A method for filling vias with metal includes receiving a substrate having vias, forming a metal plating layer over the vias on a first side of the substrate, fill-plating the vias with a first metal beginning with the metal plating layer on the first side of the substrate and advancing to a second side of the substrate to provide filled vias. The metal plating layer may be subsequently patterned to provide selected circuit connections or chemically-mechanically polished to completely remove the metal plating layer. Forming a metal plating layer over the vias may include filling the vias with a sacrificial filler to enable formation of the metal plating layer and subsequently removing the sacrificial filler via an etching operation or the like. In other embodiments, forming the metal plating layer over the vias is accomplished by bonding a metallic layer onto the first side of the substrate.