Wooden furniture, like everything else in the world, doesn’t last forever. Because of certain factors like age and weather, the wood will inevitably become rotten. Most would opt to replace the damaged wood to save the hassle, but it is actually faster and cheaper to just repair rotten wood yourself.
Epoxy is one of the best materials that you can use in order to repair rotten wood. It is very easy and simple to use since you just mix, mold, carve, and sand it. It also sticks well to the wood so that it can flex and move with it. Because of this, epoxy doesn’t crack or fall out like other fillers do. Furthermore, it is very useful in repairing parts that cannot be replaced. By using epoxy, your furniture may actually be stronger and more durable than it used to be. There are many different types of epoxy but all of them are made of two parts: resin and hardener. The hardeners are responsible for hardening the wood after it is penetrated by epoxy. On the other hand, the resin or filler is the putty that replaces the wood that you’re going to take out. Epoxy is available in home centers and on the Internet. 
To repair rotten wood using epoxy, the first thing you need to do is determine how bad the rot is. If the wood is soft and can be penetrated easily, then it should be removed or toughened with epoxy. Once you determine how soft it is, find out the cause of the rotting so you can prevent it from happening again. Rotting usually occurs because of moisture, so check if your furniture is located in a place where it could easily absorb moisture or if there are any chips or cracks in the paint where moisture could get in. If you repair it with epoxy, make sure that you dry it for at least a week so that no moisture will be trapped inside. The old paint should then be stripped off and the decayed wood taken out. After that, holes should be drilled into the wood so that the moisture can escape and the hardener can easily be penetrated. Mix the resin and the hardener with a putty knife until they are completely blended. Apply the epoxy onto the wood and wait for it to harden. If you are to repair rotten wood that is deep and large, it is better to fill the cavity with blocks of wood before using epoxy, instead of filling it all the way with epoxy first. This will save you a lot of epoxy in the long run. The epoxy should then be shaped and molded using standard woodworking tools. Sand the area so that it matches the shape of your furniture. If you find out that you took away too much of the filler or didn’t use enough at the start, you can always add more. In fact, it is actually easier if you use less epoxy because using more than necessary will make it very hard to sand down.Finally, paint the area the same color paint as your furniture and let dry.
Pre-Treatments
Sadly, there are some that think that epoxy alone doesn’t repair rotten wood 100%. Other optional pre-treatments to repair rotten wood include treating it with anti-freeze or salts, isopropyl alcohol, and heat lamps. The salts and anti-freeze will kill the fungus spores so that they won’t multiply in the wood. Although epoxy can also do this, it does not soak as well as salts and anti-freezes. Isopropyl alcohol, on the other hand, mixes with the water and makes it evaporate more quickly.It can also kill some of the fungi. Lastly, heat lamps can help dry the moisture in the wood and help the epoxy penetrate more quickly.
Specific Case: Decayed siding
The first step to repair rotten wood in sidings is to remove its paint. Since sidings can be very long, it is unpractical to replace the whole thing so it is better to just rebuild the decaying parts by using epoxy to harden the wood. Holes have to be drilled halfway through the wood and one inch apart from each other. The epoxy then has to be mixed and painted over the decaying wood. Syringes can also be used to fill the holes with consolidant. After this hardens, epoxy filler should be used to fill the missing siding parts. It is a good idea to put wax paper behind the areas with fillers so that it won’t stick to the board. To finish the job, re-paint the siding the same color as the one before.
Specific Case: Corner Post On Stone Wall
Wooden posts that rest on stone walls can decay because the moisture left on the stone can transfer to the wood. To repair rotten wood of this sort, cut out the wood at the bottom of the post and replace it with a new one. Paint both the old and new wood with epoxy. To prevent water from seeping back into the wood, use lead sheeting as a seal between the post and the stone. Lead sheeting is an attractive, easy to work with material that can be bought from any roofing store. Knowing how to repair rotten wood is essential if you want cheaper and faster repair of your furniture. Epoxy is one material that is very useful when doing this since it does not only fix your furniture but also makes it stronger and more durable than it was before. However, some people may say that the use of epoxy doesn’t repair the furniture 100%. Because of this, some pre-treatments are advised.
