Owners voted at the last AGM to begin updating future stair replacements with composite materials instead of wood. The first 10 stairs have been completed.
The new stairs look great, and the workmanship was impressive. Council chose XMT Construction, one of BC’s most experienced composite contractors, as their pricing was reasonable and they would look after details that other contractors didn’t mention, such as beveling the outside edges with a router for a softer look than just having a sharp cut.
XMT also stressed that they would apply butyl tape along the top edges of the risers and stringers, something that other vendors dismissed as unimportant or didn’t even know about. This keeps water from soaking into the wood parts, allowing it to fall off at the sides to further extend the life of the stairs.
The old wooden stairs were in pretty bad shape and needed to be replaced. The contractor pointed out that one stair in particular had concrete foundation poured over the stringer frame after the stair was installed, showing that it was an original staircase from almost 30 years ago.
To ensure that the existing railings could be used, XMT was utilizing a thicker tread board, known as a Dock board, to match the thickness of wood. To minimize maintenance even further, they were applying a thin composite piece against the outside edge, so that we would not have to constantly paint that outside panel of the stringer.
The company built each stairway offsite and installed in a single day, sometimes two stairs per day, making it quick and comfortable for owners. In one case, they were surprised to find that the original stairs had not been installed correctly. After they completed their work, they noticed that the old stairway had been hung improperly. While it all looked great, safety and long-term viability were impacted so they made adjustments to that stair.
The material is warrantied for 50 years. Workmanship has a 5-year warranty. These stairs have better grip than wood, never need painting, and can be easily cleaned.
10 stairs had been identified by council as needing the most attention. Future work will take place over the next few years, a few at a time, until all 34 wooden stairs in the complex have been updated. Here’s a look at the stairs that were done so far. Click on any image for a larger version.
This post is also available in:
