The POWER of Paint and Stain--Updating Our Back Staircase
If you're a person who doesn't think any wood should be painted, this probably isn't the post for you. But if you're like me and live in a 90s home and want to bring it to the 21st Century, you'll appreciate the Power of Paint!
As you can see from the before photos--this is not "good" wood! haha
First thing I did was remove the 15 foot railing. The railing IS solid, good wood, so I stained it dark to match our hardwood floors. I decided to use General Finishes Java gel stain so I wouldn't have to sand down to bare wood. It was finished off with three coats of polyurethane applied with a FOAM brush.
For the staircase, pony wall, and panel door, I first used a liquid deglosser to take off the shine. I then filled in all nail holes and taped the walls off with blue tape and the carpet with a wider painter's masking tape.
Everything received one coat of primer and two coats of BM Advance water based trim paint in a semi-gloss finish.
Because I was trying to lighten and brighten this dark, back staircase, I painted the door, as well. Bye-bye 90s...hello 21st Century! The power of paint never ceases to amaze me! Feel free to check out the full post for additional tips on painting around carpeting! (I did have a few hiccups!)
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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2 of 10 comments
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Thanks for the reply, Cynthia! I can't wait to replicate what you did. Thanks for posting.
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looks great
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