Terraco Filler review – written by a decorator

Time I wrote a very quick Terraco Handymate fillers review. But I’ll be honest, until I spoke to them at a trade show a few months ago, I’d never even heard of Terraco, but it turns out they’ve been in business since 1980.

They’re an environmentally conscious manufacturer who make all sorts of finishing products, including tile adhesive, waterproofing, “interior decorative finishes, floor coatings and loads of other materials. I’ve been a Professional Decorator since 2002, and even though I’m new to Terraco, I have used a wide variety of other fillers in the past, so I can tell a good product from a bad one.

I’m here to talk about the Terraco Handymate fillers, of which there is a wide range. I’ve been using them for the last few weeks, so I figured I’d talk about each one in turn and provide my thoughts on each, followed by a quick overall conclusion. All these products are available online.  This is my Terraco filler review, I hope you find it useful.

Terraco Handymate Deep Fill Review

This is described as a “non-shrink deep gap and crack filler”. You can use it inside or out which is a nice advantage, and it has a grainy, but fine texture to it. Drying time is around 2 hours.

I’ll start off by saying I really don’t like this product. It isn’t what I’d call “deep fill” at all. In fact, you can only fill up to 20mm at a time or it’ll take a age to dry. It’s a dark grey colour too, which isn’t ideal if you intent to paint over it. Plus, it’s also difficult to sand. There are much better deep fillers on the market.

Terraco Handymate Flexible Filler Review

Described as “paintable filler for gaps between masonry and wood”, this is another product that can be used inside or out. As decorators, we know flexible fillers are ideal for loads of situations, not least when fixing reoccurring cracks.

The Terraco flexible filler has a drying time of 1 – 2 hours and can be used on repairs up to 10mm deep. This is a fairly light filler which doesn’t sag when you’re using it. It’s easy to work with and is ideal when blending onto a textured surface with a wet brush, or smoothing off with your finger.

Unlike the Terraco Handymate Deep fill, I really like this product. It feels like a good quality filler to use, remains flexible and sands smooth.

Handymate Multi-Purpose Filler Review

Described as “Interior and exterior wall filler for general repairs”, this is, as the names suggests, a multi-purpose filler. Again, this is a light filler with no sagging and is very easy to work with. Drying time is 2 – 4 hours and it can be used in gaps of up to 10mm.

Another quality product, although it does slump when drying. It is very easy to achieve a smooth finish with this filler.

Handymate Genius Review

Described as “Super lightweight filler for interior and exterior repairs”, Terraco Handymate Genius has a polystyrene type feel to it. There is absolutely no sagging at all with this filler and it is extremely easy to apply and shape. You can use it on repairs of up to 50mm deep too, which is another bonus.

I have used similar fillers before, but unlike any of its competitors, this lightweight filler can be used on pretty much anything from exterior masonry and wood to interior plaster repairs. It is a joy to use and very easy to work with.

Handymate Genius is the opposite to Handymate Deep Fill in that it’s a brilliant filler and one I will be ordering for future jobs. This product is a masterpiece!

Brand Summary

Final thoughts

As a quick round-up, with the exception of the Deep Fill, I do like the Terraco Handymate filler range. It’s refreshing to have an entire range of fillers that can be used inside or out. The powders are very fine and they’re a joy to work with. I would recommend the Genius in particular, because it really is awesome. For more information, please visit www.atdirect.online/