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How to Stain/Paint an Oak Banister (the shortcut method…no sanding needed!)

Jan 13, 2020 - By Ashley Johnston 211 Comments

Our firm was built in 2000. I'm pretty certain that was right at the summit of using orange oak for trim work, kitchen cupboards, and banisters…..because this house was FULL of it when nosotros moved in. (Recall the kitchen nosotros overhauled?? And the window trimming we changed? Oh, and the fireplace mantel and hearth nosotros built? Yeah lots of orange oak.) I actually like using natural wood pieces in my decor and have nothing confronting exposed wood. However, the orangish-y stain that this house was saturated with, merely really made my eyeballs injure. And you know, some people tin create magic and get in work, but for me…..decorating with orange-y oak is such a bugger. Grrrrrr.

Then, right afterwards we moved in, we started transforming and/or replacing anything orange. We replaced doors, trim, hardwood floors, window trim, blinds, etc. The last thing to get hacked, was the banister. More often than not considering we considered for a long fourth dimension tearing the whole matter out and building new mesomorphic Cratfsman style Newel Posts, maybe calculation fe spindles, possibly tearing out the rug and installing forest steps, etc. Merely to really overhaul it, was going to get really expensive and take a lot of time. (We even had 2 different woodworkers come in and give u.s. a quote for overhauling the whole banister/posts, and then we could work on other things. One quoted us $10,000 and the other $14,000. Uhhhh……aye, no. I mean, really?!?!) And the more than I thought almost wood steps, the more than I realized that UN-cushioned steps are just not for my family. The kids autumn down the stairs all the time. And heck, so do I. Steve has even fallen down them a time or two. So, I realized that wood steps would sure be beautiful…but totally not practical for us.

So, nosotros decided to stain the banister and newel posts (and the wood that runs along the base of operations of the spindles) and to paint each of the spindles a creamy white color. And let me tell you…….for about $50, it turned out beautifully!!!!

And simply so you tin see what it looked like before we began, in all its orangish-y glory —

The stain nosotros used is a actually deep Coffee brown color that I absolutely love. Not quite black but a really rich tone that pulls in the darker colors in the walnut floor. And in example you're worried?? The stain was the easiest part. And no, we DIDN'T sand for hours and hours and hours. In fact, we spent nearly twenty minutes sanding rough spots and gouges in the woods from the previous owners. Merely no demand to sand off the sometime stain and polyurethane. Nope, you don't need to! (More info about that beneath.)

If your spindles are already white, spring on this PRONTO! This really won't be a terribly fourth dimension-consuming project (except taping will take some time). Or if yous don't care for the 2-toned wait and desire to stain everything the same color — this would be a relatively quick project! Merely if yous have to paint your spindles like we did…..that takes a fiddling more time. Okay, a lot more fourth dimension. Only for a savings of thousands of dollars?? Worth it!

And now, my friends, all of the orange in our home is gone (okay, not the basement….shhhh!!) And everything ties together and makes me then happy!

***The "Habitation Land" Fleck Wood Art hanging on the wall in the background…is another tutorial.

Oh wait — some of you have seen little snippets of the finished banister and fifty-fifty saw me writing about it a piddling bit on Instagram over a year ago. Aaaaaaand, here'southward why:

We started the banister procedure right before Thanksgiving of 2013. Yeah, over a year agone. However, once the staining was done, I was pregnant with little Oliver. And so this project halted right so and there. Because, well, pregnancy is a pukey time for me. ;) So we lived with a dark stained banister and orange spindles for a looooong time. (Yeah, actually ugly…but with a head in the toilet, I didn't care At. All.) But once Oliver was built-in (this by summertime), nosotros jumped on it and painted those spindles. It took about a week of painting 10-20 spindles each dark, after the kids were in bed.

And and then, I still couldn't stomach sharing a photo here of the finished banister because we hadn't replaced the carpeting yet. Y'all'll see downwards below that we cut forth the sides of the former carpet to become information technology away from the wood while staining and were careless with the carpet since we knew we were replacing it. Then information technology was ugly. But, nosotros didn't want to supplant the rug until we finished all the baseboards upstairs in the all the bedchamber closets and painting all the door frames. Anyway, blah, blah, blah….this house has been a process! Only, nosotros but had our carpets replaced a few days ago and HALLELUJAH — new carpet!!!!

So, I can safely say that even after a year, the stain on the banister and posts has been fantastic!! And almost of that time, it didn't fifty-fifty have the protective clear coat on it……and it however held up then well! Just now that the clear coat has been practical, it'due south fifty-fifty more protected and slightly shiny. (Nosotros opted for a satin terminate, which is still plenty shiny, simply not a super loftier gloss.)

I think spindles are typically installed right down into the steps of your stairs. Ours, however, are attached to some wood that runs along both sides of the steps. So, below the stained forest, we added a chip of painted trim, that really makes the stained wood popular. And I admittedly love this detail all the mode effectually the stairs!

Up at the top of the stairs, there'due south a little lookout onto the family room downwards below, with more spindles and banister. Nosotros stained and painted that too.

I know you either love or hate the ii-toned banister/spindle await……just I really love it! Information technology just gives the middle so much to expect at — and is such a cool dissimilarity.

***The "Home State" Scrap Forest Art hanging on the wall in the background…is some other tutorial.

Okay, and since I'g a sucker for a proficient before/after shot……here'south another (even though the angle is slightly different).

***Oh, and practise you see those calorie-free fixtures that I re-painted and then long agone? I beloved seeing the before/after of those also!Painting Light Fixture tutorial HERE.

Okay, I know I took a trillion pictures of this ol' banister, merely I'k only so happy the carpet'south installed. And that I can finally say the banisters are DONE! And for very little toll and several shortcuts……this project was very VERY worth it!!!

Want me to show y'all how to transform your banister??

Okay, y'all've got this! ((fist crash-land))

Supplies:

Gel Stain, General Finishes Make, Color: Java (I have used a diversity of stain over the years and this brand worked really well to embrace the orange. It really soaks in and wears really well.)
Polyacrylic Height Glaze, General Finishes Brand (we used a water based top coat then that it would dry faster and was less smelly. nosotros also opted for a satin finish…so it wasn't overly glossy.)
sponge brush (for applying stain and meridian coat)
soft cloths (for wiping off excess stain)
rubber gloves (the stain will stain your skin and doesn't come off with lather and h2o. because it'south oil based, you'll need a paint thinner to remove this…and then Utilise GLOVES!)
Primer Paint (if you're painting spindles, a coat of primer helps to seal everything and give yourself a dainty base coat before adding your tinted paint)
Semi-Gloss Pigment (if you lot're painting spindles. if yours are already white, then you don't need this. and in example you're wondering, I painted mine with Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore merely color matched at Dwelling Depot, only similar all the trim/doors/baseboards in my domicile)
Paint castor (if you're painting spindles)
Face mask (the stain is strong and since nosotros stained ours in the winter and couldn't leave the doors/windows open, we bought a respirator mask for about $25
Painters record (for taping around edges that touch the wall, flooring, and/or spindles)

Okay, I know I told you that sanding wasn't necessary. And information technology'south not. But the banister on our stairs was so beat upward in some areas. And then, we sanded in several areas, just to even out the nicks and bumps. Only you don't need to sand down to the un-stained wood. In that location's no need. :)

And your stairs may not have the wood along the base similar ours does, but if you do, we establish this sponge sander that got into cracks a little amend than the mouse sander.

And once more, we but sanded down here to even out the nicks and scrapes in the wood.

If you sanded annihilation at all, just be certain to wipe off the dust with a wet material.

For all the staining that I did, I simply needed a quart plus about one-half of a pint of the stain. That was it. :) (I bought this at a local woodworking store. But I've besides seen information technology Hither on Amazon.)

To apply the stain, we used a wide sponge brush and completely covered the banister in a coat of the stain. Be sure to use even and smoothen coats, without whatsoever globbing. We let the stain sit down for near 5-ten minutes (yours may accept longer or shorter…..you'll need to experiment) and kinda soak in….

…and would and so wipe off the backlog with a soft cloth. Only work a section at a time so that the stain doesn't dry in globs. Once you wipe the stain, you'll see some of the orangish peeking through, and that's okay.

Oh, and if you lot're painting your spindles anyhow, don't worry if you get some of the stain onto them. Just be sure to polish out any globs, or it volition wait bumpy after you pigment. (Nonetheless, if your spindles are already white, make sure and record around each 1 then that your stain doesn't get onto them.)

Oh, and if you are getting rid of your carpet, consider cut some of the old carpet and then you can actually get the stain downwardly where it needs to go. Otherwise, you lot'll demand to tape of your carpet too.

Echo applying the stain, letting it set, and then wiping it off, until everything has been coated.

Then repeat with a second coat, and mayhap a 3rd coat. Nosotros waited a day betwixt coats and always looked advisedly at the stain in direct sunlight, to run into if some areas needed another coat.

Once you're happy with the stain, paint a coat of your primer onto your spindles. Use a fine paintbrush around the edges that come across with the stain and be extra careful to non get whatsoever paint on the stain. Then apply 1-2 coats of your semi-gloss paint to each of your spindles. (We would paint in sections. I would paint ten or so spindles and so accept a break and work on something else. It gets a little monotonous…so break it upwardly!)

We opted for this water based top-coat because nosotros knew it would dry faster and non smell every bit stiff. It worked really well and gave a nice satin shiny end. However, the lady at the woodworking store where we bought it, said that the more than layers you employ, the glossier it will appear. Just an FYI. (I as well found it Hither on Amazon.)

We practical 2 layers with a clean sponge brush (making certain to keep information technology really smooth with no bubbles or smears) and were happy with the finish. Also, all brands are a piddling different, so be sure to read the instructions on your detail tin. :)

And that's it! A consummate transformation!

At present keep, be dauntless, and turn your banister into something you LOVE!

-Ashley

Materials

Gel Stain (Full general Finishes Brand, Color: Coffee)
Polyacrylic Elevation Coat (Full general Finishes Brand)
Primer Pigment
Semi-Gloss Paint

Tools

Sponge sander
Mouse Sander (optional for sanding)
Paint brush
Face mask
Painters tape
Sponge castor
Soft cloths
Rubber gloves

Instructions

Sanding Optional:

If you make up one's mind to sand, outset the project by offset sanding down nicks and scrapes using a mouse and/or sponge sander. Wipe off the grit with a wet cloth.

Stain (brand and color of your pick) the banister thoroughly using a wide sponge brush
Wait for the stain to soak in and dry for nearly 10 minutes. Wipe off excess stain with a wet cloth.
Continue applying, drying, and wiping stain at different sections of the stairs until everything is coated.
Optional: add second or third coats betwixt days.
Next, paint a coat of the primer onto your spindles. Employ a fine paintbrush around the edges that meet with the stain and exist extra conscientious to not get any paint on the stain.
Next, employ one-2 coats of your semi-gloss paint to each of your spindles, working one department or about 10 spindles at a time.
Finally, apply 2 layers of the Polyacrylic Elevation Coat on the hand railings with a make clean sponge brush to avoid bubbling or smears.

That's it. Here's the before-and-after:

How to stain/paint an oak banister (the shortcut method…no sanding needed!)

Notes

Stain dry time could vary more or less than 10 minutes, depending on the brand. Go along an eye on it.
If you lot go any stain on your spindles, which you're going to paint anyway, be sure to polish out any globs to prevent bumps. If your spindles are white withal, tape around them to avoid getting stain on them.
If your stairs have rug, cover with record too.
Await carefully at the stain in direct sunlight to see if some areas needed another coat.
H2o based Peak Coat dries faster, doesn't aroma equally potent, and gives a nice satin shiny finish. Continue in mind, the more than layers you employ, the glossier it will appear.

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Looking for more house projects???

Cheque out how I used the same method to Stain Our Oak Bathroom Cabinets…

DIY Board and Batten……ahhhh, I love this stuff!

Turn a naked window into a beautiful one……..by Trimming Out Your Windows.

. . . . .

Something else a piffling fun for you……check out this quick video!!

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How to stain/paint an oak banister (the shortcut method…no sanding needed!)