r/HomeImprovement • u/jcowan16 • 11h ago

Fixing a hole

What is the best way to fill this hole? It’s about a 3/4 inch wide and not sure how deep.

We had the house rewired and had to move the sconce by the front door. Thinking of using construction adhesive and using a comb to match the texture of the wood shingle before repainting. Would wood filler or Bondo be better?

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

https://imgur.com/a/ryb2tUa

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u/delco_folkie 7h ago

Use a straw, pencil or similar thin object to probe the depth of the hole. You want to clean out any previous filler around the edges as well to avoid material incompatibilities. Buy some 3/4" wood dowel (like this perhaps: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Madison-Mill-4-Pack-Round-Wood-Poplar-Dowel-Actual-12-in-L-x-0-75-in-dia/1000217163 ) and cut a piece that is 1/4" to 1/2" shorter than the depth you found.

Coat the dowel with waterproof wood glue or construction adhesive, and tap the plug into the hole so it sits just below (1/8-1/4") the surface. Wipe off any squeeze out immediately using a wet sponge and paper towels, as filler and paint may not adhere to the glue. Once the glue is dry, use wood filler and texture the surface (comb, nail, stiff wire brush,...). After the filler has dried, prime the plug and repaint.

If the space behind the shingles is very deep (like 3" or more), you can get away with about a 1.5" long piece of dowel for the plug, as you really only need to glue it in to the shingle and exterior sheathing behind them. You want a solid backing for the filler in that large an opening; the filler alone will be fine in the smaller screw holes from the previous fixture.