Acrylic latex wood filler composition and method of making same

1. A wood filler composition, said composition comprising

from about 11.50 to about 17.50 weight percent water;

from about 14.40 to about 21.60 weight percent ceramic microspheres;

from about 2.48 to about 3.72 weight percent wood flour;

from about 0.32 to about 0.48 weight percent thickener;

from about 0.80 to about 1.20 weight percent glass bubbles;

from about 12.24 to about 18.36 weight percent acrylic latex emulsion containing about 46 to about 48 weight percent solids; and

from about 0.01 to about 0.20 weight percent of an adhesion promoter; and from about 36.06 to about 54.10 weight percent calcium carbonate, wherein said composition has a pH in the range of from about 8.4 to about 8.8, said composition having a viscosity of from about 200,000 to about 300,000 cps.

2. The wood filler composition according to claim 1 wherein said wood flour is a 60-mesh sized wood flour.

3. The wood filler composition according to claim 1 wherein said thickener is a methylcellulose thickener.

4. The wood filler composition according to claim 1 further comprising at least one biocide.

5. The wood filler composition according to claim 1 further comprising at least one surfactant.

6. The wood filler composition according to claim 1 further comprising at least one stabilizer.

7. The wood filler composition according to claim 6 wherein said at least one stabilizer comprises a freeze-thaw stabilizer.

8. The wood filler composition according to claim 1 further comprising at least one mildewcide.

9. The wood filler composition according to claim 1 further comprising at least one pigment dispersant.

10. The wood filler composition according to claim 8 further comprising at least one colorant.

11. The wood filler composition according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesion promoter includes a silane.

12. The wood filler composition of claim 1 , wherein the silane is selected from the group consisting of vinyltrimethoxysilane, chloropropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropyl-trimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane, and combinations thereof.

13. The wood filler composition according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesion promoter is a non-silane adhesion promoting monomer.

14. The wood filler composition according to claim 13 , wherein the non-silane adhesion promoting monomer is selected from the group consisting of alkoxy terminated monomers, acrylate ester monomers, methacrylate esters, acrylate esters, and combinations thereof.

15. A method for preparing the wood filler composition of claim 1 , said method comprising the steps of:

providing a mixing vessel;

placing water, at least one biocide, at least one surfactant, and at least one stabilizer in said mixing vessel under agitation;

mixing until substantially homogeneous;

adding at least one acrylic latex emulsion to said mixing vessel while agitating;

mixing until substantially homogeneous;

adding at least one ceramic microsphere and at least one wood flour to said mixing vessel while agitating;

mixing until homogeneous;

adding at least one mildewcide to said mixing vessel while agitating;

mixing until substantially homogeneous;

adding water and at least one surfactant to said mixing vessel while agitating;

mixing until substantially homogeneous;

adding at least one glass bubble to said mixing vessel under slow agitation;

mixing until substantially homogeneous;

adding an adhesion promoter to said mixing vessel while agitating;

mixing until substantially homogeneous; and

adding water to said mixing vessel in sufficient quantity so as to produce a wood filler composition having a viscosity of from about 200,000 to about 300,000 cps and a pH of from about 8.4 to about 8.8.

16. The method according to claim 15 additionally comprising the step of: adding at least one pigment dispersant to said mixing vessel.

17. The method according to claim 15 additionally comprising the steps of:

adding at least one pigment to said mixing vessel; and

mixing until said at least one pigment is evenly dispersed.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein at least one of said at least one stabilizer is a freeze-thaw stabilizer.

19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the adhesion promoter includes a silane.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the silane is selected from the group consisting of vinyltrimethoxysilane, chloropropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropyl-trimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane, and combinations thereof.

21. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the adhesion promoter is a non-silane adhesion promoting monomer.

22. A wood filler composition, said composition comprising:

from about 11.50 to about 17.50 weight percent water;

from about 14.40 to about 21.60 weight percent ceramic microspheres;

from about 2.48 to about 3.72 weight percent wood flour;

from about 0.32 to about 0.48 weight percent thickener;

from about 0.80 to about 1.20 weight percent glass bubbles;

from about 12.24 to about 18.36 weight percent acrylic latex emulsion, the acrylic latex emulsion comprising:

from about 46 weight percent to about 48 weight percent acrylic polymer solids;

up to about 0.2 weight percent ammonia; and balance water; and

from about 36.06 to about 54.10 weight percent calcium carbonate, wherein said composition has a pH in the range of from about 8.4 to about 8.8, said composition having a viscosity of from about 200,000 to about 300,000 cps.

23. The wood filler composition according to claim 22 wherein said wood flour is a 60-mesh sized wood flour.

24. The wood filler composition according to claim 22 wherein said thickener is a methylcellulose thickener.

25. The wood filler composition according to claim 22 further comprising at least one biocide.

26. The wood filler composition according to claim 22 further comprising at least one surfactant.