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Peeling Stairs / Refinishing Questions
Posted on 10/30/23 at 7:44 am
Posted on 10/30/23 at 7:44 am
The finish on our stairs has been slowly peeling over the years and I thought I would give it a shot to refinish. Although I consider myself somewhat "handy" I thought I would come here for some insight into best approach and what I am up against.
It seems like they try to put varnish or something similar on finished wood, so it never really soaked in. It flakes off pretty easily, and my kids sweaty/sticky feet will peel pieces of it off as they walk up. Pictures #1 and #2 below are the worst step currently.
The reason I am looking to get this done sooner than later is because my Dad came in this weekend and wanted to show me how "easy" this would be to redo, so took my plastic razor and the scraped flaking finish off a step, then got distracted and moved onto other things, so now I have step #3.
I am hoping it is as easy as he made it sound: scrape/sand off the current finish, clean it up, and then re-seal/finish, but didn't know if it was a situation where I need a finish remover type treatment first.
TIA.
#1&2 - peeling step
#3 - Dad's handy work
It seems like they try to put varnish or something similar on finished wood, so it never really soaked in. It flakes off pretty easily, and my kids sweaty/sticky feet will peel pieces of it off as they walk up. Pictures #1 and #2 below are the worst step currently.
The reason I am looking to get this done sooner than later is because my Dad came in this weekend and wanted to show me how "easy" this would be to redo, so took my plastic razor and the scraped flaking finish off a step, then got distracted and moved onto other things, so now I have step #3.
I am hoping it is as easy as he made it sound: scrape/sand off the current finish, clean it up, and then re-seal/finish, but didn't know if it was a situation where I need a finish remover type treatment first.
TIA.
#1&2 - peeling step
#3 - Dad's handy work
This post was edited on 10/30/23 at 7:45 am
4
Posted on 10/30/23 at 8:13 am to LSU Delirium
I’m not a pro but I’ve refinished some stuff. Easiest thing is get pro strength stripper in the paint section of the hardware store, you want the strongest they have no matter the directions. The only difference is how liquid it is the stronger it is the more gel like and the weaker is more liquid. Paint that stuff on thick. That should pull most off. You may need to do it twice.
Then sand it down, orbital sander or similar is the best thing.
Then restain and refinish.
If it’s just the varnish coming off you can probably just lightly sand it down with like 200 grit and just re varnish it.
Then sand it down, orbital sander or similar is the best thing.
Then restain and refinish.
If it’s just the varnish coming off you can probably just lightly sand it down with like 200 grit and just re varnish it.
Posted on 10/30/23 at 11:26 am to baldona
quote:
Easiest thing is get pro strength stripper
Not as easy as all that. His treads are finished with stain and some type topcoat, either a poly or varnish.
Problem with applying stripper is it WILL get on the painted risers and wood skirts on the sides of the stairs, removing the paint covering those pieces, then he will have that to deal with too.
If my project, I'd get some good scrapers and start along the back and side of the tread to get that finish removed and then scrape off as much as I could from the tread itself before sanding. Then use some fairly fine sandpaper to lightly rough up the surface so new finish can be applied.
There are finishes with stain mixed in that can be used if needed. Minwax makes many different shades of such finishes.
This post was edited on 10/30/23 at 11:28 am
Posted on 10/30/23 at 11:34 am to LSU Delirium
Sand, stain, seal.
Oribital sander will take care of most of it.
Then it's either sandpaper, sanding block, or small electric sander for the edges.
Oribital sander will take care of most of it.
Then it's either sandpaper, sanding block, or small electric sander for the edges.
Posted on 10/30/23 at 11:34 am to gumbo2176
quote:
There are finishes with stain mixed in that can be used if needed. Minwax makes many different shades of such finishes
The Minwax product is called PolyShades. It is okay for furniture / cabinets, but it is an absolute mistake to use it on floors or stairs.
The best finish to use on stairs and floors IMO are the Varathane products.
This post was edited on 10/30/23 at 11:37 am
Posted on 10/30/23 at 3:48 pm to BasilFawlty
quote:
The best finish to use on stairs and floors IMO are the Varathane products.
Then mix stain with those products to achieve the same results if that's the way he chooses to go.
Personally, I'd go down to bare wood and start from scratch, but with the OP having kids in the house, that's going to be hard-------especially if the bedrooms are upstairs.
Gotta get the wife and kids out the house for a few days to get it done.
Posted on 10/30/23 at 3:53 pm to gumbo2176
quote:
Then mix stain with those products
That's not how it works, unfortunately.
Posted on 10/30/23 at 4:06 pm to BasilFawlty
quote:
That's not how it works, unfortunately.
So, you're saying you can't mix an oil based satin into an oil based varnishing product????
I don't see why not.
Posted on 10/30/23 at 6:30 pm to gumbo2176
Great info everyone, thank you. Seems like a good excuse to kick the family out the house for the weekend!
Posted on 10/30/23 at 7:03 pm to gumbo2176
Polyurethane is a precise mixture of solvents, additives, and resins. Adding a solvent based stain changes that mixture. Stains have no resins, and are mostly solvents. Therefore you end up with a poly that doesn’t have enough resin and too much solvent. It won’t dry correctly and ends up soft and sticky.
You can absolutely add stain to poly on your own, but it doesn’t mean it will perform properly.
You can absolutely add stain to poly on your own, but it doesn’t mean it will perform properly.
This post was edited on 10/30/23 at 7:04 pm
Posted on 10/30/23 at 9:31 pm to LSU Delirium
You need to sand and refinish the treads, stairs are 75-125 each to pay a professional. You need a sharp scraper sand 60-80-100 then stain BUT that finish looks like it has been tinted something you are not going to do with what you can buy locally. Looks pre finished so you won’t match anything with an oil poly it will amber over time. It actually looks like a finish failure. Its work but you can do it but it’s not a weekend job and you need a very good sander a random orbital won’t do it. Plus a lot of paper quality paper which like the finish you can’t buy locally let me know where you are and I will hook you up with the proper supplies
Posted on 10/31/23 at 12:27 pm to LSU Delirium
Your post reminds me that I need to remove the carpet on my stairs heading down into my basement. I will probably have to sand and paint what’s underneath.
The carpet was covered with clear plastic and I had cleaned the carpet edges a lot over 30 years. I may post a few pics after carpet is removed and progress is made. Or, I can procrastinate as usual.
The carpet was covered with clear plastic and I had cleaned the carpet edges a lot over 30 years. I may post a few pics after carpet is removed and progress is made. Or, I can procrastinate as usual.
Posted on 11/2/23 at 5:06 am to LSU Delirium
Shop vac & high end painters tape , that’s all I got for ya
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