What tools do I need to sand my stairs please? Update with pics

avstar

Hi, finally after 10 years of a naked staircase I'm doing something about it :rotfl:

When I first moved in the stairs skirting was painted white and a manky carpet was on the stairs. I ripped up the carpet and was left with bare wooden stairs with a small strip of white at each edge.

My plan (and tell me if it sounds minging!) is to have white skirting up the staircase, white risers (back of stairs) and stained wooded treads.

But what will I need to do? Should I remove all the thick layers of paint on the skirting and start again & how would I do that? Bearing in mind the house is 70 years old and may well have lead paint in it.

And how to sand the treads, what type of sander will I need please?

And then I will be left with pine stairs, what sort of stain do I need to make them a better colour and then do I also have to varnish them.

I wanted a cheaper and stylish alternative to expensive carpet and underlay but the more I think about it the more I realise it's going to be a mammoth project :eek: So any advice/help will be gratefully appreciated, thanks.

ormus

first thing to buy is a hot air gun. and burn off all the old paint. back to bare wood.
then you can decide if to paint white again, or stain.
probably lots of sanding required for staining. machine or by hand.

my strairs took 2 weeks to finish! they look great now.
(they had 75 yrs of paint. about 15 layers).

ukmaggie45

We've had a bare staircase for years now, carpet was unsafe and our stairs are horrendously steep plus I have vertigo, so am terrified of falling down them. My plan was to remove the paint from the edges and get back to the wood, then paint a trompe l'oeil carpet pattern on the stairs and varnish it. Needless to say it hasn't got done! :rotfl: But I still think it's a good idea for a cheap and cheerful staircase... I was thinking sort of oriental rug pattern. Doubt we'll ever do it now as we're moving so this house will be going up for sale in the next few months/years.

avstar

Thanks Ormus - I've got a hot air gun already so I'll try that on the painted bits.
Any tips on what type of sander to go for?

Wow Maggie a trompe l'oeil carpet sounds magnificent, but way out of my painting skills league LOL

ukmaggie45

avstar wrote: »

Wow Maggie a trompe l'oeil carpet sounds magnificent, but way out of my painting skills league LOL

I don't think it would be terribly difficult, you could prob use simple stencil shapes - most oriental rugs are mostly simple repeated geometric shapes - diamonds and triangles etc. But time consuming, and how to get up the stairs while the paint is drying... Do alternate treads at a time I suppose.

Good luck with the paint removal!

tony6403

A note of caution in case you have lead based paint. Here is an extract from a trade association document :
Renovation and removal of old lead-containing paints

7.1) Introduction
Regardless of who carries out the work, it is imperative that:

• all steps are taken to avoid the creation of lead containing dusts and fumes

• anyone not involved in the work is prohibited from the area, and preferably the building concerned, until the area has been thoroughly and effectively cleaned

Children and pregnant women should not be present in any area where renovation work, which involves the disturbance of lead-containing paint surfaces or the removal of painted surfaces, takes place. They should not reoccupy that area until it has been thoroughly and effectively cleaned.

The decision to remove old lead containing paint should not be made lightly. If the paint is in good condition, it is often a safer option to carefully prepare the existing surface and to repaint or cover it .
Where old lead paint is being renovated or removed by professional painters and decorators, the relevant requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations and the Control of Lead at Work Regulations must be complied with before any work commences.

diable

tony6403 wrote: »

A note of caution in case you have lead based paint. Here is an extract from a trade association document :
Renovation and removal of old lead-containing paints

7.1) Introduction
Regardless of who carries out the work, it is imperative that:

• all steps are taken to avoid the creation of lead containing dusts and fumes

• anyone not involved in the work is prohibited from the area, and preferably the building concerned, until the area has been thoroughly and effectively cleaned

Children and pregnant women should not be present in any area where renovation work, which involves the disturbance of lead-containing paint surfaces or the removal of painted surfaces, takes place. They should not reoccupy that area until it has been thoroughly and effectively cleaned.

The decision to remove old lead containing paint should not be made lightly. If the paint is in good condition, it is often a safer option to carefully prepare the existing surface and to repaint or cover it .
Where old lead paint is being renovated or removed by professional painters and decorators, the relevant requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations and the Control of Lead at Work Regulations must be complied with before any work commences.

\

You must be a bundle of laughs at home ;o)))

ormus

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

i just wee,d a little bit.

muskoka

We've just stripped the stairs, spindles, rails, string,etc on a 97 yr old house. Tons & tons of paint...and under the paint was some old, old black varnish yukky stuff - got that off too...Used hot air gun, got through 2 (detail) sanders, but looks the nuts now! Very pleased with it. We just finished it off with clear varnish.

Well worth the effort - once its done, its done!

tony6403

ormus wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

i just wee,d a little bit.

It's probably the lead poisoning .

avstar

Ok I thought I'd give you an update on the stairs palarver

Well I did strip the old paintwork off the treads and skirting with paint stripper - evil stuff but worked a treat. The t'other half sanded the treads with a belt sander and I did the nooks and crannies with a mouse type sander - both from B&Q.

I then stained the treads with woodstain, painted the risers and skirting white and varnished the treads..........

We worked so hard and then I decided I didn't like it after all :eek:



You can't tell here but because the stairs are old the join between the treads and risers was a bit gappy and looked awful, it started getting dirty scuff marks on the white almost immediately, plus it reminded me of a zebra crossing :rotfl:

So after much wailing and gnashing of teeth I stripped off the white paint from the risers using paint stripper and tons of masking tape, sanded and then stained and varnished the risers....now I love it
So I got there in the end but I spent far more time, effort & money thank I needed trying to be artistic!




I kept the bottom riser white to give a break between the dark woodstain and the laminate