Paint Hardwood stairs?
Question:The stairs are mature and have varnish on them. How would you prep and what type of paint would give the best job.
Answers:
If the stairs are hardwood, I would not suggest painting them. Wood is a very tempermental thing, and paint on any kind of wood flooring surface usually wears off in a short period of time.
I'd suggest refinishing the stairs instead. To do this, you would need to sand the wood down to a decent grade in order to provide a good surface for new stain to adhere, and then a coat of varnish on top of the stain once it dries will give it a very glossy, rich look. You'd be surprised, there are a lot of color selections out there with stain that look even better than paint, and its realtively cheap and easy to do yourself.
I'd visit your local hardware store and tell them what you are looking for. They can hook you up with the right sanding tools, help you with stain color selections, and walk you through the whole refinishing process.
If you're truly set on painting them, I'd go with this process:
First Scrape the floor to remove any peeling, chipped or cracked paint that is already on it.
2. Using a sanding block to keep the sanding even and flat, lightly sand the wood with a fine-medium grain sandpaper.
3. Wipe off the dust and dirt with a soft damp mop. Let the stairs dry completely before you do anything else.
4. Prime the floor with an oil-based primer, can be found at any local hardware store. Let dry comepletly.
5. Using the floor paint you want, roll the paint on evenly. It may require two coats depending on what you want it to look like.
6. Keep the doors and windows cracked to minimize dust, but still provide ventilation.
7. Once the stairs are dry again, apply a clear floor sealer on top. This will help prevent chipping.
STOP STOP STOP
Don't paint the hardword floors.
That's the worst thing you can ever do.
refinsh them with a stain or just leave them they way they are.
I would never ever paint hardword floors, cabinets,trim.
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