Overview
Clear wood filler dries rapidly for quick sanding! It's great for exotic woods that are colorful, and it can be tinted with dyes or colors to match the wood. Makes an ideal wipe-on sealer for porous woods.
Features:
- Just wipe on and trowel off with sanding between coats
- Apply several coats on deep holes
- It can be tinted with dyes or colors to match the wood
- For best results, stain wood before applying filler
- Minimal shrink formula
Questions and Answers
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Browse 13 questions
Browse 13 questions
and 52 answers
Why did you choose this?
Rockler Store
To fill an open-grained oak table top
John G
on Jul 10, 2017
Initially, read good reviews. After using it for a year I am very pleased. It does what it's supposed to do.
Lew S
on Mar 11, 2017
To fill an open-grained oak table top
John G
on Jul 10, 2017
I want to have the tops of the tables smooth. I have used grain filler many times, but never have used CrystaLac. I am hoping that this works well.
Paul M
on Jul 6, 2017
Can this product be used on marine mahogany planking under oil based marine finish?
BEST ANSWER: The water evaporates when dry, but I have used a seal coat of shellac between water based and oil finishes with good results.
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- Clint E on Aug 1, 2016
- Purchased on Sep 26, 2015
We "oaked out" and wanting to paint our staircase and want as little grain showing through the paint as possible. Paint stores say clean, sand, primer, sand, primer, sand, and on and on. We realize this is going to be a tedious project, but we do have more time than money and hope to get a good result. Will your wood grain filler do the trick?
BEST ANSWER: Clean your project with water and a little dish detergent. Squeegee the Crystalac into the open grain. A little goes a long way. Let it dry and harden at least overnight. Lightly sand and then prime. Touch up with more Crystalac in places you may have missed, sand and reprime those areas. Sand those spots then paint as you wish. You should end up with a very smooth surface. Good luck
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- D O on Jan 16, 2016
- Purchased on Apr 1, 2015
After following the instructions and reading advice posted on rockler, I put two coats of crystalac on my mahogany piece. I went great except for, it seems to dull/not clear in certain spots. I can't figure out why these spots were different. It looked fine and level after application. I am learning constantly at this point so any advice on how to smooth out my issue is welcome. Thanks.
BEST ANSWER: This generally happens to wood that isn't stained or treated with something prior to applying this product. The only way I found to remove blotches was to sand them out, and that means the whole project usually. When you think you have sanded it down enough, take a damp cloth and wipe it to see if there are still remaining blotches, If so, keep sanding. Good Luck. I ended up just using clear coats then wet sanding-then polishing-then waxing like you would a vehicle.
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- BOB S on Feb 29, 2016
- Purchased on Apr 4, 2015
HOW MUCH COVERAGE PER QUART?
BEST ANSWER: My project was a 22" x 96" tabletop. 2 applications of area and less than half used. Used as directed on unfinished wood. When clear coat was applied, white blotches appeared = a lot of sanding. Checked internet forums and same issues. Thought it was just me. On stained wood, it worked great. Will cover big projects...Hope it helps
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- BOB S on Oct 20, 2015
- Purchased on Apr 4, 2015
will it yellow in sunlight?
BEST ANSWER: I don't think so. But just make sure that you use it only to fill the pores and wipe of all the rest, Let it dry properly than do the sanding . It leaves a nice smooth surface.
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- Paul B on Jan 14, 2017
- Purchased on Feb 5, 2015
Have several oak projects ...large built-ins in LR, kitchen cabinets, stairs & banisters, and bathroom vanities. I want to COMPLETELY cover and smooth the heavy oak woodgrain before painting - some black, some white. I'm a DIY-er and this is my first grain-filling project. There is a shiny clear coat on all the oak, I assume poly?? What are my steps? Can this be applied directly to the cleaned shiny poly w/ no sanding first? Then follow w/ primer? Or should I sand, prime, then do grain filler?? (I realize I need to sand between coats, just wondering if I need to sand to start.) I've researched many grain fillers, I think this one looks easiest to use, esp for a first-timer on such a big project. Please help! Much appreciated!!
BEST ANSWER: Have never used this product in this fashion. But, I will say this as a x body man I never applied any kind of filler over a shinny surface because it would de-laminate over time. Sand your surface first and then go back over again with scotch bright to try to nock the shine off in the pours and then apply your grain filler.
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- Pat R on Apr 8, 2016
- Purchased on Mar 25, 2015
Is Crystalac OK for filling the grain on an EXTERIOR door?
BEST ANSWER: You should be able to use it on a exterior surface, providing you use a exterior finishing product after completing the filling. Good luck.
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- Paul B on Nov 14, 2015
- Purchased on Feb 5, 2015
Can this product be used for the cerusing technique? I am currently putting one layer of thinned latex on raw wood oak cabinets then putting one layer of water based General Finishes High Performance Top coat and I need a tinted grain filler to accentuate the grain and then I will put two more layers of GF top coat to protect and seal the cabinets. I need a good grain filler that doesn't wipe out as easily as furniture wax, something that can be tinted and something that can be top coat sealed with GF. Would this product work? Thanks!
BEST ANSWER: This would work, but I would put this on the Oak before anything else. Then you can finish it anyway you want.
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- Randy N on Jan 31, 2017
- Purchased on Jun 12, 2014
I'd like to use a stained wood filler to bring out wood grain in otherwise blah pieces. Can CrystaLac be heavily tinted with either dye stain or liquid dyes to accomplish this?
BEST ANSWER: I have added die to the filler and it worked ok but I have stained over top of it.
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- Pat R on Dec 29, 2016
- Purchased on Mar 25, 2015
Can I use CrystaLac between Cetol 1 and Cetol 23 applications on exterior mahogany door?
BEST ANSWER: Providing the Wood is very dry , in between coats, I believe that it is ok to use it as a filler before using a good quality product for the final coats. Good luck.
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- Paul B on Jun 19, 2016
- Purchased on Feb 5, 2015
I am building a project using Hickory, a very heavy and dense wood and plan to use a spray lacquer. The wood has been sanded to a 600 grit and I want to know if given the grit and the wood is it still recommended that I "level" it first? What is the best way to test to see if I need this?
BEST ANSWER: absolutely not with crystalac. If you absolutely want to use lacquer then the sealer will be plenty. a couple coats with the sealer followed by light sanding with 300-600 grit. then the final coat will suffice. However you may consider using a product called waterlox, which is a tung oil based finish and and is very easy to apply. I've used pre-cat lacquer for years and waterlox for years.. years after application the waterlox looks far better then any lacquer i have ever used, especially in color. I use waterlox original for the first coat, wipe on liberally reallly let it soak in, then wife off. followed by several coats of waterlox satin, wiped on then quickly wiped off.
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- Joseph L on Jun 2, 2016
- Purchased on Apr 2, 2015
Is this heat resistant? I'm trying to line the inside of a wooden container for homemade soy candles... when the wax in thin enough during burning it soaks into the wood and seeps through all over the table. Want to make sure it won't melt off and go into the wax.
BEST ANSWER: This is strictly a grain filler, not the final coat. It requires lacquer, polyurethane or a final top coat which should water proof or wax proof your box.
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- Norm V on Oct 26, 2015
- Purchased on Feb 18, 2015
Reviews
3.5 / 5.0
45 Reviews
I read the reviews but still...
I read the reviews but still decided to try this product. I started using it and had the same problems as everyone else, hard to sand, not filling grain at all, it seemed worthless. Then I figured it out and this product actually works really well. This is how I applied it. Work in small areas, 15" x 15", apply with a foam brush leaving a typical finish layer making sure it is pretty level. Then let it set up a little, maybe 2-3 minutes. Once it starts to get tacky, rub across the grain with burlap. I rubbed until it was almost dry. This forces the filler into the grain, it also leaves a very thin layer on the surface which makes sanding very easy about an hour later. After two coats, the grain on my walnut burl table was completely filled. Hope this helps some people out.
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February 24, 2010
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I didn't have much luck using...
I didn't have much luck using a squeegee or putty type of knife so it sat on my shelf for quite awhile. One day I really needed something to fill in a top made of flat sawn Red Oak so I took it down, put on rubber gloves and applied it by hand and it worked like a charm. I put down large dollops and proceded to really work it in with my hands and then would smooth it out leaving a very light film all over and I then allowed it to dry over night. The next day I hit it with the sander and my pores were nicely filled. When I first used it I think I was filling the pores but when I would wipe it or use a squeegee to clean of the excess it would pull out the filler which is why this time I allowed it to completey dry and sanded off the excess.
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May 11, 2012
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Crystalac is very different from other...
Crystalac is very different from other non-water based grain fillers I have used. I thinned it a little bit with water, and spread it on mahogany with a brush. It seemed to fill all the pores really easily, and without much extra help from the brush, which is what I'm used to having to do. I left it on for 15-20 minutes. It stayed really wet for quite a while, maybe because I thinned it a bit. But after about 15-20 minutes it began to set up and became the consistency of pudding. At that point I troweled it off with a plastic scraper. The excess came off really easily without removing any filler from the pores. I was really happy with how cleanly it scraped, it didn't leave behind much for me to sand later. I let it dry for a few hours. Then I sanded away the excess, which wasn't much. And the sanding took me a lot less time than with other fillers I've used. I'm really happy with the results. I can't wait to try using dye for a colored fill!
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July 1, 2011
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After some trial and error (the...
After some trial and error (the instructions are pretty close to worthless), I managed to learn a few key points. Being thin bodied, it soaks in more than you would think. As a result, you can't be to quick to remove the "excess". I apply it liberally working it in with a rubber squeegee with an eye to leaving a thin layer proud of the wood surface. After about 45 minutes, you can remove any excess product with a plastic body putty spreader (it will be pasty at this point). You may also see dry spots where the original layer was too thin and completely soaked in to the wood. I take this opportunity to work the excess paste scraped from other areas into those dry spots. Using this technique has given me pretty much a complete fill in luann with only one coat. Wait at least 36 hours to sand (48 or more is better) and the sand paper won't clog as quickly. Like all fillers and finishes though, drying time varies considerably based on conditions. If your sand paper loads up rather than giving you a fine white powder, stop sanding and let it dry longer. All in all, it's a finicky product but produces results (a clear, stainable filler) that I haven't been able to get with other products.
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February 14, 2010
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I can understand why so many...
I can understand why so many people who have purchased this product were disappointed. The directions on the package are misleading. After finding out that it loaded up the sandpaper after the time recommended on the instructions, I let it cure for a full 48 hours prior to sanding aggressively with 220 grit and applying a second coat. After that, I let it sit for another 48 hours and sanded again. After 4 coats of wiping varnish, I got a mirror finish on a table top made of Honduras mahogany and walnut. I have had a similar experience on other projects. I recommend applying the first coat over a water based sanding sealer. True, it requires two coats of this product to do the job, but it does work well and it doesn't obscure the beauty of the wood like other fillers I have used.
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January 16, 2009
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Fills fairly well disregard the instructions...
Fills fairly well disregard the instructions with a couple of coats. Let dry a couple of days before sanding. The problem is, it's very hard to get a uniform color on unstained wood. When you use poly or shellac slightly amber toned over a sanded filled surface, the hard clear finish must be completely sanded off, or you get a blotchy color. However, that much sanding cuts back down to the filled grain. I've only had some success using this stuff with Crystalac's finish coat product. If you don't really need a water clear finish, use a conventional filler and save yourself a lot of grief.
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February 17, 2012
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Well, Yeah--But Still:
IMHO, the one-star folks should just stick with Minwax PolyShades and try not to go beyond that. Why? Because you test your finishing on scrap, NOT on your project! The tub I bought at the local Rockler's this winter came in about the consistency of pudding, not thin as others have suggested. Don't know if it's the 65 degree room or what. (Kudos to the Rockler folks: if the stuff EVER freezes. you will have a useless tub of artificial cottage cheese and the staff here opened every tub in stock to ensure mine was OK!) I used one of those cheap, china bristle brushes to swab on a thickish layer over my walnut crystal-stained maple test board. This dye is water-soluble and the Crystalac took a bit with it as I brushed, but not to an objectionable extent. If it had, I'd seal first with a thin wipe of shellac or solvent poly. In the time it took to clean up my brush, the stuff was just beginning to set up with a very mild latex paint odor. This was all of 3-5 minutes and I used a plastic scraper to level the material as it reached school paste consistency. Probably too much, I needed a second coat to get ready for a glassy surface. Sanded with 400, then a quick 800 pass. A few coats of Wipe-On Poly and it looks nice. Not the most chatoyance I've seen, dunno if that's the Crystalac, or poly instead of Maloof or Waterlox. Got plenty of scrap to work with, and patience as well.
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February 28, 2014
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There are no shortcuts !
As a professional furniture maker for 30 years, I have tried a lot of grain fillers. I had good results with this product. After applying a generous coat of shellac to the raw wood, that was sanded to 150/180 grits, and sanding the shellac once well dried with 220 grit, I applied CrystaLac with a cloth across the grain generously with a final wipe out of excessive amount. No squeegee used. After a couple of hours, I sanded the filler with 220 grit with a sanding block for flatness, applied a coat of solvent based lacquer sanding sealer and let it sit for 4-6 hours. I sanded the sealer and observed the porosity on the wood and re applied CrytaLac as required. After several applications of lacquer, using the filler as required, it resulted in a surface totally void of grain traces and mirror like surface with either semi gloss or gloss lacquer. Finishing is not easy, folks and there are no shortcuts.
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July 19, 2015
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Professional opinion...
There are many instances when a clear grain filler is really necessary. I'm glad this product exists.
What I've been surprised is how little is out there in the way of product guidelines and instructions for use. This stuff behaves uniquely and can have some funky interactions with our finishes.
It does dry clear, we routinely use it rather than burn-ins when the areas get large. It does tend to telegraph through until you get at least a couple of mils of film thickness over it, even if you wet sanded it out perfectly flat.
I have had little success in scrubbing out like is typical with mineral spirit and linseed-oil based traditional grain fillers. Instead, we generally find it better to use a straight edge or squeeqee to overbuild the area and then do a final cleanup wipe at the end. It's usually dry enough on thin builds to sand out in 15-30 minutes. The thicker builds we usually jump the gun and still coat while "white spots" are in it, but careful application will still allow the white to dissipate and the boil bubbles in the topcoat finish are small enough to scuff out in between coats - a real time saver. We've always hated using linseed-oil base and other slower-drying grain fillers for cycle times, and this one does not disappoint.
I read reviews about the difficulty in sanding, but the product wet sands with silicon carbide 220 or 320 just fine, and dry sands better with stearated "finish" papers better than catalyzed lacquer, so I am thinking the others opinions are more due to the fact they are used to sanding raw wood, but maybe not "fine finishes".
Anyways, your mileage may vary, but we have been happy to finally find a product that works to solve a problem that has before seemingly only had poor solutions.
What I've been surprised is how little is out there in the way of product guidelines and instructions for use. This stuff behaves uniquely and can have some funky interactions with our finishes.
It does dry clear, we routinely use it rather than burn-ins when the areas get large. It does tend to telegraph through until you get at least a couple of mils of film thickness over it, even if you wet sanded it out perfectly flat.
I have had little success in scrubbing out like is typical with mineral spirit and linseed-oil based traditional grain fillers. Instead, we generally find it better to use a straight edge or squeeqee to overbuild the area and then do a final cleanup wipe at the end. It's usually dry enough on thin builds to sand out in 15-30 minutes. The thicker builds we usually jump the gun and still coat while "white spots" are in it, but careful application will still allow the white to dissipate and the boil bubbles in the topcoat finish are small enough to scuff out in between coats - a real time saver. We've always hated using linseed-oil base and other slower-drying grain fillers for cycle times, and this one does not disappoint.
I read reviews about the difficulty in sanding, but the product wet sands with silicon carbide 220 or 320 just fine, and dry sands better with stearated "finish" papers better than catalyzed lacquer, so I am thinking the others opinions are more due to the fact they are used to sanding raw wood, but maybe not "fine finishes".
Anyways, your mileage may vary, but we have been happy to finally find a product that works to solve a problem that has before seemingly only had poor solutions.
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Works great for me.
I am a little baffled by the negative reviews here. I always have good results with CrystaLac. It is not magic, but works better than any other filler I have tried. My process is simple....mix the product very well with a wooden mixing stick, use the mixing stick to slap down a few blobs of filler (enough to work about 2 square feet at a time), then squeegee down hard with a auto body filler soft plastic squeegee. Try to fill the pores, but not leave much on the surface. If done right and not too humid, it dries in 20 to 30 minutes. I use 280 grit sandpaper to finish up and repeat if the poses are still present. It is critical that you use STEARATED sandpaper or it will gum up quickly. I use CrystaLac on projects ranging from cabinetry and shelving to Pinewood Derby cars. Good stuff if used right.
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