Hi people.

My place has hardwood open plan stairs. Until now they've been
carpeted but the carpet was wearing badly so I took it off in
preparation for replacement. Unfortunately, SWMBO thinks it looks
better uncarpeted. That's OK but all the tacks etc etc have damaged
the treads a bit. The right filler and a rub down should sort it, with
the right finish, so the questions a

There are a couple of bright nails that have been clobbered flush.
Digging them out will cause a bit more damage: Would it be sensible
to try drilling the heads (like I would if they were screws),
hammering them deeper then filling or should I accept the damage and
prise them out?

What should I fill with? I've tried the Ronseal filler (pots and
tubes in B+Q etc) The colour (medium dark) isn't bad but it doesn't
look like it will last long when people walk on it and it doesn't seem
to bond into most dips and ding. Choices at the sheds seem a bit
limited - Does anyone have any good suggestions? (Bearing in mind that
I don't have any offcuts to make any sawdust and resin fancy-type
mixes although I've a feeling standard Araldite might not be too
obvious - it's almost the same colour.)

Assuming it gets far enough to finish (!), it'll need a coat or ten of
something. I quite like things like Danish oil on most wood but I'm
guessing it wouldn't give a tough enough finish to be walked on. Any
suggestions for what I should use?

On 16 May, 21:17, GMM wrote:
Hi people.

My place has hardwood open plan stairs. *Until now they've been
carpeted but the carpet was wearing badly so I took it off in
preparation for replacement. *Unfortunately, SWMBO thinks it looks
better uncarpeted. *That's OK but all the tacks etc etc have damaged
the treads a bit. The right filler and a rub down should sort it, with
the right finish, so the questions a

There are a couple of bright nails that have been clobbered flush.
Digging them out will cause a bit more damage: *Would it be sensible
to try drilling the heads (like I would if they were screws),
hammering them deeper then filling or should I accept the damage and
prise them out?

What should I fill with? *I've tried the Ronseal filler (pots and
tubes in B+Q etc) *The colour (medium dark) isn't bad but it doesn't
look like it will last long when people walk on it and it doesn't seem
to bond into most dips and ding. Choices at the sheds seem a bit
limited - Does anyone have any good suggestions? (Bearing in mind that
I don't have any offcuts to make any sawdust and resin fancy-type
mixes although I've a feeling standard Araldite might not be too
obvious - it's almost the same colour.)

Assuming it gets far enough to finish (!), it'll need a coat or ten of
something. *I quite like things like Danish oil on most wood but I'm
guessing it wouldn't give a tough enough finish to be walked on. *Any
suggestions for what I should use?

Brummer is regarded as about the best:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/category-Fillers-206896.htm

Try a decent quality tack-lifter, or even tapping a knife blade under
from the side, with a hammer.

If you dent the wood, the dents can be lifted out some extent by
placing a damp cloth over and pressing down a very hot iron (steam
expands the damaged wood a little bit). Even if the dent doesn't
disappear, it tends to smooth the appearance.

On 16 May, 21:32, " wrote:
On 16 May, 21:17, GMM wrote:





Hi people.

My place has hardwood open plan stairs. *Until now they've been
carpeted but the carpet was wearing badly so I took it off in
preparation for replacement. *Unfortunately, SWMBO thinks it looks
better uncarpeted. *That's OK but all the tacks etc etc have damaged
the treads a bit. The right filler and a rub down should sort it, with
the right finish, so the questions a

There are a couple of bright nails that have been clobbered flush.
Digging them out will cause a bit more damage: *Would it be sensible
to try drilling the heads (like I would if they were screws),
hammering them deeper then filling or should I accept the damage and
prise them out?

What should I fill with? *I've tried the Ronseal filler (pots and
tubes in B+Q etc) *The colour (medium dark) isn't bad but it doesn't
look like it will last long when people walk on it and it doesn't seem
to bond into most dips and ding. Choices at the sheds seem a bit
limited - Does anyone have any good suggestions? (Bearing in mind that
I don't have any offcuts to make any sawdust and resin fancy-type
mixes although I've a feeling standard Araldite might not be too
obvious - it's almost the same colour.)

Assuming it gets far enough to finish (!), it'll need a coat or ten of
something. *I quite like things like Danish oil on most wood but I'm
guessing it wouldn't give a tough enough finish to be walked on. *Any
suggestions for what I should use?

Brummer is regarded as about the best:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/category-Fillers-206896.htm

Try a decent quality tack-lifter, or even tapping a knife blade under
from the side, with a hammer.

If you dent the wood, the dents can be lifted out some extent by
placing a damp cloth over and pressing down a very hot iron (steam
expands the damaged wood a little bit). Even if the dent doesn't
disappear, it tends to smooth the appearance.

Good point - maybe I should iron each tread before I do anything
else! I used the same trick on my oak worktop when it developed a
dent from being clobbered with something.

On Sun, 16 May 2010 13:17:44 -0700 (PDT), GMM wrote:

There are a couple of bright nails that have been clobbered flush.
Digging them out will cause a bit more damage: Would it be sensible
to try drilling the heads (like I would if they were screws),
hammering them deeper then filling or should I accept the damage and
prise them out?

I assume by bright nail you mean one with a flat disc head rather
than a round or oval nail with little head or just the shaft of a
nail that is bright as in reflective. B-)

With a flat disc head you may be able to get something thin under it
and lever up using the tip of whatever you have under to lift not as
the pivot point. If the head starts to fold up stop and repeat the
other side, you should then have enough of an opening to get some
pincers into and pull the nail out.

What should I fill with?

Nail holes look bad but dents and wear are "character". B-)

--
Cheers
Dave.

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sun, 16 May 2010 13:17:44 -0700 (PDT), GMM wrote:

There are a couple of bright nails that have been clobbered flush.
Digging them out will cause a bit more damage: Would it be sensible
to try drilling the heads (like I would if they were screws),
hammering them deeper then filling or should I accept the damage and
prise them out?

I assume by bright nail you mean one with a flat disc head rather
than a round or oval nail with little head or just the shaft of a
nail that is bright as in reflective. B-)

With a flat disc head you may be able to get something thin under it
and lever up using the tip of whatever you have under to lift not as
the pivot point. If the head starts to fold up stop and repeat the
other side, you should then have enough of an opening to get some
pincers into and pull the nail out.

What should I fill with?

Nail holes look bad but dents and wear are "character". B-)


Always match the filler colour to the final finish. Plenty of fillers
look ok until you put a coat of oil/varnish over them, whereupon they
stand out like a sore thumb.

I find the wax filler sticks from Liberon the easiest to use, but
plastic wood is more hard wearing. Brummer doesn't have much going for
it IME