# Wheelchair Ramp



## cande (Apr 24, 2008)

New guy from North Carolina. I've been reading for a while but I think I have only posted once. I really enjoy this site and have learned lots so far but I need some advice. I have been asked to look at painting a wheelchair ramp. This person was referred by one of my customers. Someone has already "started" the job and quit. They have primed (salt treated lumber) with Kilz2 (water based) and started painting the handrail and spindles with Valspar exterior semigloss. It looks terrible. I have been asked to "fix" it. I told the home owner that I would not have painted it at all, but stained it. I normally use ICI products. The SW here is pretty bad. Can anyone suggest any tips/products? Thanks.


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## JAYJAY (Sep 13, 2008)

Good luck with all that! Painting should never have been done, as you have said. Spray in truck liner would have worked nice.:thumbsup:


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Cande,

Never have been a fan of Kilz2 and it is something that "can also be used on exterior surfaces". Exterior is not it's primary use.

No good choices for remediation, IMO

If the foundation ain't good ........

"Castles made of sand, slip into the sea, eventually" _-Jimi Hendrix_


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## cande (Apr 24, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. I had a feeling that nobody would have a magic wand type of fix for me, oh well. I guess I will quote the job but give a disclaimer that it will have no guarantee. The way it is now - he has got to do something with it. I will quote to put some anti-slip grit on the deck boards. I am scared to death that they are going to fall an break a hip. At any rate, if they sign on the line which is dotted (as V would say) I will make sure my disclaimer is in there.


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## tsunamicontract (May 3, 2008)

might even be worth stripping it all off first. if they can afford that, er, if it fits their needs.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

cande said:


> Thanks for the replies. I had a feeling that nobody would have a magic wand type of fix for me, oh well. I guess I will quote the job but give a disclaimer that it will have no guarantee. The way it is now - he has got to do something with it. I will quote to put some anti-slip grit on the deck boards. I am scared to death that they are going to fall an break a hip. At any rate, if they sign on the line which is dotted (as V would say) I will make sure my disclaimer is in there.


The anti slip may be a code thing. If my memory serves me right, it is in Mass. Look into that for NC. 

Stripping would be MY preferred attack. "You can be pay me now, or you can pay me later"


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## tsunamicontract (May 3, 2008)

Bill, lets say the work done previously was stripped, how would that affect the possibility of staining? Will say a semi solid oil stain still look like crap over stripped wood? Seems like this is more of a porch type application that might benefit from a porch type coating. A stain would also probably allow the skipping of an anti slip step.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

tsunamicontract said:


> Bill, lets say the work done previously was stripped, how would that affect the possibility of staining? Will say a semi solid oil stain still look like crap over stripped wood? Seems like this is more of a porch type application that might benefit from a porch type coating. A stain would also probably allow the skipping of an anti slip step.



I've had experiece sanding off paint from exterior clapboards and applying semi-solid. It was successful. Stripping with a chemical and staining? No experience. Oil exterior paint applied after chemical strip? Very successful. 

Experience with stripping interior with 5F5 and staining (minwax) ? - it came out real REAL nice. 

I have never dealt with "salt treated" lumber.

I agree that a porch type coating may be the quickest and cheapest.

I do not know how a stain would fullfill local codes for ramps.


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## johnthepainter (Apr 1, 2008)

just hit it with some solid color stan.

the solid color deck stain is going to fail eventually (like any coating)

this like anything is going to be a maintenance item.

the magic bullet>>>>get it looking good for these people. solid color stain is your best bet. and check into some anti slip additive.


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## TooledUp (May 17, 2008)

Try this for the ramp. Like the others said, use a solid stain for the handrail and spindles.


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

Two good coats of 100% acrylic and some grip tape. You will be fine.


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