I’m going to rebuild these stairs but there is something I’ve always wondered. Should I caulk the new ones? They will be painted eventually.
Thanx
~ Ted W ~
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Replies
Why would you caulk them?
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
I woldn't...
but I'd do everthing I could to put in water lets....
also barrier or avoid direct contact with with the new stairs and the existing Masonry or CC...
cool looking buddy ya got there...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
cool looking buddy ya got there...
Yeah, that's the supervisor. But I don't get it, he just keeps rambling on about the "woof".
So preprime (alkyd deck enamel thinned 50/50 with thinner) everything the day before, and spot prime the cuts. I'm assuming I should do this with the stringers as well.
And don't caulk anything.
btw, I'll be using Wolmanized and nothing with a knot larger than a dime. So am I on the right track?
Oh.. and what do you mean water lets? I would pitch everything toward the front for runoff, but the risers will be fastened every 10" to the back of the tread. And I'll keep the sides about 1/8" away from the stone.
~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netMeet me at House & Builder!
Edited 4/25/2009 5:57 pm by Ted W.
Are you sure you want to use PT lumber for the risers/treads? If you're going to paint them, I think mahogony may be a better choice.
cool looking buddy ya got there...
Yeah, that's the supervisor. But I don't get it, he just keeps rambling on about the "woof".
so get up there and get to work...
So preprime (alkyd deck enamel thinned 50/50 with thinner)
and painting wouldn't hurt either....
everything the day before, and spot prime the cuts.
seal the cuts and splits and wild grain......
I'm assuming I should do this with the stringers as well.
yes...
And don't caulk anything.
yup...
btw, I'll be using Wolmanized and nothing with a knot larger than a dime. So am I on the right track?
why PT???
why not Mahogeny???
Oh.. and what do you mean water lets?
let the water immediately escape and drain away...
let no puddles form...
I would pitch everything toward the front for runoff, but the risers will be fastened every 10" to the back of the tread. And I'll keep the sides about 1/8" away from the stone.
1/4" would be more gooder...
and/or use Vycor or a like product as a barrier...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
1/4" seems like a lot of gap. With the current humidity (rain half the day today), I can't see the boards ever expanding to more than what they are now, and will most likely shrink later.
Mahogany? I'm picturing my customer looking at me like I'm nuts.
I know it will last a lot longer, but shouldn't better quality PT back primed and painted last a good 20 years or so? I appreciate the good advice, but I (and presumeably the customer) just want to keep things simple and get on with the next project. They've got a whole house of stuff needing done and could probably keep me busy half the summer.
About isolating the stringer from the concrete bottom step, I have a scrap of modified roofing. Can I cut pieces of that to set the ends of the stringers on?
Thanks~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netMeet me at House & Builder!
Mahogany? ... I know it will last a lot longer, but shouldn't better quality PT...?
You'd have to stumble upon the most horridly piss-poor mahogony in the entire known universe to get something that would rate as inferior to PT.
And PS--neither you nor me nor the guy who makes it has any idea if ACQ-PT will 'last a good 20 years'. The crud hasn't been on the market even half that long, so they simply don't know. Do you really feel like being an unpaid test-pilot for the assumptions built into their computer modeling software?
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
1/4" seems like a lot of gap.
looks to be that you have a lot mre than 1/4" gap now...
View Image
With the current humidity (rain half the day today), I can't see the boards ever expanding to more than what they are now, and will most likely shrink later.
and twist and turn and cup and crown and split and..........................
not to mention the risk of fastener failure......
Mahogany? I'm picturing my customer looking at me like I'm nuts.
suggest IPE and see what kind of reaction ya get...
but shouldn't better quality PT
is there such a thing??? ACQ is ACQ.....
I have zero faith in it.... the stuff is a train wreck waitng to land in our laps....
back primed and painted last a good 20 years or so?
with this operation I'd have to defer you to those who know...
I'd use primer/paint rated for the mission and it wouldn't be on PT.....
About isolating the stringer from the concrete bottom step, I have a scrap of modified roofing. Can I cut pieces of that to set the ends of the stringers on?
that's the idea....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
"So preprime (alkyd deck enamel thinned 50/50 with thinner) everything the day before, and spot prime the cuts. I'm assuming I should do this with the stringers as well."I would not any alkyd on a PT unless it was kiln dried.It is just too wet.And I really don't like the idea of using a thinned enamel in any cause. A primer is really a different characteristics for different reasons.I would use a Paintable, Water Repellent, Protectant. They have anti fungal properties and enough wax to seal the endgrain, but not enough that it can't be painted.Some of the Jasco products do that. Also I believe WoodLife also. Need to check the labels to see how they work on the high moisture level in "fresh" PT lumber..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
BTW...
sealing the ends and back painting goes without saying...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Caulk would only impede drainage and cause more water to puddle. That means rot sooner
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What size lumber are the treads to be made of? 2x? 1x?
Is the PT lumber you get in Chicago land SYP? I always promote using KDAT PT lumber for painted applications. Also known as re-dried. Check into it to see if it is available where you live - call around to real lumber yards and any lumber speciality stores. I get the idea that many areas don't have it because I never see anyone else here mentioning it. A second choice would be that new Micronized (sp?). Here, they sell that at HD. It seems much drier than regular PT and they claim it holds paint better because of the way the chemical is "fixed" in the wood. I'm really not a fan of painting regular PT lumber. It would be fine (best?) for the stringers, especially if you could get .40 or similar. A lot of end grain is exposed on stringers.
Hi Matt,
I'm not sure if it's SYP or another species, however I only use Wolmanized which is KDAT.
I found on archchemicals.com that I can indeed paint it right away, so I'm going to preprime and paint everything before construction, then seal all cuts as I go along.
http://www.archchemicals.com/Fed/WOLW/Products/Preservative/Genuine/use-handling.htm?selLocation=paint.htm#Re_dried~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netMeet me at House & Builder!
Sounds like we are on the same page....
Wolmanized (SP?) is a brand name and true enough I have heard it used in a generic sense to describe PT lumber but they make different different chemicals, and apparently use different treating processes (per the web page you linked to).
BTW - a little of topic, but on that page you linked to one of the products was the "Thompsonized" PT. Personally I think that product is a gimmick - I think they sell that at Lowes here (or is it HD?). The reason I think it is a gimmick is that fist off, IMO Thompson water sealer is maybe 80% mineral spirits, and it just prolongs the time (slightly) before you need to apply a real wood protective. Also you will notice that Thompson's water seal is one of the least expensive wood protective products available - by quite a lot as compared to quality products. If Thompsons spent as much on product development as they do marketing, they might actually have viable product and then all the marketing hype wouldn't be necessary.
one of the products was the "Thompsonized" PT. Personally I think that product is a gimmick
We're definately on the same page. I know it repells water when first installed, but it's just Thompsons Waterseal, which doesn't last long at all. I see it as just something to prevent me from being able to apply something better.
I've never tried the "Micronized" stuff you mentioned earlier, and not likely to since Wolmanized fit's my needs, and never has a problem accepting finishes. Also, I'm boycotting Home Depots in my area because of their really poor service. Maybe not the same near you, but here they seem to hire the worst slackers, and the stores are always a disorganized mess.
Here's the topic I started. Interesting, I see it's now closed for posting. =)
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=118795.1
~ Ted W ~
Cheap Tools! - MyToolbox.netMeet me at House & Builder!
Edited 4/26/2009 12:00 pm by Ted W.
Edited 4/26/2009 12:04 pm by Ted W.
Yea - I'm not a HD shopper either.... Here, the orange bourg staff is polite enough but I wouldn't look to them for anything beyond "where is the______". And, as you say, the stores seem pretty disorganized, and all are laid out differently. I use Lowes as a HW store (about the same as HD) but they pizz me off too as they are always out of stuff. I have a co Lowes credit card. That matters. I buy lumber from building supplies via phone and have it delivered.
And then there are stone steps that won't rot...
Billy