If you can paint or use a solid stain over the patch, some Bondo will work
nicely. Find it at an automotive parts store. Mix up about a golf ball
size (or however much you need to fill a knot hole) and mix in the curing
agent (pink stuff) until the whole mixture is the color of the little mixing
paddle you get with the kit. Patch quickly - once it's mixed you have about
3 mins to use it before it sets up.

You can use less of the curing agent to give you a longer working time if
needed. I've cut it back by 50% and the Bondo still cured and I've seen no
ill effects.

Place a backer on the other side and affix it temporarily in-place while you
spread/push the Bondo into the knot hole from the other side. Once its
slightly over full, cover with a piece of light cardboard (like a playing
card or cereal box cardboard) and hold it against the Bondo to keep it from
sagging out of the hole. You only need to hold it for about a minute (or
less) for the Bondo to set up. Let it dry (cure) overnight and the next
day, remove the backer piece, the cardboard and sand it smooth or use a wire
brush to work in some graining.

The backer piece should be something that the Bondo will not stick to, like
a wax coated piece of scrap, wax paper covered piece of scrap, Formica
scrap, melamine scrap - you get the idea. The cardboard may stick but will
clean off when you sand it. The color is pinkish, so you need to paint it
or stain it to match your fence.

The Bondo does not expand or contract but wood does so you may have to drive
a couple of small brads into the sides of the knot holes if you think the
patch will fall out. If you're painting over the patch anyway, just feather
the edges out so the patch is slightly larger than the patch while its still
soft and workable and that will hold it in-place.

Bob S.


"Carmella" CWP@... wrote in message
.. .
Hi,


My fence has developed a few large knotholes right at eye level and I'm
hoping to find a way to patch it.

I can't find the knots (am I spelling 'knot' right?), I guess they landed
on the neighbor's side.

Any suggestions? My first thought is wood filler, but I don't know if a
large knot hole will just distort and pop out the filler when the weather
changes.


Thanks,

Carmella