The initial request for this job was to put in bluestone steps. 200 year old brick colonial
with granite front steps and granite skirts. I thought it would be nicer to continue the
granite theme.Not being one to tell a customer what they would like I gathered up samples
and left them laying on the existing steps. My thought was to go with the more traditional gray granite
but I got a call a few hours later and my customer had decided on the Rose granite with rose granite coble stone risers.
As you can see they came out beautiful.
While we were doing this we replaced the rotting pine facia with a pvc facia
solving the constent replacement of the wood facia from rot,
no need to paint it and providing a waterproof break from the mortaring of the steps.
Next was to provide a surface to protect the stain from looking bad after only a week or so of use.
And of course the surface should not be slippery.
A bit of research turned up nothing more then I already knew, sand off the stain and use a sealer specific for mahogany.
I made up a door mat from the mahogany salvaged from the demolisheded steps and sealed half of it and left it in front
of the back door for them to look at for several weeks. After several weeks I was asked
"would I be foolish to leave the wood unsealed?"
Talk about being between a rock and hard place.
My suggestion was to try the sealer and worst case we sand it off just like the stain that wasn't working out.
Our customer agreed.
While we were applying the sealer both Mike and I admired how nice the mahogany looked and feared that it might be too red.
We were told they didn't like the red. And that is why they had it stained. The next evening
I got a call about 6:30 and was greeted by a very happy customer. Sigh of relief!!
Our custmer had only one complaint--"I didn't have an invioce here to pay you." I took care of the problem.
with granite front steps and granite skirts. I thought it would be nicer to continue the
granite theme.Not being one to tell a customer what they would like I gathered up samples
and left them laying on the existing steps. My thought was to go with the more traditional gray granite
but I got a call a few hours later and my customer had decided on the Rose granite with rose granite coble stone risers.
As you can see they came out beautiful.
While we were doing this we replaced the rotting pine facia with a pvc facia
solving the constent replacement of the wood facia from rot,
no need to paint it and providing a waterproof break from the mortaring of the steps.
Next was to provide a surface to protect the stain from looking bad after only a week or so of use.
And of course the surface should not be slippery.
A bit of research turned up nothing more then I already knew, sand off the stain and use a sealer specific for mahogany.
I made up a door mat from the mahogany salvaged from the demolisheded steps and sealed half of it and left it in front
of the back door for them to look at for several weeks. After several weeks I was asked
"would I be foolish to leave the wood unsealed?"
Talk about being between a rock and hard place.
My suggestion was to try the sealer and worst case we sand it off just like the stain that wasn't working out.
Our customer agreed.
While we were applying the sealer both Mike and I admired how nice the mahogany looked and feared that it might be too red.
We were told they didn't like the red. And that is why they had it stained. The next evening
I got a call about 6:30 and was greeted by a very happy customer. Sigh of relief!!
Our custmer had only one complaint--"I didn't have an invioce here to pay you." I took care of the problem.
