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I'm trying to install a storm door on an outdoor patio in my house. There are a number of holes in the wood from previous screen door installations I think:

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I want to make sure the wood will hold before installing the screen door so I don't run into problems down the road.

The DAP plastic wood filler came recommended to me from my hardware store for this purpose, but it has some concerning info in the technical bulletin including a flashpoint of 82 degrees.

Couple of question about how to use this safely:

  1. Does this need to be stored at cool temperatures once opened? If I keep it on an outdoor patio in summer, is that a safety issue?
  2. When done, can I dispose of excess product in household trash or is special disposal required?
  3. When washing tools with mineral spirits (as recommended), can I wash that in a sink or will I run into plumbing problems?
  4. When resealing the can of this, is it fine to use a rubber mallet like I would for a can of paint?
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  • aside: it would be better to wood-glue golf tees in the holes; birch is stronger than DAP.
    – dandavis
    Jun 23, 2020 at 15:45
  • The DAP stuff is fine for filling the holes, but if you're planning to reuse them, or create new holes anywhere near the filled ones, you should do as @dandavis suggests above.
    – Huesmann
    Jun 25, 2020 at 17:34

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The flash point of a material is the temperature above which it will give off vapors that can ignite. It's NOT the temperature at which the fumes or the material will self-ignite. As a point of reference, you likely handle gasoline regularly and its flash point is -45F!

Just ensure that there are no ignition sources while you are using the product and have plenty of ventilation (should not be an issue at an outside door) while using it to prevent fumes from building up.

Answers to your questions:

  1. The can should have storage information but I suspect it says "cool dry place".

  2. Again the container should have disposal information but you may want to handle it as you would paint or a similar substance and dispose of it at a hazardous household waste disposal site in your community.

  3. It's NEVER a good idea to wash solvents into your sink. Capture solvents you wash things with and dispose of at a suitable waste disposal site.

  4. Yes, that would be reasonable.

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  • It is not, however, unreasonable to use soap and water at the sink to wash the turpentine/mineral spirits off your hands once you've finished cleaning everything else up. It will evaporate off your hands quickly, but you'll want to give them a good washing before you eat, rub your eyes, touch the furniture in your house, etc.
    – FreeMan
    Jun 23, 2020 at 10:47
  • Thank you for this great information! I see I was confusing flash point with autoignition point. Thanks again!
    – Phil Braun
    Jun 23, 2020 at 13:51

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