How to Refinish Wood Stair Treads

How to Prepare Your Stairway for New Stain, Finish or Paint

Even people who may have already refinished a wooden floor in an entire room can balk at the idea of refinishing wooden stair treads. It can seem like a pain or nuisance - but it really doesn't have to be dreaded. You do need to remember, however, that stair treads need to be treated a bit differently than floors. They may need a different stain or paint treatment than that used on a comparatively flat surface, especially if you are refinishing steep or winding stairways. With that in mind, you'll be able to make the right choice of finish as you work on your stair treads.

Refinishing wood stairs - gather your supplies

As with most jobs, proper preparation is essential for excellent results. Because you will eventually be working with stain or paint (after you've gotten through the sanding and other steps), you'll want to make sure you have figured out how to keep the stair area well-ventilated. Also, if you are working on a hot or humid day, be aware of the fact that you may have to leave more time for any stains or finishes to dry.

Before you even start to refinish wood stairs, however, you'll want to have drop cloths or old rags, a good sander and edger (rented or bought), proper brushes, paper towels, mineral spirits or paint thinner or cleaner, a good container, sticks to stir your paint or stain, sandpaper and safety goggles. I also use rubber gloves because it is very easy to get a wooden splinter in your hands or get stain all over them. I hope you also make sure you are wearing old clothing because when you refinish stairways, you can easily get permanent stains on your clothes.

A good shop vacuum cleaner is very important. You might be able to use a standard vacuum but an industrial strength one is desirable. Expect plenty of dust and if you want to minimize cleaning later, consider covering any furniture in nearby rooms with old blankets, sheets or drop cloths. You can even tape off those areas with plastic film, also helpful in keeping dust under control.