# Mudding over fir



## mudslingr (Jul 18, 2010)

Priced a job today. For the first time ever the homeowner asked if I could mud the stair risers and the outside of the stringer so he could just paint them later.
Never having done this before I thought I could use some opinions. Is this possible to do without sealing the fir first with some sort of primer or is this a good idea at all ?
Thanks for your help !


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## SaskMud (Jun 9, 2010)

I'd say its a bad idea, but why not board it with 3/8ths if he really wants it and then you can toss some beads onto it? 

I think its a bad idea though cause so much traffic on the steps going to be kicked etc and damaged..


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

SaskMud said:


> I'd say its a bad idea, but why not board it with 3/8ths if he really wants it and then you can toss some beads onto it?
> 
> I think its a bad idea though cause so much traffic on the steps going to be kicked etc and damaged..


 not a bad idea,I'll expand on it,use 1/4 drywall (you can get that in Ontario, ex.dd layer 1/4 for round walls)make perfect tight fitting cuts for riser ,glue on,finely chalk edges.dry wall stringer (make a sample piece) bead it,chalk dry wall thats touching tread ,you could chalk or angle tape stringer/riser wear they meet,use some type of sandable hot mud,hey ,owner wants it why not,warn them it's a high traffic area so....if they under stand that then money money $$$$$$


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## mudslingr (Jul 18, 2010)

The owner is going for a woodier look everywhere possible. Only one side of the stairs is against a wall. The other side is open to a hallway and I assume will have a railing of some sort. This is the side that will have about 2' wide of fir from bottom to top of the stairs along the outside. So I should actually say there is no stringer on either side. The rest will be drywall to the floor. He doesn't want drywall on the fir.
I guess my question is, do I prime the fir first or coat it and prime it later like usual ?


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## carpentaper (Feb 28, 2009)

i think if you use taping mud over the wood it will be "okay". i've seen alot of things that have been coated in older renos that were still in good condition years later. the glue in premix mud is pva glue anyway. thats the exact same as regular wood glue. think about how well taping mud sticks to a plywood subfloor. it is definitely unconventional and i'm sure some will disagree but it can be done.


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## rebel20 (Jun 4, 2009)

We have done this on the stairs at the university of North carolina auditorium with the Vario with out primer. I would not garentee it though because of high traffic area.


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## rhardman (Jul 7, 2009)

*I've done this over paneling.*

Your call because of the abusive traffic area, but for paneling I did this... 

First apply a coat of elmer's glue over everything and while it's wet lay out door screen onto the wet glue and make sure it's flat against the wood (no folds). After everything dries, you can mud and add metal as needed. 

The glue sticks to the wood (make sure it's clean of course) and the mud grips the screen. The screen also bridges gaps in the wood so they don't crack later.

Very thin process. With my application a new layer of rock wouldn't work because it wouldn't allow the existing trim to look proper.

:thumbup:

FYI...you must have glue on that wood. It will pull loose later..._I've lived that headache. _


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

mudslingr said:


> Priced a job today. For the first time ever the homeowner asked if I could mud the stair risers and the outside of the stringer so he could just paint them later.
> Never having done this before I thought I could use some opinions. Is this possible to do without sealing the fir first with some sort of primer or is this a good idea at all ?
> Thanks for your help !


Sure, you can do that, no problem, but I wonder, if he wants to paint them later, why not just paint em now with primer??? 

In other words,,, why the heck does he want wood covered with drywall mud, if he is just gonna paint it??? That don't make sense.


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## rhardman (Jul 7, 2009)

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Sure, you can do that, no problem, but I wonder, if he wants to paint them later, why not just paint em now with primer???
> 
> In other words,,, why the heck does he want wood covered with drywall mud, if he is just gonna paint it??? That don't make sense.


 
Then there is the guy that bypasses the obscure and addresses the issue with straight forward common sense...


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## carpentaper (Feb 28, 2009)

i was thinking adding wood glue to the mud would be a good idea.


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## Bevelation (Dec 20, 2008)

If Con-Fill is available in your area, you could hit the fir with that, then mud two coats overtop of the con-fill.


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

This post really strains creduility. :thumbup:


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## Bevelation (Dec 20, 2008)

^Credulity?

Of course! He gets all the ideas he needs so he can pick the right choice. It's just that we won't tell him which choice is right. :jester:


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## mudslingr (Jul 18, 2010)

Capt-sheetrock said:


> This post really strains creduility. :thumbup:


:yes: I agree ! I'll do what the owner wants but I'll make sure to stress that I am not responsible for whatever may occur in the future.
Thanks for your opinions !


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