Overheard a guy at the lumber yard say he uses a dab of toothpaste to fill tiny nail holes

I was picking up some maple for a vanity job last week and heard a guy telling the counter guy about it. He said he uses plain white toothpaste, not the gel kind, for those pin holes you get from a 23-gauge pinner before finishing. He lets it dry, sands it flush, and then primes and paints over it. I was pretty skeptical, but I had a small paint-grade filler project at home, so I tried it on a scrap piece. It worked okay, honestly. It dries fast and sands smooth, but I'm worried about long-term shrinkage or yellowing. Has anyone else used this trick on a piece that's been around for a few years? I'm curious if it holds up or if it's just a quick fix that fails later.

2 comments

2 Comments

the_pat16d ago

Ever tried mixing a little baking soda into the toothpaste first?

dakotacraig16d ago

That gritty baking soda trick from @the_pat is a no for me.