Stained Stairwell

Let me start by saying this is the ONE thing that I have always despised about my home.  This stairway is not what I envision when I close my eyes.   I would personally love to have wrought iron spindles!  But you have to make the best with what you have…….

As you can see in the before photograph the stairs are just your boring basic oak staircase, and if you look at the top railing on second floor, you can see where I started to paint the spindles white TWO YEARS AGO!!!  If anyone has tackled painting a stairway before knows that it’s a lot of work.  You are constantly going back and forth from side-to-side to make sure you don’t have any runs.  I decided to wait on the paint fairy to come and finish them…..

When I had the painters here in June, I asked if they could SPRAY paint the spindles with the trim paint.  Now the painter was reluctant and even tried to talk me into painting out the entire thing- rails, spindles, and newel post.   Trust me, I understand dude!! It’s a lot of work!  But I held my ground and insisted on only painting the spindles white.

I went to the hardware store and was planning on picking up a dark mahogany or walnut stain, however, out of the corner of my eye I spotted a little can of stain labeled “Ebony”.  In a split second I knew this what I wanted.  What’s more classic than black and white?!?!?

By the time I got home I was doubting myself!  Ebony???? (I bet you never have that happen)

But I went for it!!

Before I could get half way up the stairs with the stain, the kids were saying how great it was looking!  Love that!!  You know when you are working so close to a project that you can’t really tell how it’s coming out until you step back???  Well, it was really great that all the kiddos (neighbor kids included) reaffirmed my decision about the “EBONY” stain.   Even if everyone but one kid ended up touching the wet stain!!!  

In the end I could have just painted the newel post and handrail with black paint but I really do love the look of the stain.   It’s a nice warm black and it still allows the grain of the wood to show through.

It did take some time to do this.  I spent a few hours degreasing all the icky sticky ooey gooey yuck that has accumulated over 10 years from little dirty fingers running up and down,  another few hours sanding off the old polyurethane, and a good afternoon on the first coat.  I did add a second coat because I didn’t think it looked even in spots.   I have never used a wood conditioner and I read that it’s suppose to help with making stain apply more evenly.  Has anyone ever used a conditioner for wood before and would you be willing to share your experience?

OH OH OH~  I made a discovery!  A magic eraser works wonders for picking up stain spills and splatters on walls, trim, and floors!!!  Ask me how I know.  I went through 4 magic erasers!!

Now to pull up that carpet……