6 Best Epoxy for Woods 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

There are many ways we can get chips and scratches in our wooden tables and chairs, and epoxy-based wood fillers can be a great way to hide these small imperfections until it’s time for a refinish. But with so many brands of epoxy wood filer available, it can be challenging to choose the best one for your project. Some are better for bonding two pieces of wood together, while others are better for sanding and staining.

We have gone over dozens of different types and brands of epoxy for woods, and we believe we can help you narrow down your choice by presenting you with six popular brands. Doing so will help you get an idea of what you like and don’t like about these epoxies.

We have also included an epoxy for wood buyers guide where we talk about what ingredients are essential for a wood epoxy to include and what features it needs to have to be an effective epoxy.

Below you’ll find our detailed reviews of each epoxy for wood, where we compare dry time, color, sanding, and safety, to help you make a smart purchase.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Protective Coating Wood Epoxy	Dries Harder than wood Uses real wood Won't drip	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		J-B Weld 8251	Low cost Quick setting Bonds and fills	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		Abatron WE2QKR	Shrink free 12 ounces Sticks to anything	CHECK PRICE
		System Three 90301	Can be sculpted Waterproof Solvent-free	CHECK PRICE
		J-B Weld KwikWood Repair	Premixed Dries fast Strong bond	CHECK PRICE

The 6 Best Epoxies For Wood

1. Protective Coating Wood Epoxy Paste – Best Overall

The Protective Coating 083338 Wood Epoxy Paste, also known as PC Woody, is our choice for the best wood epoxy overall. PC Woody dries harder than wood and is very durable. It can provide a permanent fix for damaged wood and is sandable and paintable. This product uses real wood as an ingredient, so it looks and feels very similar. The putty is very thick; it fills well but won’t drip or sag while it sets.

The only downside we experienced was the containers are a little small and don’t contain much.

2. J-B Weld 8251 Epoxy Adhesive – Best Value

The J-B Weld 8251 Epoxy Adhesive is our choice for the best value, and after looking it over, you’ll see it is the best epoxy for wood for the money. This low-cost adhesive bond and fills wood. It’s easy to apply, looks natural, and can be sanded or painted is 3 hours.

We found that it works well and sticks to most surfaces. The only thing we didn’t like is the small amount wasn’t quite enough for some of the jobs we wanted to try it out on.

3. Abatron WE2QKR WoodEpox Wood Epoxy – Premium Choice

The Abatron WE2QKR WoodEpox Epoxy is our premium choice, and this brand is for someone who’s not afraid to spend a few extra dollars to get an excellent epoxy for wood. The Abatron brand features 12 ounces of shrink free restoration-grade wood putty. We found this brand will stick to anything and dries to look natural. It can also be sanded and painted once cured.

We also found it to take a very long time to dry. The long cure time plus its high cost kept it out of our top spot.

4. System Three 90301 Moldable Epoxy Putty

The System Three 90301 Moldable Epoxy Putty is a two-part putty designed for repairing wood as well as for sculpting and crafts. Once dry, the System Three putty is waterproof and is easy to sand and sculpt.

As a hole and crack filler, we had a little difficulty applying it because it tended to flake off as we were pressing it into holes and cracks. Once we sanded it, we found it resistant to staining and is more noticeable than some of the other brands on this list once painted.

5. J-B Weld KwikWood Wood Repair Epoxy Putty Stick

The J-B Weld 8257 KwikWood Wood Repair Epoxy Putty Stick is a single-use premixed wood repair epoxy. Simply remove this epoxy from the package and press it into your damaged wood. There’s no need to worry about blending multiple ingredients.  We found that it dries extremely quickly, and you can sand and paint it an hour after applying it.

The downside to this putty is the small amount that prevents it from being considered for any big jobs. It’s also very light in color and didn’t stick to many of the surfaces we applied it on.

6. Gorilla 4242501 Epoxy Putty

The Gorilla 4242501 Epoxy Putty is the last brand of epoxy for wood on our list, and though this brand isn’t as good as our top three, it might still have some features that interest you. This epoxy is perfect for bonding multiple pieces of wood together. It features an incredibly strong bond that can hold over 1,500 pounds per square inch. It dries in only 10 minutes and is entirely waterproof.

The downside to this putty is that it dries grey, so you can only use it in concealed areas. Once dry, it would not accept stain, it’s not very easy to sand, and there’s only a small amount in the container.

Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Epoxy for Wood

Let’s look at what makes a high-quality wood epoxy.

Amount

Before purchasing any epoxy wood putty, we recommend surveying the area to determine how much of the epoxy wood filler you are going to need. Many of these brands come in various sizes and buying in bulk can lead to cost advantages. However, many brands come exclusively in small amounts, and if you have a large job, buying many packages may lead to a more costly repair.

Curing Time

Curing time is how long it takes the product to dry. Each product will take a different amount of time to cure, depending on its chemical make-up. There may also be multiple curing times. For instance, some may be dry to the touch after a few minutes, dry enough to paint after an hour, and fully cured in a week.

Products that take a long time to cure can remain soft and damaged easily during this time. Uncured products can also release harmful VOCs and other disagreeable odors as they cure. Painting over an epoxy before, its dry can prevent it from ever full curing.

If you are using your epoxy wood putty for indoor projects, we recommend using brands with faster curing time.

Ease of Use

Many different brands of epoxy-based wood putties require the mixing of two or more ingredients together. Some use easy 1:1 ratio, but other brands can use more complex mixing systems. We recommend that you always look at the instructions before purchasing to be sure you know how to mix the ingredients.

Color

Many different brands of epoxy wood filler offer several colors. These colors often mimic the colors of natural woods like cherry or oak, and we recommend that you get familiar with the type of wood you are filling and choose accordingly. Some brands of epoxy-based wood filler will accept a stain, and this is ideal if you are using the epoxy wood filler to repair some bad areas before refinishing the whole piece.

Some brands will neither look natural nor accept a stain, so you will need to paint to hide them. Before you buy one of these fillers, make sure you can paint the surface.

Sanding/Sculpting

Many of these epoxy-based wood fillers are designed to resemble wood when they cure, and some even contain real wood as an ingredient. Thee fillers can be sanded and sculpted, much like real wood. These epoxy wood fillers are perfect if you need to do more than fill a hole and need to create something new.

Clean Up

You cannot clean many epoxy resins with water, so you will need to use waterless hand soap, essential oils, or white vinegar to remove any epoxy from your skin or unintended surfaces.

Safety

• Never use solvents like turpentine, mineral spirits, or acetone on your skin because they can allow toxic chemicals to enter your bloodstream.
• Always take a shower and wash your clothes after using epoxy. It seems excessive, but epoxies can cure for several days, and this action can be harmful to your skin.
• Always wear eye protection, breathing masks, gloves, and protective clothing. The worse it smells, the more you need to touch it, and the more it gets on unintended surfaces, the more critical it is to use these safety devices.
• Always work and apply your epoxy foe woods in a well-ventilated area.

Related Read: What Is the Best Wood for Epoxy Tables?

Conclusion

We hope that you have benefitted from reading our reviews, and we believe that we have the right product for you listed among them. Our choice for the best wood epoxy, the Protective Coating 083338 Wood Epoxy Paste, uses real wood as an ingredient. It sticks to everything and will accept stain or paint. The J-B Weld 8251 Epoxy Adhesive is our pick for the best value, and this brand is perfect for smaller jobs around the home. It dries quickly and can be painted or sanded in just a few hours.

If you have the extra money and don’t care about drying time, the Abatron WE2QKR WoodEpox Epoxy is our premium choice for best wood epoxy because it can do just about anything you need it to do, and you get enough in the container to do a lot of jobs.

If none of these choices are quite what you’re looking for, we hope that our buyer’s guide has supplied you with the tools to go out and find the perfect brand of epoxy for your situation.