staircase treatment help please

[woolybanana]

The new staircase is in beech. So far I have treated the wood (at least the part that is now inaccessible) with an antiworm product, and would like now to use a simple clear varnish on it. BUT, the surfaces of the stairs could become slippery as a result. Does anyone know of a non-slip varnish please that can be obtained in France? Or other solutions which will keep the whole staircase looking as natural as possible?

Thanks,

Woolybanana

[Théière]

Not in France Wooly but someone else might. You could mix a little sand into some of the varnish and apply that to the tread areas. Then apply a couple of coats of varnish over that to protect it.

 

[just john]

Get yourself down to a yacht chandler, for some  cuprinol-anti-slip-decking-treatment/ clear non-slip varnish.

[woolybanana]

Yes, silver sand was suggested. I am going to the boatyard asap to see what they use.

[sid]

This  http://www.syntilor.com/produit.php?id=121  is an example of a French product specifically for stairs. Other manufacturers have similar products of course.

[Théière]

[quote user="woolybanana"]Yes, silver sand was suggested. I am going to the boatyard asap to see what they use.[/quote]

Boat yards use International product

[woolybanana]

Thank you chaps and chapesses, I will get onto those asap

 

[NormanH]

I used a lasure which is both a treatment and a non-slip varnish type product.

 I got mine at Casto, but here is another linl:

http://www.hellopro.fr/lasures-2005276-fr-1-feuille.html

[Quillan]

Wooly - There are two types of additive you can use, rubber or (silver) sand each has it's own advantages and disadvantages.

Rubber - Does not scratch if it comes off but of course it is a solid colour.

Sand - Scratches when it comes off (can be quite bad) but has an opaque colour.

From what I have seen of the rubber version is that it is a coloured paint which I don't think you really want as it will obviously obscure the wood which I assume is not the object. I saw it on a boat roof once and it looked bloody awful.

The sand version may be best solution for you and I have certainly used it on wood on boats and here's what you need and how to do it.

Materials - Some cheap, throw away paint brush's (you can't really clean them so you bin them), a old tin in which you can make some very small holes so you can use it as a 'sprinkler', two cans of two part epoxy yacht varnish (or more depending on area) and some masking tape.

Make sure the stairs are really clean and I mean really clean (no dust etc), don't use any type of solvent cleaner that contains oil (you can get special cleaner for this type of paint). If the treatment you used does contain oil then you need to wait a while for it to really dry out else the paint will start to come off after a while and things will look really bad.

Once the stairs are really clean as is everything around it, you might consider putting water soaked sheets on the ground to capture and airborne particles because things will look a mess if they get on the varnish, dust will be your biggest enemy.

Read the tin for the two part varnish with regards to setting time as this is important. You can increase the setting time by decreasing the activator but only by a small amount. Now paint the stairs.

Once the paint is dry (30 minutes to an hour depending on temp) you can use the the masking tape to mask of the 'anti slip' areas on each tread of course making every one look the same in size. You don't have to do the whole tread, just the centre bit and finish about one third in from the leading edge. Paint again but just the masked area and sprinkle the sand as you move to the next tread. For obvious reasons start at the top, brush away any sand that drops from the stair above before painting the one below.

The reason for using two part is that it dries really, really, hard and will put up with years of abuse (used a lot in pubs for the bar in the UK) plus in the unlikely event that any sand does come off there is less chance of it scratching areas of the stairs you don't have the sand on.

Once done make sure you hoover up all the left over sand especially if you have wooden floor round the house as it will scratch it to bits as you walk around.

You can get the varnish from any yacht chandler, makes to go for are International or Blakes. You might find buying from the UK much cheaper (including delivery) than France. I always thought boat stuff was expensive in the UK till I came to France.

Good Luck.

 

[woolybanana]

Thank you, Q, very comprehensive.

I shall leave the cardboard in place until I have checked out all these options, including that of importing the stuff from UK.

[Théière]

Q, spoken like a true boat enthusiast.....[:)]

I used to use the sand on skateboard decks but found the water based versions had a bit more flex than the two pack, all that work for someone to walk over [:(]

[woolybanana]

Doggies are the primary problem

[just john]

Thinking outside the kennel, with a blue sky, how about a  carpet-runner- ?

[Théière]

There you go John, just over 7 replies and you have strayed off the subject of lassure [;-)]

[woolybanana]

[quote user="just john "]Thinking outside the kennel, with a blue sky, how about a  carpet-runner- ?[/quote]

One was hoping to keep the natural wood look, John.

[just john]

[quote user="woolybanana"] Or other solutions which will keep the whole staircase looking as natural as possible? [/quote]

err, Beech coloured carpet[:)], a lot less work than Q's, though Cuprinol does what it says on the tin, a carpet might be better for man's best friends

edit  ''Great for protecting floors and perfect for pets!!!!''
 

[woolybanana]

Yes, you are right there. Perhaps man's best friends will have their nails clipped a bit!

[Quillan]

If you use the two part varnish, trust me, it dries so hard that you won't have to worry about the dogs or clipping their nails. I saw a demo of this stuff when it came out years ago. It was really designed for metal boats and the guy doing the demo took a hammer to it afterwards, not a mark or dent. That's why I suggested going for a 'brand' and mentioned boats because believe me this stuff gets well abused by people wearing all sorts of footwear and who wants to spend half their live stripping and repainting stairs.

[Théière]

[quote user="Quillan"]If you use the two part varnish, trust me, it dries so hard that you won't have to worry about the dogs or clipping their nails. I saw a demo of this stuff when it came out years ago. It was really designed for metal boats and the guy doing the demo took a hammer to it afterwards, not a mark or dent. That's why I suggested going for a 'brand' and mentioned boats because believe me this stuff gets well abused by people wearing all sorts of footwear and who wants to spend half their live stripping and repainting stairs.[/quote]

Absolutely! and these people do spend all their lives stripping and re varnishing and they use the Blakes two part now.

[Pommier]

This is what we've used on stairs, and it really does give a hard wearing finish

http://www.v33.fr/vitrificateurs/d.-passages-extremes-reg,31.html?&vars=cHJvZHVpdF9pZD0zMg%3D%3D

[woolybanana]

Thank you Pommier, I'll check that out too.