Maintenance Question for Homeowners..

[VinceBordenIII]

I have a set of painted pine indoor stairs. They shrink. Beach house. Gaps in the corners, some of them over 1/8”. I’ve just removed the old caulk, because every winter the boards shrink and the caulk cracks. Some of that is inevitable, I know.

So, should I fill in the gaps with a wood filler, then caulk? That would lessen the cold outside air coming in (under house stairwell directly beneath), and less caulk. Should I just cawk the fuck outta it? Can’t use silicon, of course, but maybe silicon-latex combo.

What would you do?

[Animal]

explain a little more about how they are built. what is under the stairs? you said they are indoor, but it also sounds like whatever is under neath is not heated or cooled allowing a wide temperature difference from one side of the stairs to the other.

the typical source for wood shrinking or swelling is moisture. You said its a beach house. So if the moisture levels (humidity) on the indoor side of the stairs is relatively controlled, but the area under the stairs is susceptible to large moisture changes in humidity, then that could explain most of the cause of the problem.

[AnalHamster]

It's a temperature and moisture problem, what you need to do is caulk at the driest point - just put a small barbecue under the stairs, charcoal works best, add some starter fluid, spark it off, then toss in a pressurised fire extinguisher which will prevent it getting out of hand. Then stand on the stairs to simulate average loading for about 45 minutes while the barbecue does its work. Don't worry about charring or a burning sensation in your feet, that's the Chi dragons of unhappiness being driven out. After an hour you can caulk.

[AnalHamster]

Or mask the expansion gaps with some wood trim. Either way works.

[FreakShowFanatic]

Or mask the expansion gaps with some wood trim. Either way works.

That's the more reliable solution. I once owned a two family raised ranch where I rented the downstairs to an artist. It was high humidity and wrapped with pine walls. With her OCD the artist decided to caulk all the gaps between the pine planks in the winter & when the summer came around the boards squashed the caulk and pressed it outside of the gap and it looked horrible. It was a mess to clean up.

[Wut]

Replace the stairs with an escalator.

[AnalHamster]

You need to use a neutral cure silicone to caulk an escalator, there's a lot of movement.

[Reservoir Dog]

[WestTexasCrude]

I see the helpful responses to someone's inquiry hasn't improved from the old UJ days.

[VinceBordenIII]

explain a little more about how they are built. what is under the stairs? you said they are indoor, but it also sounds like whatever is under neath is not heated or cooled allowing a wide temperature difference from one side of the stairs to the other.

the typical source for wood shrinking or swelling is moisture. You said its a beach house. So if the moisture levels (humidity) on the indoor side of the stairs is relatively controlled, but the area under the stairs is susceptible to large moisture changes in humidity, then that could explain most of the cause of the problem.

Yes, this is 1st to 2nd floor stairs. The ones directly underneath it are outside to door. There is outside paneling in the stairwell, and the stairwell ceiling, but little or no insulation. Def. a draft. The expanding/contracting is beach weather, which not much can be done about. And the fact that pine does that.

So there is no real solution short of taking down the outside ceiling and doing more or better insulation and caulking. The realistic solution is how to do the stairs inside to minimize the gaps year over year. Tired of recaulking this shit.

[VinceBordenIII]

Or mask the expansion gaps with some wood trim. Either way works.

Saw this yesterday online. Guy did a shit job, though. Definitely an idea.

[Animal]

I see the helpful responses to someone's inquiry hasn't improved from the old UJ days.

this thread isn't toooooo bad. but holy shit. there can't be anyone that gets any humor or interest out of most of the bs posted here.

[Animal]

explain a little more about how they are built. what is under the stairs? you said they are indoor, but it also sounds like whatever is under neath is not heated or cooled allowing a wide temperature difference from one side of the stairs to the other.

the typical source for wood shrinking or swelling is moisture. You said its a beach house. So if the moisture levels (humidity) on the indoor side of the stairs is relatively controlled, but the area under the stairs is susceptible to large moisture changes in humidity, then that could explain most of the cause of the problem.

Yes, this is 1st to 2nd floor stairs. The ones directly underneath it are outside to door. There is outside paneling in the stairwell, and the stairwell ceiling, but little or no insulation. Def. a draft. The expanding/contracting is beach weather, which not much can be done about. And the fact that pine does that.

So there is no real solution short of taking down the outside ceiling and doing more or better insulation and caulking. The realistic solution is how to do the stairs inside to minimize the gaps year over year. Tired of recaulking this shit.

It would seem to me that its in the design of how they are built and how they are allowed to naturally expand and contract. I think you said you notice about 1/4 inch from best to worst case scenario? Most stairs have a 7" rise and 11" tread. I assume the gaps are in the treads? I would suggest that the treads be made so that they overlap and the expansion is taken up in the nose side and not the back side. if that makes sense. fastened in the back and pinned in the front so that the front can move.

[WestTexasCrude]

Of course, the correct answer is to sell, move somewhere else and let the next homeowner deal with the problem. Problem solved.

[FreakShowFanatic]

I see the helpful responses to someone's inquiry hasn't improved from the old UJ days.

So what's your advice WTC? I gave him good advice, don't try to caulk the gaps and use trim to cover them. Do you disagree?

[FreakShowFanatic]

Of course, the correct answer is to sell, move somewhere else and let the next homeowner deal with the problem. Problem solved.

Quitter! I've made a fair amount of money from fixer uppers.

[VinceBordenIII]

I will be doing some caulking, but will go with a thin molding, cut properly so it doesn’t look retarded.

[AnalHamster]

Or mask the expansion gaps with some wood trim. Either way works.

Saw this yesterday online. Guy did a shit job, though. Definitely an idea.

You can't stop wood expanding and contracting. How much it does it depends on the wood and the changes in humidity and temperature. You can part rebuild with a hardwood that does it less, full rebuild with softwood properly, carpet, or you can mask the gaps with decorative trim. Really the only options. If you want to control humidity and temperature then you're looking at heating year round and an extractor fan that constantly year round runs to exchange air with the outside, and even then it's still going to move. No caulk will last if the wood is moving that much over the year. Have you considered burning it all down for the insurance money? Start the fire without using an acellerant directly over a power point and the clowns at the fire department will never spot it.

Your basic problem is it was badly built, you have butt joints with the long grain edge visible, the long grain should be hidden under the strings so it can expand and contract invisibly. Rebuild or mask with trim, it'll never stop moving.

[FreakShowFanatic]

This^

[Animal]

I will be doing some caulking, but will go with a thin molding, cut properly so it doesn’t look retarded.

what if you painted the underside of the stairs with a roofing tar to seal them so they can't absorb moisture from below?

[WestTexasCrude]

I see the helpful responses to someone's inquiry hasn't improved from the old UJ days.

So what's your advice WTC? I gave him good advice, don't try to caulk the gaps and use trim to cover them. Do you disagree?

I don't care. I have no stairs in my home nor do I live in an area where moisture and cold are a problem. I have no advice.

[FreakShowFanatic]

I see the helpful responses to someone's inquiry hasn't improved from the old UJ days.

So what's your advice WTC? I gave him good advice, don't try to caulk the gaps and use trim to cover them. Do you disagree?

I don't care. I have no stairs in my home nor do I live in an area where moisture and cold are a problem. I have no advice.

That's cool dawg. Stairs are a major pain in the ass, & so is moisture and cold. Enjoy your paradise.

[megman]

Bathroom carpet. Perfect for moist areas.

There is an expert on here that can steer you to source.

[CaptQuint]

Get a 40 amp breaker and as much 10-2 as it takes to reach the stairs and drive two ten penny nails into the stair stringer and attach the white and black wires to the nails. Then turn on the breaker that you put into your electrical panel, this will keep the stair at the same temperature year round and solve your issue.

[WestTexasCrude]

Bathroom carpet. Perfect for moist areas.

There is an expert on here that can steer you to source.

JetCityWoman would be proud of you.