Refinish Your Stairs

When we moved to this house 6 years ago, the floors and stairs where the first things to get done.  The previous owners really USED the house…. lets say it was well worn.  Most of the finish on the hardwood floors and the stairs was worn right off.   This blog was created after most of that work was done, so I don’t have pictures of the major job that it was, but I did leave a little stairway at the side door unfinished until now.

This is what the main stairway looks like now.

Keep in mind, that the original staircase was all natural colour and the board and batten was not there.

Just beside this staircase going down to the garage door are 3 more stairs that have remained original until now… looking like this.

Yes these two staircases are beside each other.

All the floors in the house also looked like this .

Even though most of the finish was already worn off the stairs, they still needed to be properly prepared before staining.

When we finished all the hardwood floors we used 5 different sand paper grits.  For these stairs I used 4.   Depending on how much finish is on your steps, you may start with 100 grit or 80. I started with 100 (very coarse and should take the finish off any anything.)  This is the sander I used.

Sand with a power sander with the 100 grit until all shiny finish is off.   Move to 120, then 150 then finish with a 180 grit.  Sand in the direction of the grain.  Don’t skip grits because as you move to the finer grit paper that will help smooth out all the ridges or marks left by the previous grit.

 

With a medium and then finer grit paper I sanded the risers and stringers in preparation for paint.

As always vacuum and wipe down so that no dust remains. I used the same stain as with the other stairs, (have no idea what color it is) just something I saved.  Paint the stain on and wipe off with a clean, dust free rag in the direction of the grain.

After staining, drying & ready for finish.

Using Flecto Varathane Professional Clear Finish, I finished the stairs with two coats to allow for high durability.

And now both staircases match!

Now all I have to do is freshen up the grout on the landing using the same product I used for the Washroom/Powder Room.

What an improvement.  And the best part….. I had everything on hand.  Cost $0

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