Sealing edge of particle board

[clare]

I do it with a high fence on a table saw, but a friend made a jig that fits the "shoe " of his skill saw that does the job very nicely.

[Lew Hodgett]

---------------------------------- Duh!

Time to engage brain.

Easiest way to seal edges would be with epoxy.

Apply with a chip brush.

When cured, sand snooth and apply latex paint.

Lew

[Josepi]

OMG! Epoxy? LOL

That's a lot of mixing the two parts, expense and the epoxy would be harder than the chip board!. Nice strong edge but may not sand evenly when the chipboard wears away with sandpaper, unevenly.

If you're painting just use drywall mud. Works well.

Time to engage brain.

Easiest way to seal edges would be with epoxy.

Apply with a chip brush.

When cured, sand snooth and apply latex paint.

Lew

"J> I bought a metal shelving unit that uses particle board to put on

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[Lew Hodgett]

--------------------------------------- After mixing and using at least 20,000 Lbs of the stuff, a few more ounces gets lost in the wash.

You use what is easiest.

Lew

[Evodawg]

Thats what I use and have used it on plywood to. works great.

[lynsleyr]

My husband and I have carpeted stairs made of paticle board. I'd like to ditch the carpet, scrape out the staples, fill those particle boards and paint the stairs.

I have read everyone's ideas for filling and smoothing a surface. This surface will need to be durable enough to withstand continual foot scraping and weight changes as we run up and down stairs. And the treated surfaces must be sandable.

Which filler would you gentlemen recommend? Any recommended type of paint for such stairs?

[knuttle]

I think that removing the carpet and trying to seal the particle board is a bad idea. Stairs are one of the highest traffic areas in the house, and particle board does not hold up to that type of use. Even the type used in high quality furniture when finished does not hold up to heavy use.

The steps would have to be sealed to moisture, and that sealing compound applied frequently so that moisture does not get into the particle board. Edges of the particle board will become chipped off, and gouges will appear in the steps.

If you want to rid the stairs of carpet, I would look at something I saw at Lowes the other day. It is essentially a wood vernier for stairs like you have. It is made of oak, but is much thinner than the traditional wood steps. It is designed with a lip that would cover the edge of the particle board underneath.

I suspect you will see it a lot in the mid range and lower priced home upgrades.

[Leon]

If the holes are relatively large fill with Rock Hard, tiny holes, any putty. Paint with a quality Deck Paint.

[-MIKE-]

I would fill them with these. :-)

[DerbyDad03]

Aren't those going to throw off the rise of the top step? Assuming the steps are all evenly spaced now, isn't the rise from the top step onto the landing/hallway going to be .625" less than rise of the rest of the steps?

A minor problem going up, but it could be a safety issue coming down.

As my grandfather used to say when explaining the proper way to build steps: "The feet remember."

[knuttle]

The URL is what I was referring to in my first post to this thread. I thought it was one piece.

I don't see 5/8 of an inch causing a large safety problem. Especially considering the alternative that was being discussed in this thread.

[clare]

Nine of those will do a satisfactory job of filling the "open grain" edge of partical board. I second the hardwood "caps" or thin plywood and solid wood noses shop made and securelu glued.

[clare]

The steps are already non-standard because the carpet has been removed. Carpet and underpadding is very close to the thickness of the "treads"

[clare]

The "berber" carpet on my basement steps is very close to 1/2 inch thick, including the underpad - the cut loop on the upstairs steps is slightly thicker. I'd say it is "pretty much" a none issue.

[Ed Pawlowski]

No fillers, no paint. I covered a set of stairs with a good laminate. Fifteen years and no maintenance later it looks as good as the day installed.

[Swingman]

IME, folk don't take code compliance, with regard to variance in step heights of stairs, seriously enough ... in particular should aging/elder residents being involved.

The maximum variance from the first step to the last in most municipal building codes is 3/8".

So yes, a 5/8" variance from first to last step could indeed be a problem, particularly in a future sale where a seller's disclosure is required, or a third party inspection is required.

Anyone contemplating what the OP is contemplating should do some careful measurements, taking into account the height of the finished floor to both the first, and the last step, or any intermediate landing, to insure the maximum 3/8" variance requirement is met.

A failure to disclose/remedy could result in a liability issue for a owner/seller/lessor, now, or in the future.

[-MIKE-]

I don't no and don't care. :-) I posted it as a response to what I thought was an absurd question. There is no way on earth the painted particle board won't look like $h!t no matter how much work they put into it. And if by some miracle from the Bondo gods they got it smooth and hard enough to look good, the time and energy could've been spent tearing out the particle board and doing it right.

[Leon]

Well at least nine will work. ;~)

But Rock Hard will fill a porous edge just fine.

[Leon]

FWIW the OP did not mention what the stairs should look like completed, just what filler to use and what kind of paint.

Particle board obviously holds up, it has done so up to this point. A good deck should provide wear protection, like the carped did.

I would not do this as I would like the stairs to look good but who knows, maybe these stairs go down to an unfinished basement.

[DerbyDad03]

Do I understand that you would prefer a good-looking unsafe solution over an ugly yet safe solution?