A friend installed some pressure-treated wood steps on my porch last
fall. He told me to let them go through a season first, then paint them
in the spring, as follows:
_prime
_ then putty (with Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty)
_ then paint (oil-based)
I wrote down his instructions, but forgot about the note when I painted
them. I used a wood filler that I happened to have on hand for some
little cracks, then primed, then painted with good quality oil-based
porch paint. The steps look okay (but a bit rustic!), but now I'm
wondering what my friend meant by "then putty" (he's not around to ask).
Was I supposed to merely fill in cracks, holes, etc. or was I supposed
to do more extensive puttying? The reason I ask is that, when it rains,
the water pools quite a bit on the steps. Was I supposed to trowel on
the Rock Hard Water Putty like plaster, so rain will flow off more
easily or what?

"nosredna" wrote in message
...
A friend installed some pressure-treated wood steps on my porch last
fall. He told me to let them go through a season first, then paint them
in the spring, as follows:
_prime
_ then putty (with Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty)
_ then paint (oil-based)
I wrote down his instructions, but forgot about the note when I painted
them. I used a wood filler that I happened to have on hand for some
little cracks, then primed, then painted with good quality oil-based
porch paint. The steps look okay (but a bit rustic!), but now I'm
wondering what my friend meant by "then putty" (he's not around to ask).
Was I supposed to merely fill in cracks, holes, etc. or was I supposed
to do more extensive puttying? The reason I ask is that, when it rains,
the water pools quite a bit on the steps. Was I supposed to trowel on
the Rock Hard Water Putty like plaster, so rain will flow off more
easily or what?

I am not clear why you would want to use putty for anything. In my
experience, priming and painting is all that is required, unless you wanted
to obscure the wood perforations used to help the original chemicals
penetrate the wood. For that, I use very spare application of exterior - it
must be exterior - wood filler or Durham's, but prefer Durham's. Only the
holes - filler nowhere else. Yes, filler seems to stick longer when you
prime first, then do your filling. For a seamless look, it is best to spot
prime again over the filler, then paint. That prevents the dulling of the
finish coat you get over the patched spots.
Water standing is abnormal and may be due to warped, or improperly designed
steps, and patching plaster of any kind should not be used as a leveller on
stairs, just a filler of pre-existing holes. Steps may have to be
re-installed so they drain completely after rains. Otherwise, even PT wood
will eventually rot in constant moisture. Hope this helps.....

Your stairs hold water probably because you instaled the wood with crown
grain up. It cups up with a low center. Wood putty will fail on a
horizontal flexed piece of wood like stairs. You should have hand picked
prime pieces. Wood base putty is basicly crap, a temporary solution.
Flexing stairs will crack anything but a good caulk . Turn over the
cupped wood if grain doesnt crown down.

On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 13:13:04 -0400, nosredna
wrote:

A friend installed some pressure-treated wood steps on my porch last
fall. He told me to let them go through a season first, then paint them
in the spring, as follows:
_prime
_ then putty (with Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty)
_ then paint (oil-based)
I wrote down his instructions, but forgot about the note when I painted
them. I used a wood filler that I happened to have on hand for some
little cracks, then primed, then painted with good quality oil-based
porch paint. The steps look okay (but a bit rustic!), but now I'm
wondering what my friend meant by "then putty" (he's not around to ask).
Was I supposed to merely fill in cracks, holes, etc. or was I supposed
to do more extensive puttying? The reason I ask is that, when it rains,
the water pools quite a bit on the steps. Was I supposed to trowel on
the Rock Hard Water Putty like plaster, so rain will flow off more
easily or what?

No.
I suspect he meant for you to counter sink the screws and fill the
screw or nail holes with the putty, then prime and paint for a finish
that will last forever or as long as you keep it painted.