If you are going to be refinishing your hardwood stairs, you may be leery as it can be hard to do without them for even a day. However, due to the heavy traffic and wear and tear on your stairs you may want to take the time to sand, stain and refinish your hardwood stairs over the weekend and provide them with a new and refreshed look.
Prepare the Area
Remove any items that are on or around the staircase and then seal off the area to contain the dust so that it does not spread. If your stairs are covered in carpet; remove the carpet or runner from the stairs. Check each stair to make sure that there are no nails protruding and remove carpet staples if carpet was previously installed as it can destroy the sandpaper you will use in next step. Once this is complete; sweep and mop the stairs and apply painters tape along the edges of each stair where they meet the risers.
Strip the Stairs
The next step is to remove the existing finish off the hardwood stairs by stripping it using a chemical stripper or sandpaper. Be thorough when stripping the old finish and keep in mind that the better you strip the old finish the better the new finish will look. If you choose to sand the stairs, you will have to go through different grits of sandpaper. For heavy sanding and stripping, you need coarse sandpaper measuring 40- to 60-grit; for smoothing surfaces and removing small imperfections, choose 80- to 120-grit sandpaper. Each time you advance to higher grit sandpaper, you remove the scratches from the previous layer. After you finish sanding clean up the mess with a shop vacuum.
However, chemical strippers are a much easier alternative that will do just as good of a job. When choosing a chemical stripper, make sure that you choose one that says “No Cleanup” or Washes Away with Water.” Apply the same technique to your risers if they are currently painted or stained and then you are ready to apply the stain.
Apply the Stain
Once your hardwood stairs have been thoroughly stripped and cleaned you are now ready to apply the new stain. Apply the stain to your stairs with the paintbrush, making sure you follow the grain of the wood. Try to use even strokes and avoid overlapping marks by staining the entire step or riser before any section has a chance to dry. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for applying the stain you have chosen for your stairs and risers and then allow the stain to thoroughly dry before moving on to the next step.
Add the New Finish
When you are done sanding or stripping your hardwood stairs and the last coat of stain has been applied and allowed to dry thoroughly, you are ready to apply polyurethane to protect the finish and give you the desired effect. Use a paintbrush to apply the first coat of varnish working your way down from the top of the staircase. Allow the first coat to dry for about 8 to 12 hours and then repeat the process two more times. Because the stairs are a high traffic area three coats of polyurethane are highly recommended.
Paint the Risers
Before you begin painting your stairs you want to make sure that the surface of the stairs is thoroughly dried. Use painters tape to mask the edges of the treads where they meet the risers and then you are ready to get started. Apply 1-2 coats as necessary letting each coat dry thoroughly before applying the next. At this point you can paint spindles and bannisters too.
Clean Up
Once your stairs are dry and refinished, it is now tie to get cleaning up the mess. Take down the plastic sheathing put in place to contain the dust, remove the painters tape and return all of the removed items back to their original locations. Rinse out any painting and staining materials that need to be cleaned and store them in a cool dry area so that you have them handy the next time the need arises.
Once you have completed the above steps, you will be able to sit back and enjoy the beauty and brilliance of your newly stained and refinished stairs.
TipTop Flooring provides sanding, staining and refinishing services for your hardwood stairs. We are a locally owned and operated flooring company that takes pride in our work. We offer a no hassle guarantee on all services in order to ensure happy, satisfied customers that provide local word of mouth referrals you can count on.
To request your free no obligation estimate please contact us at 416-433-2323.