Hi
Our dog kennel is in the lower level of our walkout ranch. The stair treads and risers are pine. The risers are fine,but the pine treads, being soft, wear out quickly due to the dogs (their nails wear the treads out). Oak doesn't work, since it is an open grained wood, it is subject to wear like that of the pine. Can you make a suggestion as to what material I can use in place of the treads (or ON the treads) so they'll wear better (and look nicer)?
Thanks Jerry
Ipe
Oak will not wear anywhere near what you are experiencing with pine, but you are correct there are open pores in the grain. Finishing generally minimizes the issue. Are the treads soft pine? If so, that is a no-no in stair buliding. Hard pine (southern yellow) can make an *acceptable* tread where cost prohibits hardwood. If cost is not an issue and you are looking for advanced durability and appearance, Hard Maple wears like iron and has an attractive grain. However, unless I am missing something I would consider that out-of-place in the setting you describe - dogs, kennel, etc. There are all kinds of tack-down applications such as rubber that might be the best idea.
Good Luck, J
If you're not dead set on real wood, how about a composite wood material. I use a couple of different brands and here are two I recently finished with WeatherBest and Choicedeck, respectively (with no particular attempt to pretty them up for the photos):
If you want real wood, what Leon said.
Thanks for the feedback I've tried red oak, and it does wear..it tears up at the open spots..and if I fill it..well the filler is quite soft. Maybe white oak would be better? Or a harder closed wood like ipe or maple, and then use a rubber center tread. The nice wood does seem incongruous with the use, but the stairwell is open (no doors at top or bottom), and well, I'd like it to look somewhat nice. I was also thinking of stone or concrete (thin stone slabs like one might find in a garden application). Jerry
Hey I see you now have "All" the doors completely installed. ;~)
LOL ... yeah. Plumbing and electrical trimout are all but finished on this house. Floor finishers are due in tomorrow. Only then can I survey/repair the inevitable damage/dings to the kitchen cabinets and mount doors, drawers and hardware.
Remember that "mirror image" base cabinet that wasn't? That still has to be done for the next house.
I'm still wrestling with angled mortise jigs in my spare time.
Well I am still up for helping you out when ever you need it.
Not set on real wood I thought the composite wood was less wear resistant (to tearing) than real wood. The composites I've sen have a grain impressed into them so they look like an open grained oak. This is the problem with open grained woods, the edges of the grain get caught on the dogs nails and it tears up. I could try it for a couple of treads to see how it wears anyway
Jerry
White oak is an excellent outdoor wood, and unlike red oak it is closed grained.
I think you'll find a high quality product, like WeatherBest premium grade, to be sufficiently wear resistant, although the cheaper stuff available at the Borg's may be easier for you to find.
In any event, let us know how it turns out.
A couple of thoughts.
1) Apitong , the wood used for truck and trailer beds.Ugly as sin but wears like iron.
2) Epoxy and a couple of layers of 17 OZ, double bias fiber glass over any wood of choice.When the rest of the house has returned to compost, those steps will still be there.
Lew
How about using some non-slip self-stick on the treads? Or, if you want to go with industrial strength,
Cool idea..keep the existing treads, but cover them with something
Are there fast drying epoxies Lew?
Fast is a relative term.
You need at least 24-48 hours for the resin to gain some strength.
If you need to keep this set of stairs in service, consider removing every other step, glass them on a work bench, then replace and glass the remaining steps.
Lew
How about Trex or some of the other plasticwood decking material? It wears much better than pine and isn't as costly as ipe, maple, or other hardwoods.
Art
stained concrete. Most color stains are easy to use but like anything you may not have tried to do yet, success depends on careful research and planning. If you wanted to make it even more attractive you could include some simple "stamp" patterns that would look like the stone you suggested. good luck on whatever you end up trying, Joe.
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