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I’ve been sanding back the front step and got rid of a few layers of paint and want to fully prep it for a clear varnish. Any product tips for cleaning it up and then sealing it?
Hello @corky55
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's wonderful to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about preparing your front door wood step for sealing.
In order to get a really clean timber surface, I suggest using 120grit sandpaper in combination with a sanding block. However, if you have access to an orbital sander it will make prepping the timber surface much faster. It seems several coats have been applied to the surface of the timber so I suggest continuing sanding until all traces of the old sealer are gone.
Once all of the old sealers have been removed, I recommend using Cabots Aquadeck Natural Exterior Decking Oil. I suggest having a quick look at this discussion - How to protect the wooden front door threshold? by @AliceS. Because this timber is exposed to the outside elements, I recommend using a decking oil instead of a polyurethane sealer.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
Hi @corky55,
@EricL will be back after the weekend, and I trust he will add to the discussion if I miss anything.
I'd encourage you to stay away from paint strippers if possible. It's messy work and often still involves sanding coating remnants away. Cabot's deck clean is for stripping oils from timber, so I don't think it will do much for you here as it's likely a heard-wearing polyurethane coating, not an oil.
Give sanding a go and let us know how effective it is. It should only take 30mins or so, even by hand. If you're not getting anywhere, then we can look at trying to strip the coating off.
Mitchell
Hi @MitchellMc and @EricL, sanding it back quite a lot and it’s looking good but two questions. Any thoughts on these deeper gaps? It had some kind of filler in there before which I’ve taken out. I don’t mind just putting aqua deck oil over the top but if it’s stop possible issues with rotting etc, I’ll fill them in. Second question, any guess at the type of wood? There’s a chiseled out area (pic below) that I’d like to find some wood to replace it with. Thanks!
Hello @corky55
Thank you very much for the update on your timber doorstep revamp. The timber is looking very nice, unfortunately, the damage at the far end seems extensive, I suggest cutting the area out and making it nice and square. I then recommend looking for a similar coloured timber and creating a patch to fit into the area that you've just carved out.
I've placed a sketch below to give you an idea of how to place the timber patch. You'll need a bit of sanding and chiselling to match the profile of your timber doorstep. In regards to the damaged portions of the step, I propose going to your local store and looking at the wood fillers that are close in colour to your decking oil. In this manner, once you start staining the wood the filler will not stand out too much.
Please note that timber patch on the other hand will have a different tone reaction to your current doorstep and will become a highlight to its profile.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
That sounds good, @corky55. However, I wouldn't coat the missing section with Aquadeck before you repair it. The oil will prevent your Liquid Nails from adhering sufficiently.
Mitchell
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