Caring for pine wooden stairs

Suzkin

Hi - I've a fairly new pine staircase in my house, and I really like wood for stairs. I'm just wondering what the 'best' way of looking after them, is?

I've hoovered them, and have also taken a small dustpan and brush to them, but was wondering what I could do to keep the wood itself clean? At the moment the wood is untreated: if left this way, would this still be okay??

Thanks for your suggestions/advice!

TomsMom

It needs protecting in some way - wax or varnish. You can have the clear version so it wont change the colour if you wish. If left untreated it will definitely get dirty over time.

Suzkin

Whats the real difference between varnish and wax?

Varnish could chip, and so wax would seem a nicer, more authentic finish.

Have I overlooked anything?

TomsMom

I'm not an expert Suzkin, I only know what my OH and our son have done in our respective houses. Maybe someone more knowledgeable will come along and explain but........

Varnish puts a "coat" onto the wood to protect it, it can be shiny or matt. You paint it on with a brush. For everyday cleaning you could damp dust it with no worries about affecting the wood.

Wax - think of it a bit like shoe polish I suppose - is absorbed by the wood and protects it. There is brush on wax but OH used BriWax and put it on with a cloth and then buffed up. Gives a matt sheen to the wood. We haven't found the need to re-wax but I suppose in a busy household after a while it might need re-waxing but it should be as easy as polishing shoes. I don't think damp dusting would be a good idea if waxed as it may take a bit off each time. Dry dusting/microfibre cloth or the lazy way which I use - one of those static fluffy dusters on a stick .

As I said, we have both. Out of the two I much prefer the look of the waxed finish but that's a personal choice.

If you're unsure, buy the smallest size of each and do a trial run on a spare piece of wood.

Suzkin

Thanks a lot TomsMom - On reading your message, I THOUGHT you were going to end recommending (or saying) that you preferred the varnish finish. As you did not, I'll do as you suggest, and try both on a spare piece of wood.