Lots of great tips on this thread, folks! Here's another one (... well ... maybe it's not so great). I like to keep the repair area as small as possible (learned that lesson from years of polyester repair) and always surround the gouge with a layer of masking tape. This not only keeps the filler (I always use catalyzed autobody filler) within about a millimeter of the edge of the gouge but it also leaves the patch slightly above the surface of the panel. There is always some shrinkage with this stuff and depending how deep the gouge is the repair can often be done with only one application of filler. Using a sanding block no bigger than the size of the gouge minimizes the overlap onto the undamaged surface. On edges or corners I clamp a wax-paper wrapped wood block, flush with one surface for the putty knife to slide against in order to get a neat patch without big blobs of excess filler. The less you put on, the less you have to sand off ... drywall taper's rule? For quick staining of scratches or edge rub-throughs, a permanent marker works well and doesn't preclude future filling/touch-ups. This isn't a repair but in a pinch keeps your eye from being drawn to the white wood beneath the finish. Best regards to all, Stan Kroeker, RPT
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