blueman wrote:
One of the wood structural beams (4x8) of our porch serves dual use
as a "step". However, over the many (~100) years, part of it has
work down so that it is no longer flat with the amount of wear
varying between 1/4 and 1/2" For many reasons, I do not want to
replace the beam but I would
like to level it off and restore it to its original height.

The 3 ideas I am considering a
1. Sand it down to an even level and then fill it with a uniform
thickness board. My concern is that it could be a fair bit of
work and that I would prefer not to take off more wood.

2. Fill and level off with an expoy-type mixture. Not sure though
what would be the best materials to use and how strong/durable
it would be.

3. Hybrid approach. First fill to get the surface level and then
cover with final uniform 1/4" piece of material (though not sure
what would be best to use that would weather well and stand up
to some abuse)

Any thoughts on whether this or other approaches would be
recommended?

#3. No. Too thin IMO. If you do it, white oak would be a reasonable
choice of wood. NOT red oak.

#2. The "restoration" epoxy someone mentioned is not meant for the
purpose you intend...it is very non-viscous and is meant to penetrate
into the wood (helped with drilled holes) in order to consolidate
weak/rotted wood.

Regular epoxy is much thicker and could level if you constructed a dam
along the sides; however, It wouldn't last well over solid wood.
Plywood yes (especially with fiber glass), solid wood no.

#1. This is your best bet, I think. But don't sand, it would take
forever, use a morticing bit in a router...set up boards on each side
of the one you want to level, attach the router to another board so it
spans those and have at it...just like leveling a cement pour.

I'd cut it down by about 3/4" to not only level but take off some
weathered wood and to provide enough depth for an easily obtained 3/4"
board. If you know or can determine what the old one is, I'd use the
same thing; if not, white oak or locust should work well...both are
hard and resistant to rotting/weathering.

I would screw the new to the old countersinking the screw heads and
filling with face grain plugs. I would also set the new in a layer of
bedding compound. That is a putty used for the same purpose on
boats...it is basically plumber's putty with copper napthenate (a wood
preservative). The reason to use it is to fill up areas between the
two wood pieces that are not in perfect contact. Excess will squeeze
out when the fasteners are tightened and one just scrapes it off. If
either of the wood pieces are oak do NOT use steel fasteners...oak is
acidic and will react with the steel. Use either stainless steel or
bronze. Brass won't react but is very weak.


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dadiOH
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