A Simple Stair Update for a Big Impact

5 Materials
$50
1 Hour
Easy

I am going to show you how a little bit of painters tape and some caulk can take your staircase paint project from “just meh” to “absolute perfection” in about an hour.

Stairs feeling a little… lackluster?

Maybe the paint is peeling in some places because the previous owners did not use a bonding primer when painting over the tile risers.


Maybe your toddler uses ever opportunity to pick at said peeling paint making it a hundred times worse.


Maybe to top it off maybe you slapped a quick coat of paint over the worst areas literally seconds before a home showing to sell the house.


Oh, I think I may be projecting here…


Even though I have an entire room in my house with no baseboards or door trim, I chose to spend my time giving my staircase a bit of a refresh.


IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MUST HAVE PAINT SUPPLIES, HERE ARE THE ONES I LOVE!

STEP ONE:

PREP


Using 120 grit sandpaper, sand down any areas of chipping or peeling paint. This will ensure a smooth finish for your new paint.


Then tape around the area to be painted. I taped down each side of the staircase and around each stair tread. I used to be the person who thought this step was unnecessary. Until I started using FrogTape, the perfectly crisp lines left once you peel back that tape… Even the steadiest painter’s hand could not compete to that level of perfection.

STEP TWO:

CAULK


Once you have taped off the area to be painted, run a small bead of caulk along all the creases. This will help you to achieve that perfectly crisp line between the baseboards and the wall.


This may seem unnecessary, but trust me on this one, it will make all the difference once you peel back that line of tape.


I also used caulk to fill the gaps and cracks between the tile and the stair treads for a seamless look and finish.

STEP THREE:

PRIME AND PAINT


Finally, the stairs are ready for paint.


ALMOST… Before painting, I used this bonding primer over the whole area. Some spots of the tile underneath were exposed and I wanted to be sure the new layer of paint didn’t just peel back off.


I actually did this as a “quick fix” before starting any of this, which is why you can’t see the exposed spots in photos. If you’re starting fresh, this is an essential step that will make your paint job last so much longer!


Once that dries, paint everything with at least two coats of your paint of choice.

STEP FOUR:

PEEL TAPE


Finally, peel back that tape and enjoy those perfectly crisp edges.


The paint I used is Sherwin Williams Captivate in Pure White. This is the color I use on all of the baseboards, trim, and doors in this house. It’s a great bright, clean, TRUE white shade.


ALL THE INFORMATION FOR THE PAINT COLORS I USED IN THIS HOUSE IS HERE FOR YOU!


Suggested materials:
  • SANDPAPER
  • PAINTABLE CAULK
  • PAINTER'S TAPE
See all materials
Sydney Dawson
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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