Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Mar 07, 2008 01:41am | #1

   Based on what you have told me, the problem isn't due to the lack of a finish, and there is probably very little that you can do to close up the cracks.

   The problem is the extreme drying of the parts caused by the stove. Thick wood components are prone to cracking under the best of circumstances, and the heat of the stove created a classically bad environment for the wood. A finish will sometimes slow down the loss of moisture, but over the course of a few months during the heating season the wood will still completely dry out and shrink and crack, no matter what the finish.

   Once you stop using the stove this spring, the wood will slowly reabsorb moisture from the air, and the cracks will close up, at least partially, but the extreme drying may have caused some components to permanently distort. It is very unlikely that you could apply anywhere near enough pressure with clamps to force the cracks closed, and there is no glue that you could work into the cracks that would be able to resist the cracks reopening next winter when the wood shrinks again.

   You can try to fill the cracks with a wood filler, but it will work loose over time as the wood expands and contracts. Depending how the stairs are built, you may be able to tighten up some of the stair's joints if they have opened up and created a loose fit, between the treads and post for instance, but the cracks in solid wood can't be forced permanently closed.

   I would suggest that you just go ahead and tighten up the connections between the parts, if that is possible, and then lightly sand and finish the stairs, cracks and all.

   I might be able to give you more nuanced, and more positive, advice if you could post photos.

   John White

   Edited 3/7/2008 9:29 am ET by JohnWW

   Edited 3/7/2008 9:30 am ET by JohnWW

   
   

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   Edited 3/7/2008 9:36 am ET by JohnWW