Question for boat builders but NDR

Mark W

Mark W

Well-known member
Good Evening everyone -

I am refinishing a deck and have run into an issue not seen before. The deck railing is rough cut boards that are notched into 10" posts. Some of these railing boards have some rot. I have been able to remove the rot but want to fill in the parts I removed before I stain. My requirements are pretty simple. What product will fill these "divots" and other cracks that can be stained over (solid stain, no clear, no more semi transparent coatings).

I would remove the boards and replace but that would require me taking a part the whole railing system which would take days and then it would never get put back together again as solidly as it is now.

Any suggestions?

Mark
 
Carl,

I "think" Mark is saying he has boards with holes in them where he removed the rot....so kinda like swiss cheese (though maybe not all the way through like with swiss cheese). So he is asking what to fill those holes with is my understanding. Instead of having to take apart everything and replace the boards.

Mark,

What about a paste of wood shavings and fiberglass resin? You might ask what hardwood flooring people use to refinish floors. I know there were some good chunks taken out of my floor at one point based on the little areas that clearly needed filling. Maybe they would have some good products they could recommend.

Dani
 
The horizontal deck railing logs are where I have some rot. I've removed the rot but it left a crater and I would like to fill that crater back in to get that log looking as it did before the rot. Then I am staining with a solid stain so whatever I use for fill it has to take a stain. Sorry I have no better pictures but I hope this helps.

Those horizontal boards also have some cracks that will collect water and crack. May as fill those in as well.



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Mark,
How about staining the wood first and using a filler that matches the stained wood? Or stain a test piece, select a matching filler, fill the wood, then stain over the filled wood to seal it all up.
Scott
 
That could work. These places that had rot are pretty big. Some places they were 12''s long and 1' wide. I was wondering if there isn't a wood glue or construction glue/sealant that might work. I have lots of filling to do.

I realize this is not the proper way to fix it. Proper way would be to remove the logs and replace. Unfortunately this would require disassembly of the deck railing and then new logs made and then reassemble the deck. These horizontal logs are handmade and not just purchased at a store. They have something similar you can buy at the store but what I have, lucky me, are handmade/hand cut boards.

Worse thing that happens is they get stained as is and the craters just add to the character.

Mark
 
Mark~


One big challenge is that you would be treating only a portion of each piece . Thus, the wood will always swell and shrink over time. If there is actual rot, I would remove it as best I could. You might want to soak any such areas with a wood preservative. I would then lean toward a colored, paintable caulk to keep out future moisture and fill all or some of the void. Then, topcoat with your solid stain.


Hope this helps!


SJS

 
Thanks everyone for the advice. I was searching online and quite a few people have the same issue and many are using Bondo to do the filling and then painting over it. Think this will work? Don?t know why this didn?t come to mind.

Mark
 
Good morning, Mark~


My concern with Bondo would be that it cures hard and brittle - so will not move with the wood. I think the more elastic caulk - say a paintable silicon - will adhere better over time and help to exclude moisture.


All the best,


SJS

 
Steve Sanford said:
Good morning, Mark~


My concern with Bondo would be that it cures hard and brittle - so will not move with the wood. I think the more elastic caulk - say a paintable silicon - will adhere better over time and help to exclude moisture.


All the best,


SJS
Click to expand...

Yeah, I hear what you are saying. My issue with the caulk is cure time for a large hole/divot/gouge whatever one wants to call it. I know I have to replace the boards in the future but I already have other tasks requiring immediate attention this year. My goal, and I should have stated this earlier, is to fix the boards for now, replace later like maybe net summer. And maybe I'll get lucky and the repair will last longer than anticipated.

I ended up with a DAP product called plasti-wood or something like that. Claims to work indoors and outdoors, fills larger areas, and cures quickly. And it is stain able and paintable. I figure if it says it is good for outdoor use, maybe, just maybe it will "move" a little bit. Oh, and it was cheap at about $7.00/32 ounces. Bought three containers worth. I'll take pictures of the actual rot when I get to the cabin in a couple of days.

Wish me luck. Thanks for the advice.

Mark
 
Mark~


Best of luck!


I'm immersed in an NDR project myself. What I thought was going to be a new roof on our spring house - our only source of water - has become a complete new spring house. Fun project but unanticipated.


All the best,


SJS

 
Steve Sanford said:
Mark~


Best of luck!


I'm immersed in an NDR project myself. What I thought was going to be a new roof on our spring house - our only source of water - has become a complete new spring house. Fun project but unanticipated.


All the best,


SJS
Click to expand...

You let your wife get involved didn?t you? I know all too well how those projects go. Ask me how removing wallpaper turned into a whole main level house ?refresh?.

Mark

Mark
 
There are a number of wood rot stabilizers and repair products on the market. I think some are available at big box stores and I have seen them at specialty woodworking stores also. They seem to basically be a wood stabilizer with an epoxy repair component. Sounds like a good choice for you if I am reading your need correctly. I don't have any personal experience with the products but I know they exist.
 
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