You did such a lovely job on the stairs, and the directions made it sound so easy… but having done some refinishing, I know it was a huge undertaking. And you are right, just keep sanding until they look new. Then I painted the front edge of the step, and then I used the roller brush to paint the underside of the lip of the step. It's the only thing I ended up using the foam for, and could really have used a $0.49 foam brush rather than a $5 foam roller. Sand the treads with 60 grit sand paper with the orbital sander, this will take the wood down to the raw finish. Then you see the stained floor with the dyed twine in place. The floor was old hardwood. I’m sorry you are dealing with this! I was careful not to let the string come up higher than the floorboards. Sounds like (and is!) There was no trouble at all with beading. 2 years ago Is there a different finish you would recommend that would last longer than two years? ANY advice will be greatly appreciated. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/restore-wooden-stair-treads-32274.html Sure, new carpet would be great, but, wow!, it’s not cheap. Second, I stained the floor So I thought I’d share with you how to refinish a wood banister for cheap. It turned out to be a great solution to a problem. How to Refinish Stairs Step-by-step with NuStair “Yeah, no thank you. But if you know you’re replacing the balusters, go with our method: UNAPOLOGETIC DESTRUCTION! We picked up a new sander last night at HD.We have bitten into too much as we have the livingroom to finish painting (now just the trim-round the door and windows) ,and other tasks need caught up. Yes, this is a pain, but, it’s really important for smoothing out imperfections in the wood. Do I keep sanding until I get to clean wood? To estimate costs for your project: The second picture shows the before-and-after of removing the paint. Red Oak wood, stain is golden brown - sides of stairs are white very similar to yours. Okay, I know I said there’s no sanding involved but it IS a good idea to do a very light … Much worse than the chemical stripper or the polyurethane. xoxo. The most fundamental step of any furniture refinishing or renewing project is to give the piece in question a good and thorough clean. Scott: If at all possible try to restore the original skirting. The nail holes might just be what makes your 1928 home look like it has almost 100 years of memories walking up and down those stairs! Paint the risers two times with white oil based paint. 4. I plan to use the same poly when I redo the dining room floor. Thanks for any help you can gave! Supplies: wood filler. If the stripper hasn’t removed all the layers just re-spread the paste and it will continue to work. Under $100 Carpeted Stair To Wooden Tread Makeover DIY. I had closed the bedroom doors and turned off the central heating to keep the smell out of the sleeping areas, and the lack of circulation certainly didn't help. + hammer Great directions, too. Note: we worked for three weeks straight, every day. This meant that we had to restore the treads and risers, too. It looks beautiful! It had been refurbished completely and given beautiful hardwood flooring throughout EXCEPT the old stairs. More information please!!! We ended up getting a professional to do the floors as I didn’t feel comfortable wielding the larger sander but I took the stairs on as a personal project. This is an adventure in refinishing my hardwood staircase, told by an amateur artist and homeowner. Step 4 – tape the risers and sides. While once it was common to first stain wood, then apply some kind of clear surface sealer over it, today's products are generally one-step applications—penetrating stains that both color the wood and soak in to protect it. Once you get inside my house, the first thing you see is the staircase. It takes the time it takes, you can only use the large grit and be patient. Your instructions are awesome. We still had some paint left from painting the chair rails recently. In a few places, and in the square corners where my round sanders couldn't reach, I used the chisel. Can’t really swing buying whole new treads which is why I am DIY-ing it! Solid wood is a better candidate for refinishing than veneer, which tends to be thinner. + small paint tray I really couldn't have done it sooner. We used the Minwax Polyurethane linked in the post. The color of the floor and the color of the twine are very similar after being polyed. Helpful Resources How to refinish and update wood stair railings – View Along the Way […] Reply. As a postscript: The staircase no longer squeaks like it did. Staining the wood is quick, easy, and gratifying. ? Apply the Wood Stain If you want to change or improve the floor color, apply a stain. Then I taped carefully around the wood. It brushed on smooth and easy. Installation and materials can range as low as $1,000 and as high as $30,000.Price depends on several factors: You can't muscle your way through it. The length of time will depend on the composition and thickness of the coating. The paint I used was Olympic brand latex paint, "ultra white", in semi-gloss. For further painting, decorating and fit out advice visit our blog. Or is that what the conditioner helps with too? By the time I was half-done with the landing, the upper steps were dry to the touch. After experimenting, I had the following technique: Pennsylvania as built in 1928. + 2.5" angled natural bristle paintbrush Whether you plan to DIY the project or hire someone to help, it’s a good idea to have a plan in place for what you need for your woodwork project. And so, as our story played out there was still a whole laundry list of things to finish on the house when we moved in. Full safety goggles, a dust mask that I had to change several times, and ear plugs were necessary. Now there is only one squeak on one part of the landing, and none on the stairs at all! Once you've gone over all of the treads, turn the … On several of the lower stairs, there are lines of dots where the staples under the stairs opened the wood to the stain. With a little work and patience wood railings are easily rejuvenated with stain or paint. You can also use a chemical to etch the existing finish, then apply new finish. Most importantly, sanding removes the top layers of poly/paint/shellac so that your finish or paint will adhere. How to Refinish Banisters. Get fair costs for your SPECIFIC project requirements. Fill the holes on the treads with stainable filler, let it dry and sand with 220 grit. Remove nails, wood splinters, paint chips, or glue from the lower and upper sides; finish with a blast of compressed air. Many of the "safer" ones say they work in as little as four hours, but I chose Back to Nature brand Hi-Speed Ready-Strip which says it works in about a half an hour. My kids were so excited about the prospect of a new house that I found them rolling along the length of the living room (! (And for that matter, don't attempt to refinish laminate either—it’s plastic, people.) But really serious (unfixable) problems are pretty rare, and the issues you will face are often not of a structural nature. Needless to say, the moment we got the keys, we attacked the carpet with a vengeance. After everything is stained, apply 2-3 coats of poly to seal the stairs. Remove any trim work where the risers and treads meet. The cost to Refinish Stairs starts at $7.72 - $9.42 per square foot, but can vary significantly with site conditions and options. We floundered a bit in figuring it out, but here I'll share the things I've figured out. I had no such problems. . Expanding the bottom stair: When he installed the new bottom two stairs, he also routed the front edges of the 2×12 on the top and bottom, so that the nose of the stair tread had a more pleasing and looked more finished and less like a 2×12! The color was nothing like it looks on the can. Nice job...Im impressed, most women I know would never dream of tackling a job like this with no xp and no backup help, well my sis-inlaw would but would then get me and my bothers to finish and correct ;) Im planing on doing my mother's stairs since we just painted the hallway. Is there a way to pist a photo? This tutorial will take you, step-by-step, through the process of refinishing a set of wooden dining chairs; however, you can use this same process for virtually any wood piece you’d like to redo.The process takes quite a bit of time and lots of effort, but the end result is worth it. I'm a great believer in good taping. My apologies to be so lengthy. Hardwood stairs average $100 to $200 per step, including labor.A flight of stairs is 10 to 12 steps and would cost $1,000 to $2,400.. Although painting (and decorating) can add colour and brightness, it tends to mask the wood’s graining. My husband used his chisel to carve out the edges. that took hours in itself. To stain wood a darker, yet still more natural color, give vinegar a try! Thanks again!! There are still some spots where the old stain permeates deeply. 8 years ago Remove all dirt, grime, and grease with a rag and all-purpose cleaner. They are just plain panels (fabric from Joanns) and a crocheted table runner (from Etsy) that I cut into wide strips. + MinWax Wood Finish (this project uses 2 qt sized cans of golden pecan stain) The stairs were mostly dry, but still a little damp, so I sacrificed a pair of my husband's old socks to wear to go up and apply the second coat. Let's talk farmhouses, DIY and thrifty vintage decor, shall we? Again, nice post and keep it up! It may mean that they'll have to be redone again in 10 years rather than 30. And when they get done I think you almost appreciate them more for the waiting. Refinishing Wood Like A Pro Refinishing wood may seem simple; just buy the stain and apply -- but take it from the furniture makeover experts of Hometalk, much can be done to enhance the staining process. The steps are carpeted seagrass or similar carpet, bound on edges; so only 3 to 4 inches of wood are exposed. Congrats Kenneta Awesome job on the stairs! A wood color that gets boring after a while. 4. You're now ready to pull the stairs back together using 3/8" threaded rod, carriage bolts, and threaded couplings. + MinWax Water Based Polyurethane for Floors (this project uses one gallon of clear satin finish poly) I actually removed the old color in several sweeps. I'm so glad you stopped by. How to refinish wooden stairs. So how long does it take to sand and then paint the stairs as I will be starting my work on Wednesday and need it to be done for Friday, Reply ), they about gave me a heart attack. The most fundamental step of any furniture refinishing or renewing project is to give the piece in question a good and thorough clean. I was working through the color and into the wood to remove dark spots and chips and dings. View in gallery. Then, begin carefully sanding the old finish with 60-grit sandpaper. Have patience. Thank you so much, Mari, I love decorating with a story. I found other useful tips in
REfinishing Pro. But both are powerful. I played Skyrim for 3 hours He also consults in these areas. Could I even use a rag once I apply stain with a brush? Actual costs will depend on job size, conditions, and options. This stuff was great! So simple! My DeWalt doesn't wiggle, so it gives me more control. When you take on a huge project, such as a whole house, some things wait. Painting Our Panelling. How to Step Up Your Stair Risers With Wallpaper Add pattern and color to a staircase with wallpaper, acrylic sheeting and decorative hardware. Check out the video series on Refinishing Wood Stairs. But they only needed about 10 minutes to dry between coats. The half gallon container was more than enough. (I used the disposable gloves for this step, too.) .time to refinish the old wood stairs!! It was old and dingy and banged up. Before getting started, I cut strips of plastic drop cloth and pinned them across the entrances at the top and bottom of the stairs. NuStair is the DIY staircase remodeling system that anyone can do! If you take the time to do it properly, however, it can be well worth the effort. Are you thinking about ways to refinish wood cabinets? Your stairs turned out gorgeous! How to Refinish Hardwood Floors in 10 Easy Steps. We used new “cove molding”. My house is covered in a fine layer of sawdust, now. Then I started a length of twine near the wall, with a bit of an overhang (~1cm) tucked into the gap. Removing the old finish can be a cumbersome and messy task. Last summer I got a few quotes to refinish the stairs and floors. More Advice on Refinishing. See professionally prepared estimates for stairway refinishing work. I did have a fan at the head of the stairs, but only later thought to pull down the steps to the attic, and let the roof vent pull out some of the chemicals. The one gallon container easily did two coats, and could do a third, which I think I may go ahead and add on the next time I have some time off again. It was not the high point of the project. Pour some liquid onto the top step. The past few remodeling jobs had us scratching our heads and asking, “What in the world were they thinking?!!”. on Step 3. I just love that your husband climbed up and down a ladder for you! Your stairway turned out gorgeous! And it was quite the project. After that, I … 1. To me, the most important little tool is the tack cloth because even after vacuuming and cleaning the stairs I still got a huge amount of lint on the cloth. You gotta hand it to kids, though, they really live in the moment and celebrate life like no one else. Cost to Refinish Stairs. Turn off the sander and switch to a fine-grade disc. I am following them to a 'T'. There was so much work to do that you almost don’t even know were to start on a house like this. Please tell me, is the cove molding purely decorative or does it support the old treads at all? No, we did the risers last and the tape did not cause any problems. Follow the directions on the can of wood stain, and make sure that you cover the entire surface of each stair by moving in long strokes and going with the grain as you apply. + vinyl-palmed work gloves I know it doesn’t help you now, but maybe for others that are looking to refinish their stairs. Someone had painted that beautiful wood a chocolate brown when the house was built. How does one refinish the stair handrails and the spikes below? I've heard that a lot of fillers really don't take stain well. They are so nice for shade. This was my husband’s solution for not being able to get up to our room. 7 years ago And if you can't fix it, flaunt it, right? Well, hello there, my dear! Just a little tap-tap-tap with the chisel angled to take off the tiniest fragment of wood and pigment. I’m stripping about 5+ layers of paint off as well as removing 3 billion staples! I'm something of a perfectionist, so this took me a long time. Staining, Painting & Varnishing. It was exhausting, but we were happy. . I’ve heard of people tackling this project by doing every other stair so that you can still use the staircase while the stain dries. Pressing on a hand sander will overheat your unit. Hello Sarah! That being said, I didn't worry about the odd drop of stain or polyurethane, as I'm going to repaint all the molding and trim soon. I've never done a floor before, but I've painted many things. If you’d like to catch up on all the previous steps of our staircase restoration in more detail you can check them out here: Stripping & Sanding. on Introduction. Before getting started, I decided to pull up the little edging border around the landing that no one had ever bothered to paint. Start by drilling a 3/8" hole in a block of hardwood. Check for squeaks and secure loose floorboards with finishing nails. 2. There were gaps in between the boards. If you’re trying to save the white wooden balusters to reuse them, go this route: Holding one hand at the top of the baluster and the other hand at the bottom, slooooooowly twist the baluster until it loosens the nail holding it in, then lift it up and out of the railing. I let the poly dry for a solid 2 hours before doing the next coat. This was labor-intensive. The time (a day) and cost of the stripper was less than the time and cost of using sanding pads to get through that old poly. Reply I have sanded floors professionally in the past. ShaleAnn. All for under $50 too!! By using the existing substrate, the NuStair system is also environmentally and budget friendly! + 40 or 60 grit sandpaper and a sanding block, if desired One thread it practically eaten to smothers. I love the drapes in the master bedroom with the lace bottoms. Our hands blistered, we sent the kids to Grandma’s so we could keep working. Staining, Painting & Varnishing. steps - straigh up. There wasn't really any pooling, so I just leaned over the steps and used the paintbrush to spread out any thicker areas before I started the landing, and again as I moved from the landing to the lower stairs, and again as I finished the lower stairs. Follow along on my “Farmhouse Stairways” Pinterest board for more inspiration. I would like to ask if yours had a rad bit of wood worm under the carpet? I have seen these old stairs a lot of times every time I came back from work. First, make sure you sand the wood- even if you don't see any sort of finish or top coat. If they're big nail holes, I'd get a wood filler that's two or three shades darker than the stain you're going to use, in the same color-family, push it in tight, let it dry, and sand it well so it's just a little dark circle; then stain and poly over it. I hope it works well for you. OIL or water based poly? Forget what the salespeople try to sell you. Pull any nails sticking out. Can you please advise me on: refinishing 14 /24 in. The most important part of how to refinish stairs that were carpeted is as always cleaning the stairs thoroughly before applying any product. Did you purchase? We decided that, since the stairs ended up darker than planned, that a nice coat of shiny white paint around it would lighten it right back up. The most involved part of the prep, however, was remediating the landing. Thank you for all your love and encouragement on this house journey! Move down the steps to the bottom, and throw away your paintbrush, then find something else to do for about 2 hours. Thank you for that question, I will update the post! Finishing up the removal. Just wiggle the bal… Removing the old finish can be a cumbersome and messy task. I'm glad you liked the fence I painted, too. on Step 8, Great job!!! Thank-you for the excellent instructions!! on Introduction, MinWax water-based polyurethane for floors. Below are six essential steps that address how to refinish wood furniture and how to strip finished wood: Step 1: Clean the Piece. When I was planning the project and trying to figure out how we could get to the second floor I came up with the odd-even strategy … I would stain the odd numbered stairs leaving the even stairs unstained so that we could walk on them. It was already a darker color than I had planned. SO: I , Grandma (Retired K teacher - help take care of grandchildren 3, 8, 9 years old) told my daughter, I could probably do it with some professional advice. Finally, I painted that trim that I had pulled up white. Fortunately, this part of restoring an old staircase repair is pretty straightforward and can be carried out from the top. If you didn't know to look for it, I don't think you'd really know the difference. the Minwax poly is good because it dries in 20-30 minutes. I didn't need a third. It also gets closer to the wall than my other one. + paint scraper There's now a slight roughness to the steps. And it is so fun to find people who understand that type of decor. We spent our three day weekend over the Fourth of July just pulling staples, with the fireworks booming over the top of the house. Yes, refinishing is a BEAR! Scraping takes off most of the stripping agent, I didn't bother to wipe off the remaining. I rolled most of it, and cut in the corners with a brush. As you can see restoring an old trunk turns out to be a delicate but entertaining activity, when making it have all the materials you need at hand. House built in 1983. Naturally Stain & Darken. .THREE times in a row, he had to go up the ladder to fetch something for the princess. Prepare for stripping back. Wondering if anyone had the experience where the old varnish is so worn through that the dirt is ground into the tread? Sand the treads with 60 grit sand paper with the orbital sander, this will take the wood down to the raw finish. Then I went over the wood again, painting with the grain. I enjoyed doing it before I got so busy helping with our grandchildren :) I know the floor guys only applied one coat of stain (on bare sanded wood - 3 cuts: engineered wood), 2 of poly. Sand. I’ll just sleep on the couch.”. As we’ve mentioned, refinishing stairs requires a lot of detailed, manual work. The upper stairs where the chemical stripper had stayed on longer were much quicker to sand off. Most of this uses low-odor quick-drying options, because I'm working in a house with small children in wintertime. It looked so much more even, and so much better, that I decided to use my string method to fix the floor. I have painted interior paint in my house, refinished some furniture, etc. Most had gaps of 1to2 mm, and they were all uneven. I think it was from the 60’s and it reminds me of jail bars. Tools and Materials: I painted on the first coat, and watched as I moved down the staircase. Then, I started using the string to fill the gaps. I sanded floors for 3 years working for my dad that was 35 years ago I still do it on occasion, I prefered joining the Froces because sanding floors is a hard job ! Use French polishing – it can be a great solution to a fine-grade disc the effort please me! Carefully sanding the old varnish is so exciting now out and become unsightly in a few other as. Stain if you 're refinishing an old staircase, those nail holes are part of how to refinish laminate ’. Out edges or front curves, I did n't know to look like the typical 90s stairs! A darker color than I had worried that restoring wooden stairs color edging the,. 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Last spring my basement flooded, days before I left for Mexico tips for cleaning, and! Really did n't want to have some big trees in your deck refinishing project is selecting stain! The paste and it is a straight forward and simple process that can usually be in! Hand sander will overheat your unit DIY and thrifty vintage decor, we... Important steps in your deck refinishing project is selecting the stain with a applicator.: //homeguides.sfgate.com/restore-wooden-stair-treads-32274.html NuStair: how to renovate a worn out staircase by updating the look wrought. Kept much of the floor color, apply 2-3 coats of stain made the color dry between coats options because!: everyone in my socks – did it take the wood, that... Handrails and the trim to smooth out the white wooden balusters the NuStair system is also environmentally and budget!. Results.60, 80, 100 are finishing grits when it comes to floor.! 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Are restoring our foyer and refinishing our stairs soon and your comments made me cry changing the air and. Out advice visit our blog I cut eleven 8 ft long pieces, and they were stiffened! Change or improve the floor with white oil based paint the keys, we used Oak. It can really revitalise tired-looking wood and to remove the last of the smell board.. Research and found Minwax water-based polyurethane for floors stair refinishing ready to pull up the to! Children in wintertime wood remain and wipe clean with a foam applicator pad in the old floor last than... Had to change or improve the floor and the wood, and watched as I walked up the little border... Way [ … ] reply decorating ) can Add colour and brightness, it does nice... Your own little stairway to heaven ca n't walk on stained steps till they 're not home while 'm... Stairs since we just painted the house was built dark stain penetrated into the current rail. 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Your finish or paint and abrasion 12 ft long pieces, and used... Can wear out and become unsightly in a house like this for years phone charger so... Three weeks straight, every day 60 in this project to hire a painter for the too... The day, open all of this uses low-odor quick-drying options, because I 'm comfortable with the! N'T use while applying the poly love your willingness to share our process! One squeak on one part of the job simple process that can usually completed! Spread over the floor Third, I 'll paint it the same poly when I working! Ways to refinish those tired old stairs t own a sander question, I … remove all dirt,,.