Fixing and caulking rotting joints on exterior wood stairs

[Steppenwolfe]

I'll have to see if I can find a tag to know what the treatment level was, but it was basic off-the-shelf 2-by lumber from Lowes. It ain't doing great!

For those asking, there are regular stringers hidden out of sight, sistered to the inside of the outer 2x12 board. In retrospect, I don't think this is a good design for dealing with moisture, although I have used the same design on three other sets of stairs on my property that have zero issues. And the rot is just on about 10 steps out of the 45 going down to the pier. So I either think those steps get wetter and get less light/air, or it's just crappy treated lumber.

Thanks for all the responses so far guys, it helps! I plan to pull off a couple treads/risers this weekend and see how bad it looks underneath.

OK... If it was from Lowes you got .25, the .40 is rated for ground contact. The .40 will be more in price but worth it.

 

[dstig1]

I'm going to skip my usual procedure and not read all the responses. I'm going to posit that the original builder of this deck - you or otherwise - just cut the boards and installed them. That is likely the root failure. The treatment does not typically soak the entire thickness of a board as the manufacturers do not/cannot allow enough time in the treatment process for this to occur. Thus any cut ends expose what is essentially untreated wood in the center. And it rots. Go figger. You can go to any paint type store and get a gallon of the treatment chemical. It is nasty stuff. Only use it outside with gloves, and a face shield to avoid any splashes in your eyes is a wise move too. Slop it on any and all cut faces/ends/etc, and anyplace else it looks like the treatment did not get to.

Yes, you will also want to do things to avoid any puddling of water so they deck/stairs can drain, but if you do not treat the cut ends, you have started the clock ticking much faster than it should.

 

[spitter]

any lumber from blows home cheapo is crap . Find yourself a good lumber yard where you could drive up to a pile hand pick the best boards nice and straight tight knots. You will see the price difference is minimal and the product is far superior . When the say built to home cheapo standards they don't tell you it'slower standard than everybody else. Any calk rot fill sealer is a bandaid. It will just start again in a few years. bite the bullet and replace it you will have peace of mind for the next 20 years instead of a on going head ache.:drink:

 

[s219]

Wanted to bump this thread with some pictures. I had started pulling apart some steps to repair rotted areas, then we had a bad storm last weekend and a tree came down on the middle section of steps. So I am basically rebuilding one flight of the steps now.

PRIOR TO TREE FALLING:







AFTER (not many pics, I was busy with chainsaw and tractor on the side of a hill):







I think what exacerbated the rot problem was the stair design I used, which sistered a 2x10 stringer against a 2x12 for stiffness. It let water collect and soak into all the cut ends of the stringers, and trapped water between the boards. But in looking at the labels on the old lumber, it was a lower treatement level than I can buy today, so the treatment wasn't great. On top of that, some critter (possibly a fox) had made a den under the bottom 3-4 steps and that most certainly accelerated the rot in that area, and on the deck where the steps rested. To add insult to injury, looks like a mouse chewed on my electrical wire, so that needs replacing too.

For the new steps, I am using only 2x12 sides and using galvanized angle brackets to hold the treads, which will be a single 2x12 36" wide. No stringers. There will also be no risers. I prefer risers for the finished look, but that's just more wood and joints to trap water and rot.

The middle deck is being rebuilt today. I am using marine lumber for the beams and ground-contact 2x8 for the joists and deck boards. I have a bottle of copper treatment to paint on all cut ends.

I have mixed emotions about this rebuild. On the one hand, I want to do it right and avoid rotting so that the steps last longer. On the other hand, a tree could fall in a future storm or hurricane and take them out again. Just have to accept the risk I guess.

I'll post more pics as I make progress. Working on a hill sucks. I lost the 3/4" socket off my wrench yesterday when I accidentally hit the button on the wrench. The socket made a bunch of bounces on the way down the hill before it launched into the water.

 

[Oaktree]

any lumber from blows home cheapo is crap . Find yourself a good lumber yard where you could drive up to a pile hand pick the best boards nice and straight tight knots. You will see the price difference is minimal and the product is far superior .

This assumes you have a "good" lumberyard nearby. I don't know of any near me. The wood at the independent home centers doesn't seem to be any better than what Lowes, HD, etc. have, and it's more expensive.
The only difference is that it's easier to find someone to help you load/pick if you need it.

 

[EddieWalker]

Sure looks like a steep hill from the pictures. Do you use a safety rope? I've found that having a rope on a roof makes a huge difference for me in dealing with slipping. I can quickly hold onto the rope when I start to slide and keep on going without missing a beat. Without something to grab onto, nothing else gets done until I'm safe again.

From your pictures, it sounds like you figured out the problem. I'm not a fan of bracket to support steps because then tend to loosen up over time. For me, I want a stringer every foot to 16 inches. I think 18 inches between steps is pushing it. Once I figure out the math to cut the first stringer, the others are easy.

I also try real hard to have my stringers sitting on concrete.

 

[/pine]

Wanted to bump this thread with some pictures. I had started pulling apart some steps to repair rotted areas, then we had a bad storm last weekend and a tree came down on the middle section of steps. So I am basically rebuilding one flight of the steps now.

PRIOR TO TREE FALLING:

View attachment 641567

Just curious...Is that a Craftsman hammer?...I seem to remember having one just like it...I think I wore it out...

 

[nyone]

Although it may be harder this looks like a good place to dry lay stone stairs. Wood that close to the ground always rots away. At least stone wouldn't care or can be reused if a tree falls.

 

[spitter]

Any closed stringer is going to promote rot no where for moisture to escape . Can't tell from pictures but it looks like stringers are sitting on ground . The higher you can get them off the ground to facilate air circulation and the ability to remove leaves keeps critters from building homes in the nooks and crannies. My grand mother made me make a set of stairs like that closed stringer [riser boards] because she was afraid to look through open risers:confused2: I told her there was no place for leaves and snow to go but she wanted it. After a few years it was a yearly project replaceing boards that rotted out. After 10 years so much was replaced had to rip it out and start over again. Pt lumber sucks.:drink:

 

[denchen]

Its been banned for members of the public this side of the pond, but the original old fashion creosote is still about, I find it a good preventer of rot with the advantage that not many creatures like to chew it.