How to Paint Wood Stair Railings
Painting a wooden stair railing enhances the appearance and durability of the railings. With thorough preparation you will achieve a beautiful end result. Do-it-yourselfers need to remove all the polyurethane coating from the wood railings before painting them. Stripping the polyurethane layer promotes paint adhesion, improving the durability of your work for many years. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Painter tape
- Drop cloths
- Sand paper (various grits)
- Tack cloths
- Clean rag
- Paint brushes
- Oil based primer
- Paint
Instructions
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Mask off the area around the railing with blue painters tape. This will keep the areas from getting paint on them as well as protect them during the sanding process. Lay down some drop cloths or plastic around the work area as well.
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2
Sand the railings with a sanding block and 80-grit sand paper to remove any finish that may be on them. Shiny finishes will cause the paint to peel or not adhere well. Dull the surface as much as you can, but try not to gouge or scratch it.
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Wipe the railings down with a tack cloth and inspect them to see how the finish looks. Sand shiny areas. Move to 400-grit sand paper and sand the entire surface again. Concentrate on smoothing the wood surface, rather than removing finish or material.
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4
Wipe the railings again with a clean tack cloth and feel the surface with your hands. Locate the rough spots that you cannot see by running your hand over the surface and feeling for them. Sand these rough spots further until the surface is smooth. Remove standing dust with a clean, damp rag. Allow the railing to dry for several hours.
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Paint the railings with a high-quality, oil based primer and paint brushes. Use a primer with a built-in stain blocker to hide darker colors and imperfections in the wood. Allow the primer to dry thoroughly. Check the directions on the product to verify how long your primer has to dry before painting.
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Paint the railings with your choice of paint. Use a high-quality brush to apply the paint, working in long, even strokes. Keep the coats thin so the paint doesn't run. Apply up to four or five coats to achieve full coverage.
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Allow the paint to dry between coats. Check for specific drying times for the paint you purchased or talk with an associate at the store where you bought it.
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Remove the painters tape after the paint has dried for 24 hours.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use an electric sander if you choose but in order to get into all the tight spots that are inherent to a railing, a small sanding block, sanding sponge or sandpaper folded into a square is more effective.
