You can hide wood filler after staining in a few easy steps. First, you need to wait for the wood filler to dry fully. 

Then, after you prepare the surface, you need to apply the right stain, followed by allowing the wood to absorb the stain. 

You can also hide wood fillers before staining. 

Keep reading to discover how you can hide wood fillers before and after staining in just a few easy steps. 

What Is A Wood Filler, And How Is It Used?

A wood filler is a solution to holes in wood. 

Maybe you accidentally drop a heavy item on your wooden floor that creates a hole, or maybe wear, and tears show as time passes, resulting in random cracks or holes in your wood. 

A wood filler is made with wood particles and fibers mixed with a binding agent to fix the hole in the wood from the inside. 

When you fill a hole in the wood with a wood filler, this hardens and restores the integrity of the wood. 

Generally, wood fillers are used to:

• Repair broken edges (tables, countertops, shelves, cabinets, and others)
• Fill in holes
• Fill scratches or gouges on a wooden surface, such as wooden furniture 

There are two wood filler categories:

1. Stainable 
2. Non-stainable 

You can stain wood fillers, but only those that are stainable. 

Non-stainable wood fillers won’t absorb the stain properly, and the color of the stain won’t be set the way it should. 

You can choose between pre-colored or white non-stainable wood fillers. 

To hide wood fillers, you need to work with stainable ones. 

Can You Hide Wood Fillers With Staining?

Yes, you can hide wood fillers with staining. But how well you can hide wood fillers with staining depends on the type of filler. 

Wood fillers with genuine wood fibers can be stained better and hidden better with staining than those with high mineral inputs. 

Before you can stain the wood filler, you must ensure an even surface. 

Wood staining is the final touch. It brings the appearance together of your surface together. Once you apply the stain, the wood and the wood filler absorb it. 

You can find stains in resin, oil, or alkyd formats. 

There are three main types of wood stains. These are the following.

1. Clear stain

This type of wood stain offers a limited color option. 

It is a water-repellent sealer, and it is ideal for bringing out the natural look of the wood. 

The only drawback of the clear sealer is that it can turn a gray look.

2. Solid stain

The solid wood stain accentuates the wood’s texture and delivers a deep opaque touch. This stain also provides a high level of protection. 

Solid wood stain is very durable and covers the wood grain just as well as paint. 

3. Semi-transparent stain

This is a common choice when you want the result to display the wood’s natural accents and texture. 

The semi-transparent wood stain conceals the grain, but it allows you to still see through it. 

How To Hide Wood Filler Before Staining

You can hide wood fillers before you stain them but also after you stain them. 

This portion of the guide will show you how you can easily and effectively hide wood fillers before you stain them. 

1. Prepare the holes in the wood – remove debris, dirt, dust, or any other stains
2. Use sandpaper to smooth the edges as best you can to even the surface
3. Apply the wood filler 
4. Scrape away excess wood filler from the surface 
5. Wait for the wood filler to completely dry 
6. Use medium to high-grade sandpaper to smooth out the surface and get an even level 
7. Dab a clean cloth in warm to hot water, squeeze out excess water, and wipe clean the surface
8. Make sure that the surface is level and even 

How To Hide Wood Filler After Staining

Sometimes you don’t realize that the wood fillers aren’t fully hidden before you apply the stain. 

If you have applied the stain and once it dried, you notice that the wood fillers aren’t fully hidden, don’t worry about it. You can still hide them. 

Here are the steps you need to take to hide wood fillers after staining:

1. Use high-grain sandpaper to sand the whole surface to get an even look
2. Apply a layer of pre-stain condition with a brush following the wood’s grain
3. Let it sit for about 10 – 20 minutes 
4. Use a clean cloth to wipe off the surface 
5. Apply the stain to the surface
6. Use a brush to spread the stain evenly, following the direction of the grain
7. The longer you keep the stain, the stronger the stain will be
8. When ready, use a clean cloth to wipe down the stain from the surface
9. Allow it to dry for a minimum of 4 hours or longer 
10. If the staining isn’t dark enough, re-apply another coat 
11. Wipe it off with a clean cloth and let it dry 
12. Apply a protective finish to the surface 

For best results, use a solid stain, which is thicker and hides better. The drawback is that the wood’s natural grain won’t show with a solid stain. 

You can also use a dark color stain to hide the wood filler. 

How To Fix A Blotchy Look After Staining Dries?

You have stained over wood fillers, and you got a blotchy look. What now?

Here is how you can fix a stain that looks blotchy:

1. Apply a layer of wood glaze to the blotchy spots
2. Let it dry 
3. If this doesn’t fix the problem, then you need to sand off the stain completely
4. Clean the surface of the wood and make sure it is even 
5. Re-apply a coating of stain 
6. Let it sit for 10 – 20 minutes
7. Wipe it down with a clean cloth 
8. Let it dry 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for the wood filler to dry?

Generally, it takes a minimum of 2 hours for the wood fillers to dry, depending on the temperature in the room. If the hole is deep and you need to use more wood filler, it can take about 6 hours to dry.

Is wood filler the same as grain filler?

Grain fillers perform better, and they have a higher price tag. 

Conclusion

You can hide wood fillers after staining with a new coating of stain. 

Solid stain hides best, but this doesn’t only hide the wood fillers but the grain of the wood. 

If you want to see the wood’s natural grain, use a semi-transparent stain and choose a deeper color. 

Always use a stain that best matches the wood’s grain.