Stair string gap

[acsimpson]

While doing extensive renovations my builders installed a new pine balustrade on my stairs. The External string was not wide enough and the wrong colour so they put a sheet of cladding on the outside to match. unfortunately they did not manage to get it flush with the bottom rail of the balustrade and so there is a gap between the string and rail.

We plan to use dyed varnish on the stair to match our oak veneer doors. Can anyone advice which of the following options would be best and provide me with a little guidance as I am a bit stumped with what to do. (unfortunately getting the builders back in isn't an option.)

1) Fill the gap with some sort of filler to match the pine wood and then stain over it.

2) Stain the wood then fill to match the stained colour

3) Try to fill the gap with another bit of wood (although the gap is 3 metres long by 3 mm wide)

4) Another option

If the answer is 1 or 2 which product would you recommend filling with?
If it is 3 how would you suggest I prepare the wood so that it won't leave a smaller gap?

Thanks for your advice.
A.

[stoneyboy]

acsimpson,
I find stain-fill-stain and fill-stain fairly usless, in both cases the fill always shows up especially as the sdjoining wood discolours.
If you can get hold of some hockey-stick section and stain this before fitting, the nose of this section will disguise and furure gaps.
end

[acsimpson]

Thanks,

Any pointers where I could find "hockey stick" section? or what to google, The only things I seem to be able to find are skirtings, covings, picture rails and dowels.

I take it from your comments that it won't be worth filling the nail holes they've left either.

[stoneyboy]

acsimpson,
Many timber merchants and DIY stores stock Burbridge mouldings - suggest you try one of these. The mouldings are usually in a rack.
end

[acsimpson]

Thanks again stoneyboy,

I went to look for mouldings at my local shed and found some soft pinewood 1/2mm wider than the large gap which with a little selective sanding wedged nicely into the gap. Now that it's sanded flush and varnished over you can hardly notice it. The other gap is only about 1 mm wide and we will live with that for the time being. Hopefully it'll stand the test of time, but otherwise I'll go an hunt for a burbridge stockist.

[kezq]

An alternative to mouldings are the Richard Burbidge iron on veneers, available in pine, hemlock and oak I believe.
Worth a look....found them in my local B&Q with the stairparts.
Kez





[quote="acsimpson"]Thanks again stoneyboy,
I went to look for mouldings at my local shed and found some soft pinewood 1/2mm wider than the large gap which with a little selective sanding wedged nicely into the gap. Now that it's sanded flush and varnished over you can hardly notice it. The other gap is only about 1 mm wide and we will live with that for the time being. Hopefully it'll stand the test of time, but otherwise I'll go an hunt for a burbridge stockist.[/quote]