: I've read a couple of different places that after initial sanding of the
: strips you should wet the wood to raise the grain and seal staple holes.
: How effective is this at closing staple holes? Seems to me if it was
: really effective everyone would be doing it and no one would be talking
: about filling them with dookie schmutz.

Wetting the wood will close staple holes. Most people are afraid of applying water
to the wood, it goes against your mother's scream training of you, for putting your glass on
her wood table.

I soak the wood down with a DRIPPING WET sponge and squeeze water into any staple holes.
The staple holes usually close totally but you will still see a dark mark because the staple has cut the grain and the end grain will absorb more and turn dark.

In order to cause warpage you would need to soak the surface for hours.
I found this out when I had a hull that sat around too long with the outside glassed and the interior
bare wood. The wood dried out and the hull shrank and curled together like a pea pod. I knew if I wet down the interior, the wood would swell and return the hull to the correct dimensions. What surprised me was how long and how much water it took to do the job. The wood does not absorb water very fast or deep with just a quick soak down.

: I'm also wondering if wetting the wood could cause problems with warping
: since at this point the hull/deck would no longer be attached to the forms
: and you have one side moist and the other (inside) side dry.

: As for sealing staple holes with dookie schmutz, everyone seems to recommend
: making it with epoxy. What about using carpenters glue instead of epoxy?
: It would sand easier than epoxy schmutz, wouldn't it?

Again, if you soak the wood, drip water on the staple holes they will close. If that doesn't work do it again and apply a heat gun while wet.

I would not use epoxy to fill holes or cracks.

One, it's too hard, surrounding wood will sand away leaving an irregular surface.
Two, it's a mess, and takes too long to set-up.

I use water based wood filler, or wood slivers to fill gaps.

All the best,
Rob Macks
Laughing Loon CC&K