Ingredients in Petroleum DAP Wood Fillers

Bulking Agent

• Wood fillers use an inert substance to fill the space it will ultimately occupy. Many products utilize finely ground silica for this. However, DAP's Plastic Wood uses wood fiber or cellulose fiber for this purpose.

Binder

• The role of binder is to hold the bulking agent together and adhere it to the wood surface. Essentially, this is an adhesive or glue-like substance and has many of the same contents as glues and adhesives. The binder DAP's Plastic Wood employs includes a resin, nitrocellulose, which in pure form is highly flammable.

Solvents

• Solvents are the liquids that evaporate as the product dries, leaving behind only solids to fill the gaps in the wood surface. DAP's Plastic Wood contains both alcohol and the organic compound acetone, both of which are solvents and both of which create an odor as they dry.

Volatile Compounds

• DAP's Plastic Wood, like most solvent-based fillers, contains several volatile organic compounds and therefore comes with several health warnings. These include warnings about inhalation of both fumes and dust, contact with skin and eyes and prolonged and repeated contact. Reported health affects range from simple skin irritation to permanent brain and nervous system damage. In addition, the product and its vapors are extremely flammable until fully cured.