banister old paint peeling

ANY_CHANCE

Hi there

I havnt visit this part of the forum before but i am in need of some help re painting.

My home was in desperate need of decorating and i have a week off to do the kitchen, hall stairs and landing. Paying someone to decorate for me would have given a much better finish and less hassle but unfortunately i cant afford to pay, so i am doing it myself.

I have done quite a bit so far but the banisters are tricky. The old paint has been bubbling and then peeling off. What do i need to do to prepare them for painting i thought i could just sand them but it isnt working very well as the paint keeps lifting

thanks

Doozergirl

You need to keep sanding until the paint stops flaking. Doing it by hand is obviously going to take a while if it's not in good condition - you might be better with a small electric sander - they're not very expensive really and it's worth it for a proper finish.

mrtobs

I would also try sanding it right back, then apply an undercoat before re-painting. Time consuming, but worth it in the long run! Why not try it out on a small area first to see if it works? If you find the idea of sanding it all on your own off-putting, you could organise a 'sanding party' with some mates - ask them round with the promise of thank you drinks & food afterwards & each one does a section of bannister!

stumpycat

I'm in the process of painting our banister and it's hard work!
I'm taking the old paint off using a mixture of heat gun & scraper and a blunt chisel, then sanding any remaining bits. You really don't notice how much molded/carved wood they used in 1920's houses till you try and get the paint off them...

ANY_CHANCE

brilliant all thanks:beer:

im having a few of the girls round tonight .....mmmmmm....do you think i could hand them some sand paper after plying them with a couple of glasses of wine

perhaps i could try the heat gun if tonight doesnt work

someone mentioned nitromorse (have no idea how thats spelt) is that any good?

thanks again

weaverb

Use a heat gun to remove the majority of the paint. Once that is done use a paint stripper withe steel wool to rub it off(make sure to wear rubber gloves for protection and make sure to protect your flooring) when yo have removed all of the paint, clean thoroughly with sugarsoap solution, then rinse REALLY well. YOUR SPINDLES WILL NOW BE READY TO PRIME UNDERCOAT AND PAINT. Alternatively, if the have come up really well, just rub in some danish oil according to instructions. This does all take some time, so why not do a couple of spindles per night. Take your time and you will not reret it!:j

slummymummyof3

Be careful, as depending on the age of your property, the paint may contain lead.

misgrace

ANY_CHANCE wrote: »

brilliant all thanks:beer:

im having a few of the girls round tonight .....mmmmmm....do you think i could hand them some sand paper after plying them with a couple of glasses of wine

perhaps i could try the heat gun if tonight doesnt work

someone mentioned nitromorse (have no idea how thats spelt) is that any good?

thanks again

If you use the nitomores, wear rubber gloves, and place newspaper or old sheets/clothes, anything down, as the bits will flake off and land around you, and maybe remove paint from other areas, just keep an eye on it.

Its probably still peeling cause the last person who painted it, painted gloss on gloss without any undercoat.

Mojisola

ANY_CHANCE wrote: »

im having a few of the girls round tonight .....mmmmmm....do you think i could hand them some sand paper after plying them with a couple of glasses of wine

Before would be better - if you want anything like a good job done!

benjo

I had the bright idea of removing the paint from my 150 year old oak stair case and bringing it back to its former glory......I wonder how many times they were painted during that time - alot!!!!!

If I ever spot anyone painting stairs I wont be held responsible for my actions:p