Fixing Furniture Broken Foot With Mold Putty and Wood Filler
by
Pat Rios
7 Materials
$60
4 Hours
Medium
I received several comments here and on my social media pages, asking me how I had fixed the broken foot of a cedar chest I painted recently. I will show you in this post how I did it, and if you really want to try it yourself one day, I recommend that you watch my short video tutorial.
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Here is the video.
I started by making my mold with EasyMold Silicone Putty. I chose this particular brand because it was pretty easy to use, but there are several other options available.
I mixed equal parts of the purple and white components until both colors blended completely.
When my mix was ready, I wrapped it around one of the good feet that I wanted to replicate.
Next, I prepared a good amount of Bondo wood filler and inserted it into my mold. You have to work pretty quickly because the Bondo mix starts drying in less than a minute.
I poured my Bondo mix into my mold, then attached it firmly to the foot, holding it with painters tape. I waited until the next day to remove it, giving the Bondo enough time to dry completely.
The next day, I detached the mold, then glued the newly built part to the broken foot.
I clamped them tightly and waited another 24 hours for the glue to dry so I could start sanding.
Then it was time to sand it to the shape I wanted. The Bondo wood filler dries as hard as wood so you can work with an electric sander for the most part.
I used a soft wood filler to do some touch-ups, then finalized using a 220 grit sandpaper to make the surface smooth and ready to paint.
Problem solved!
It was a time-consuming job, but worth it to give this beautiful piece a new life.
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Comments
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3 comments
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Great solution! Super tutorial. I have made those kinds of repairs using Bondo through the years. Used different products for molds and sometimes made my own molds. the principle is the same.
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I did the same! Damaged parts, missing parts, peeling veneer. There was a time you cound't buy a lot of the stuff available now.
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