been woodworking, which can make it somewhat more difficult to spread and apply.

But that also speaks to how durable and long lasting this wood filler is. It also didn’t shrink much when applied, which was nice.

Because it’s a latex wood floor filler, it can be used for both indoor and outdoor applications (which might be handy for some people).

What I Liked:

• Comes in many different colors
• Dried pretty quickly

What I Didn’t Like:

• More difficult to apply because of the thick consistency

4. Goodfilla Wood Filler

Another one of my favorite wood fillers is the Goodfilla Wood Filler.

While this wood filler isn’t specifically made for hardwood flooring, I’ve used it on some occasions and it works well.

I consider this wood filler to be more versatile than others. It’s one of the top rated water based wood fillers you’ll find.

Like other fillers, this one produced a smooth finish after sanding and it comes in several colors depending on your needs

What I Liked:

• Dried quickly
• Stainable
• Comes in many different colors
• Easy to apply and clean

What I Didn’t Like:

• Doesn’t seem as durable as others

5. Abatron WoodEpox Epoxy Wood Replacement Compound – Most Durable

If you’re dealing with wood floors with major cracks and other structural issues, you’re better off using a more heavy duty filler like this Abatron WoodExpox wood filler.

This is different than every other wood filler I’ve listed so far in that it is an epoxy based wood filler. This means it comes in two parts, that you’ll have to mix before filling.

This is the strongest wood filler you’ll find on this list. If you’re looking for a wood filler for large holes, this is a great choice.

What I Liked:

• Heavy duty wood filler that’s extremely durable
• Great for rotted wood because of its strength

What I Didn’t Like:

• Significantly more expensive than other options
• More toxic than others
• Takes longer to dry

6. Donald Durhams Rockhard Water Putty – Best Wood Putty

If you’re looking for a more flexible gap filler, using a wood putty like this one might be your best option.

There are certain benefits of using a wood putty vs wood filler, so this is worth considering.

This wood putty, like others, doesn’t shrink at all – meaning you don’t have to worry about it not completely filling your gaps or cracks once dry.

You can stain it to match your floors, so it blends in and isn’t super noticeable.

What I Liked:

• Doesn’t shrink at all
• Easy to apply with fingers

What I Didn’t Like:

• Doesn’t stain quite as well as a traditional wood filler

7. Elmer’s Wood Filler – (I Don’t Recommend)

Okay, so there’s one wood filler on this list I don’t recommend for filling wood floors. It’s Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Filler.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad wood filler in general, it’s just not the best for your wood floors.

I do recommend this wood filler for screw holes and other smaller holes, but not for hardwood flooring.

First, it doesn’t stain well compared to others, which is critical. Secondly, it shrank a decent amount, so you’ll have to apply more once your first application dries. Lastly, it’s not nearly as durable as others.

There is one good thing though – the price. This is the cheapest wood filler you’ll find so if you just need the cheapest and most budget friendly, this is your best option.

What I Liked:

• Cheap, cheap, cheap

What I Didn’t Like:

• Doesn’t stain well
• Not durable enough for floors
• Shrinks once dried

What to Consider When Purchasing a Wood Filler for Hardwood Floors

Color & Stainability

I think the most critical thing to consider when purchasing a wood filler for hardwood floors is how well it stains or accepts paint.

Unless you don’t care what your floors look like, this can go a long way in making your wood filler look like wood so it blends in and can’t be spotted easily.

You can opt to purchase stainable wood fillers that easily accept paint or stain to match the surrounding wood, or you can go with a filler that’s already colored and matches your floors.

Either way, the best wood filler will match your floors and blend right in.

Type

There are two main different types of wood fillers that can affect how the filler performs under a variety of conditions.

Water based wood fillers are more common and are often made from real wood fibers, glues, and other components.

These are faster drying, more budget friendly, and easier to apply than a solvent based wood filler.

Solvent based wood fillers are made with more chemicals but they are stronger, more durable, and can withstand more moisture than water based options. These are also more expensive and sometimes require more work to apply.

The type of wood filler you should purchase will depend on your needs.

Are you filling a small nail hole in your floor? A water based filler will probably get the job done!

Are you looking for a wood filler for your deck? Solvent based fillers are likely the better option.

If you’re working on exterior wood, you’ll need a filler that can withstand the elements.

Durability

The durability and longevity of your wood filler is also something you’ll want to look for. Because floors need to withstand daily traffic – you need something that’s going to last.

Otherwise, over time your wood filler will become less and less strong and eventually crack and come out of your floor.

When it comes to durability and strength, you want to look for wood floor fillers that contain real wood fiber. This will increase it’s strength and ensure it lasts longer.

Alternatively, you can opt for an oil based filler like an epoxy based filler that tends to be stronger.

Drying Time

While the drying time is worth consider, I wouldn’t make your purchase decisions based on this factor alone.

In general, water based fillers will dry much faster than solvent based fillers.

How to Fill Cracks and Gaps in Hardwood Floors

Step 1. Mix Wood Filler

First, you’ll need to mix the wood filler if it’s an epoxy based filler. You can use a putty knife to mix your filler. If you’re using a water based filler, you can skip this step.

Step 2. Apply

Next, apply the wood filler over the crack, hole, or gap in your floor. If you’re using a wood putty, you can use your finger to apply the putty into the crack or gap.

If you’re using a wood floor filler, you can use a putty knife to smooth the filler over your hardwood floor.

You can use your finger to press down on the filler depending on how big the crack or gap is.

Be sure to wipe away excess filler once applied.

Check out the video below for more info on applying wood filler on hardwood floors!

Step 3. Let it Dry

After applying your wood floor filler, you need to give it enough time to dry before putting any pressure on the area. The time it takes wood filler to dry will depend on a few factors, but mainly the type of wood filler you’re using. For a water based wood filler, you’ll need to give it a few hours to dry completely. For an oil based filler, it can take over 24 hours to completely dry.

Step 4. Sand

Once your wood filler has dried, you’ll want to lightly sand it down to match the area around it. It’s critical not to sand it too hard, otherwise you might accidentally remove some of the wood grain from your floors also. You want a smooth finish that looks like the wood around it.

Step 5. Stain

Next you can paint or stain it to match the surrounding area. This step won’t be required for all wood floor fillers because some of them will come colored.

FAQs

Should you use wood filler on hardwood floors?

Yes. Wood fillers can be used to patch cracks and gaps in your hardwood floors. Wood fillers are great for filling holes, gaps, and cracks

Can wood filler be used on hardwood floors?

Yes! Wood fillers are designed to be used on a variety of wood surfaces including flooring. You can fill nail holes, gaps, and other imperfections in your floors with wood fillers.

How do you fill gaps in old hardwood floors?

To fill gaps in old hardwood floors, you can use a wood filler or wood putty to fill the holes. Next, you can sand it down and stain it to match the surrounding area. You can mix real wood chips from your floor and wood glue together to create a good wood filler that matches your floors well.

Final Thoughts

There’s certainly no shortage of wood fillers available, but finding the right one for hardwood flooring can be slightly more difficult.

You want to look for a filler that can be stained or painted so it matches the floor and blends in.

The best wood filler for hardwood floors is the Mixwax Stainable Wood Filler. It’s a great choice that can be painted to stain to match the surrounding wood floors.

My second choice is the Timbermate wood filler. It’s one of the best wood fillers overall, and it works well on hardwood floors.

There’s only one option I wouldn’t recommend – the Elmer’s carpenter wood filler. It shrinks, doesn’t stain well, and won’t be durable enough to handle the foot traffic that hardwood flooring takes.

If you’re working on an exterior project, you can check out these top wood fillers for decks!