Black epoxy for walnut knot/void?

[RyanB]

I have a this knot/void. I was originally thinking I’d use black epoxy to fill around and in the knot but I’m wondering if that’ll take away some of its character. Does anyone have picture or ideas as to what I can do with this? Would clear be better?  It’s going on a countertop so I’d like it to look good.

Edited May 29, 2022 by RyanB

[Mark J]

I did an epoxy fill in walnut on this piece.  

I "collored" with used coffee grounds.   I wouldn't do that again, as the grounds on the surface won't sand smooth.  I would use an appropriate dye instead.  But I have to say a big black spot may not be that attractive.  Clear on the other hand leaves all the imperfections visible, which may not appeal to some.  

[Ronn W]

 I would consider using dye in the epoxy to approximate the dark brown of thin ring around the knot.

[BonPacific]

Color-matching can be risky, especially as the epoxy and wood will change color differently over time/uv exposure.

If this is going to be in a kitchen I'd lean towards black so it doesn't end up being mistaken for gunk.

[wtnhighlander]

I like using coffee grounds, perhaps with a bit of sawdust mixed in. To me, it is a close approximation of how a bark inclusion would appear, and is more natural than epoxy alone.

[Chestnut]

Depends on the size but a lot of times I like to just use clear epoxy. Lets what ever background color show through so the color match is perfect every time. This doesn't work as well for large voids, though if you can get the epoxy pretty air free the large voids can look interesting allows you to see down into the knot hole or crack.

[Coop]

On 5/31/2022 at 12:56 PM, Chestnut said:

Depends on the size but a lot of times I like to just use clear epoxy. Lets what ever background color show through so the color match is perfect every time. This doesn't work as well for large voids, though if you can get the epoxy pretty air free the large voids can look interesting allows you to see down into the knot hole or crack.

+1

[Wimayo]

I agree with using clear. It lets some color show through and ends up with some variation of dark and light which looks a bit more natural. I also agree with coop in that this is somewhat less successful with large voids. However, you can add some fine sanding dust to the epoxy to add a bit of color. Don't add much. You want the epoxy to retain some translucence.

In this instance, I think you will be happy using just clear.

[woodprox]

There is no definitive answer to this question, as the best way to deal with a knot void in a piece of walnut will vary depending on the size and nature of the void. However, one option that may work in some cases is to use black epoxy to fill the void. This can help to disguise the flaw and may also help to protect the wood from moisture and decay.

[roughsawn]

I've been repairing a lot of walnut imperfections like in your pic, with epoxy and brown dye. Matches very well.

Also try to save some walnut sanding dust from your random orbital sander, and mix that in with clear epoxy. That works, too.

Don't forget to cut all the rotten, or soft wood, out. I use different shaped picks.