Hello
Can anyone tell me if they have refinished wooden ground ladders and if so can you explain the process and materials used. The ladders that I'm doing is for a friend that has a Seagraves tiller he is restoring.
Thanks
Mike Churchey
Posts: 1
Threads: 0
Likes Received:
0 in 0 posts
Likes Given: 0
Joined: May 2007
Reputation:
0
Scrape off all the old varnish, being careful not to damage the wood in the process. A piece of straight-edged glass does work well for this, but wear gloves! Sand the wood smooth. Saturate the wood with linseed oil. Depending on the condition of the wood, this may require many applications and lots of oil. Be extremely careful not to burn down your workspace with the linseed oil soaked rags-they will spontaneously combust. Apply several coats of high quality spar varnish as has been mentioned. To me, nothing sets off a classic fire truck like freshly varnished wood ladders.
Posts: 313
Threads: 16
Likes Received:
0 in 0 posts
Likes Given: 0
Joined: Jul 2006
Reputation:
1
04-23-2010, 08:13 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-23-2010, 08:14 PM by 1958 F.W.D..)
[quote name='Crownfire' date='23 April 2010 - 12:59 PM' timestamp='1272040792' post='377612']Be extremely careful not to burn down your workspace with the linseed oil soaked rags-they will spontaneously combust. [/quote]
GOOD ADVICE!! improper disposal/spontaneous combustion of linseed-oil soaked rags was the cause of the massive 12-Alarm (+numerous special calls) high rise fire (which also caused 3 LODD's) at One Meridian Plaza in Philadelphia, Pa. in February of 1991.
Posts: 1,255
Threads: 46
Likes Received:
0 in 0 posts
Likes Given: 0
Joined: Jul 2006
Reputation:
0
I just redid my ladder last winter. I used a varnish stripper to remove the varnish. I then sanded the ladders and applied 5-6 coats of spar varnish. Mine turned out so well I did another ladder and used it as a pot and pan holder in my kitchen.