tim leahy, a finish foreman for Kirby Perkins Construction in Newport, R.I., replies: My company does a lot of restoration work, so I deal with damaged clapboards all the time. Because our jobs are often time sensitive, I like products that dry fast enough for me to fill, sand, prime, and paint all in the same day.rnFor holes up to 1/2 in. dia. or for gouges narrower than 1/2 in., I like Elmer's interior/ exterior Carpenter's Wood Filler. It sandsrnwell and is creamy, so it works well off the knife. I sand the damaged area to bare wood and spot-prime the holes to seal the old wood; then I force in the putty. Deep holes and gouges might require a second application. Although the product claims to be shrink-free, the filler occasionally shrinks slightly as it dries. I sand and reprime the area once the filler dries.
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