Preventing rot to wooden stairs
Wood is one of the most versatile materials in the world and it’s used for so many purposes, one of them being for building staircases. One of the main disadvantages of wood is that it ages and in time it can get cracked or worse. Water tends to infiltrate in these cracks and then cause even more damage to the wood, by causing rot.
Some of the tools and materials that you will need are:
- Liquid Wood Hardener
- Drill and Bits
- Wood Filler (Epoxy or Polyester)
- Paint and Paintbrush
- Primer
- Mixing Container
- Awl
- Putty Knife
- Rasp Tool
- Sandpaper
- Wood Chisel
Removing the wet wood
Use a chisel to do this. Remove any wet areas from the wooden staircase.
Liquid wood hardener
Now inspect the rest of the staircase by poking the areas lightly with an awl and find solid areas. After this, use the drill and bits to make several 3 mm holes around the affected areas. This is where you will inject the liquid wood hardener.
Wood filler
Now mix the epoxy and polyester filler and use a putty knife to apply it into the affected areas. Mix only the needed quantity as the filler dries very quickly. Make a compact fill by applying pressure.
Now use a rasp tool and remove the excess filler. You need to do this before the filler should dry up.
Shaping the repaired patch
Now you can further use some sandpaper to shape the filled patch. You can use different types of sandpaper for the job. Start with the medium sandpaper and at last use finer sandpaper.
Painting
After you are happy with the job, you will need to use some primer and paint to cover the areas. This will give the patch a nicer look and it will also protect it from further damage.
Preventing damage
Preventing is the best solution for combating rot. You should inspect the staircase at least once a year and look for any peeling paint, hollow sounds, cracks, holes, etc. Seal any cracks around the joints using some caulk. Ventilation is very important when it comes to wooden stairs.
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