EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder
Comparison Test

Restoring rotted wood is a challenge at best for most Restoration & Renovation contractors. Wood that has rotted loses structural strength and could spell disaster if it is in a critical location of the building, like a beam or joist. Cosmetic repairs, such as window sills and door thresholds are less of a structural concern, but replacement of the wood is often quite costly in terms of time and materials. Thus the need to reconstitute the wood with a strong filler that can rebuild it without replacement.

In Figure 1, a rotted wood sample, we see that the wood has deteriorated most of the top half of this 2x8 board. A small section was cut out of the center to demonstrate how EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder compares to other products on the market. The typical solution to this wood rot problem is to reconstitute the rotted wood with a compound that solidifies the rotten material. This is a viscous material that soaks into the rotted wood fibers and then hardens to a hard epoxy finish. A follow up application of filler or putty is applied to fully reconstitute the wood.  The objective is to arrest the rotting process and recapture the rotted wood material so that a filler can be added to restore the piece of wood.

To illustrate this solidification process I have chosen one manufacturer that uses a two part liquid epoxy to soak into the distressed wood. Per the manufacturer’s instruction, preparation of the wood begins with drilling small holes into the rotted wood to help the liquid soak into the pores of the wood, Figure 2. This product has an uneven mixture ratio of 1 part resin to 8 parts activator. Several applications of the liquid are recommended over a 20 minute period for best result.

The liquid must cure for 24 hours to completely solidify the rotted wood. In our experiment, we found the liquid to soak into the wood very well; however, we wondered how one would control this liquid from damaging any adjacent materials such as the window frame or flooring materials. Figure 3 illustrates this soaking action as well as the pooling of liquid at the base.

At this point this product must be augmented with a different product made to fill in the remaining portion of the 2x8 board. This is similar to most other wood rot restoration products on the market.

Many other filler products begin as putty that must be forced into the small voids and surface cracks. The curing time for these filler products varies from a few hours to several days.

Some filler products generate high levels of heat when mixed in large quantities, and pose a health hazard if you breath in the toxic fumes (usually flammable too), so be sure to review any warning cautions on the label. Many types of filler do not return structure to the wood; rather they are cosmetic fillers only. Accordingly, if one needs to nail or screw into filler materials for something like a door hinge screw, be sure that the filler is strong enough.

BOTTOM LINE:
Time to repair this piece of rotted wood with two different applications is estimated to be two to three days.

EZ-Poly Wood Rebuilder, a Different Approach

We begin our demonstration of EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder with the same piece of wood sample we used for the liquid and putty products. 

Preparation: Wire brush the affected area to remove the rotted material down to the unaffected wood. EZ-Poly™ is liquid enough to seep into the pores of wood and rebuild this 2x8 board, Figure 4. Note that this is a different approach in that rather than reconstituting the old rotted wood, EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder is applied to the unaffected wood.   

EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder is poured into a temporary form (made from masking tape or cardboard, Figure 5). Ensure that the form extends high enough to restore the wood to its original height. Wood Rebuilder is applied in one application to restore the wood AND rebuild it to its original dimensions. It is able to arrest the rotting condition and replace the missing wood at the same time. After one hour of curing, remove the tape and trim the Wood Rebuilder with a sharp knife, as it will have the consistency of a hard putty at this time.

Mixing: Mix part A and part B together in equal amounts by volume. EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder is pourable immediately after mixing (it’s most liquid state). Then it thickens to a paste in about 15 minutes, and solidifies to putty within one hour, finally turning hard enough to machine with power tools in just two hours.

Nail, Screw, Drill.  When EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder is hard (about two hours), you can work it with any power tool, e.g. sand, saw, drill, cut, nail, screw, etc, Figure 6. Paint after fully cured in 24 hours.  

Notice also: EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder has no toxic fumes, is not flammable, has no smell and can be used as a structural filler in any thickness without generating dangerous levels of heat.

Bottom Line:
EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder accomplished two tasks, arresting the rot and filling the wood, in less than three hours.

EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder used on other product 

EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder was used on the end portion of the liquid product sample to complete the restoration of the 2x8 block, Figure 7. EZ-Poly™ made a solid bond with the solidified wood material and rebuilt the piece to its original 2” height in less than three hours (following a 24 hour cure of liquid product).

The EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder sample took a total of three hours, including wire brushing the rotted wood clean.

The reduced time, coupled with the elimination of hazards, such as toxicity and flammability, makes EZ-Poly™ Wood Rebuilder a product of choice for the Restoration and Renovation Industry.