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Hello all,
If anyone has any useful comments on my below plan I'd be grateful to hear them.
We've had our stairs replaced and the new handrail is white oak. The space the stairs are in is now to be plastered. The stairs have not yet had the final finish applied, whish will be paint for everything but the oak handrail and post toppers.
To protect the stairs (primarily the oak bits) before plastering I had planned to:
1. Sand anything needing it and fill+sand the oak as required (where nails have been used on the post toppers, primarily). The joiner was to do this but has become unavailable before doing so, family reasons. Any reason not to use literally the first colour appropriate filler Google presents me with? https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/product/osmo-wood-filler?gclid=CjwKCAiAlp2fBhBPEiwA2Q10D0YXvdbQ-v85G6BQmZUjhk5q_2-g4b9QRtWbXabDlc7MvLivUDlFaBoCSj4QAvD_BwE>in=9315284530930
2. Varnish the oak. This clear, matte varnish I used on some oak beams at my previous house and thought the process and finish were good.
3. Low tack tape around all edges where there will be wood contacting plaster (tape on wood). Can anyone suggest a tape for this, if something specific will be etter than whatever low tack option the usual DIY suppliers present me with? Will the adhesive affect the varnish (will be dried before application), or should that be a non issue?
4. Plastic sheet the lot thoroughly, taping to seal on to the previously applied tape.
Does the above sound reasonable? Or a bit of a naff plan? What could be done better?
Thanks for any help received in advance!
Why not just sand and finish after the plastering? You could still wrap everything to keep the worst of it off but wouldn't need to be as fussy or worry about tape taking off any of your final finish.
If you don't already know the oil and tannins in the oak and wet plaster will reacts to give black stained bits everywhere it comes into contact. Tape it all up with good clingfilm.
I'd rather fill in little bits of missing plaster than scrap all the black out it takes a lonnnnng time
I suppose I'm quite concerned about plaster, water or adhesive damage to the wood, which will then be visible forever more. A floor varnish I'd have thought quite tough and resistant to pull-off from low-tack tape but also resistant to all of the potential spoilers to the wood.
scrap all the black out
Oxalic acid and leave the scraper in the toolbox
I've used but it makes me bad for some reason, paint fast cure/harder has the same effect it just gives me the biggest head ache.
why not just take the handrail off then put it back on again afterwards - protects your woodwork and the plasterers will be able to do a better job too.
My handrail is buried in the wall at one end on the landing. No idea if op is the same.
osmo polyx hard wax oil for the finish rather than varnish.
I used that Osmo filler before using their tinted Polyx oil.
I used it as it said it would take a stain...I did a quick test on some scrap and it was ok but on the project it was not, I had just filled a groove and not tried using it with a filling knife. The filler itself did not stain the same as the wood, but worse, where I had applied it over screwheads and the edge banding with a filling knife, and scraped off excess where I used it as a gap filler, it left a residue on the wood so all of those areas absorbed less stain. I noticed quite quickly and stopped applying the stain but couldn't sand it off properly as I was going through the face veneer on the ply I used. Even after sanding this was the result. Really annoying at the time but practically doesn't matter too much once all my junk is cluttering the shelves.
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Thanks for the feedback all
Handrail is the wrong term I'm sure. This is a bannister rail? Bannister? The bit joined to the stringer via spindles. I can't remove and refit it.
Spooky, tha ks for sharing your experience. I won't be staining the oak in question so am hoping that I won't have the colouration issues you did. Could maybe apply the filler with something v. small like a dentist fills a cavity, to avoid the surrounding area forever being a different colour. As I'm working eith solid post toppers there will be ample material to sand back but also the areas in question are quite visible. Swings and roundabouts I guess.
Well, the filler used on post-topper-nail-holes didn't change colour with the clear varnish used and looked rubbish. Installer saw them and offered to swap them out before I asked, as his guy had finished the day putting them on and wasn't supposed to nail through a visual element like this (no surprises there!). New toppers and therefore a small amount of additional varnishing needed.
Otherwise the plan worked well, with no staining from plaster. The plasterers were sympathetic as well as being swift and efficient with their plaster application (read: they didn't splash it everywhere!). Left sheeted for painting the space and then any small flecks from doing the stairs themselves washed off no problem.
I like the varnish. Low colour change, very low odour.
Soiunds like you have a good crew working there... Keep 'em sweet!
I'd be iffy about using varnish, much more of a bugger to remove or maintain. Osmo and oxalic.