best way to seal a guitar hole?

[AtheistIan]

I accidentally smacked my guitar into something some time ago and it has a hole in it the size of a dime. What is the best way to seal it? Thanks!

[redir]

Pics would be most helpful. Is the wood piece missing or hanging on by a thread?

[repete]

You can seal the hole with duct tape, but what you REALLY want is to repair the hole. Post a pic so we might be able to tell if you need a patch or a repair to the existing wood.

-r

[AtheistIan]

Pictures are a bit fuzzy.

[pops]

Is the piece of wood inside your guitar? If so it can be glued back in and a thin laminate glued on the inside to reinforce it. I had a guitar with a hole the size of a bedpost, yes someone was playing 'el kabong' just left it, never bothered anything at all.

[Ned Milburn]

Depends what sort of job you want done.

If you want expedience, and there is no STRUCTURAL damage to the wood or adjacent wood, a drop or two of shellac will likely be your friend. Shellac is alcohol based so can wick into areas that other finishes can't. The whitish look is a clear sign the the finish on the guitar (likely some sort of poly) has become delaminated from the wood. Shellac can make the whiteness disappear completely or mostly.

If there is structural damage, then a patch or cleats on the inside may be necessary.

If the remaining dent in the wood is troublesome to you, then first sealing with shellac, following up with lacquer drop-fill, level, and polish will be the way to go.

The more cosmetically clean you want the repair, the greater the cost will be. Bare minimum is to seal the finish cracks and to check to ensure there is no structural damage and repair if/as necessary.

[fazool]

I just repaired several holes and detailed my work in this linked thread. This might give you some ideas.