How to Fix a Split Prefinished Molding

Prefinished moldings help you decorate walls and doorways without going through the trouble of routing, painting or otherwise preparing moldings for them. Prefinished moldings are already painted and sanded before they leave the manufacturer; all you have to do it cut them to size and hang them. If a molding gets split either in transport or during installation, try to repair it before throwing it out. Repairing the split saves you the time and money of replacing it outright.

Soft sponge
Liquid dish soap
Epoxy
Epoxy syringe
Clamps
Rag
Wood putty
Putty knife
Fine sandpaper

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the molding off with a soft sponge treated with warm water and a drop of dish soap. This removes dirt or debris that hampers the repair process. Dry the molding with a towel.
- 2
  Apply an epoxy to the split in the molding with an epoxy syringe. Cover the entire length of the split and get the epoxy as deeply into the crack as possible.
- 3
  Clamp the molding on both sides to force the split together while the epoxy dries. Wipe away any excess epoxy coming out of the crack with a clean rag before it dries. Leave the clamps in place overnight to give it ample time to solidify.
- 4
  Apply a small amount of wood putty over the split repair to help hide it. The putty should match the color of the molding. Smooth it out with a putty knife.
- 5
  Sand down the putty once it hardens with fine sandpaper to get it even with the rest of the molding. Wipe away any sand with a rag.

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