Wooden stairs can get damaged due to termites, cracks, rotting of wood, or even by just regular wear and tear. Fixing your wooden stairs is a major task, which needs to be done carefully and with the proper knowledge, for that you need the best equipment like the best sanders for wood. Faulty stairs can result in squeaking, loose steps, wobbly rails and other such issues that might take further intervention to be fixed.
Whether your staircase is showing signs of wear and tear, the carpet is worn out, or if you’re just up doing a complete renovation of your house, here are the basic steps to carry out while renovation your wooden stairs.
Removing the Carpet
If you have a carpet or rug runner on your staircase, the first step of renovation would be to remove this. At the topmost stair, look for the edge of the carpet. Carefully yank it away from the stair and continue pulling it as you go down each stair.
This can be a tricky task so be careful to not lose your balance by ripping the carpet just underneath you. To make things easier, you can use a box cutter to cut off portions of the ripped carpet, so that you have lesser carpet to hold on to as you do this.
Removing Carpet Staples and Flattening Raised Nails
After the carpet is removed, examine each step for carpet staples or raised nails. Remove every single carpet staple and hammer down all the nails so that you are left without any protrusions on the staircase.
Removing Varnish or Paint
If there is any paint or varnish applied to the wood, your next task is to remove this. There could be multiple layers too, so this can take a long, long time.
There are special varnish and paint removers that you could use to remove the varnish or paint layers on your stairs. Alternatively, you can also use a heat gun to heat the layers which can then be scraped off easily.
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Sanding and Replacing Damaged Parts
Next, use a sander and sand each tread and riser to get a smooth surface. Start with 80 grit sandpaper and work your way up to 120 grit to achieve the smoothest finish. During this process, you can identify any damaged wood that needs to be replaced.
Once the sanding is done, replace any wood that has been damaged due to cracks, termites or water.
Applying Paint or Varnish
Finally, you can finish off your renovation project by painting or varnishing the wood. Use appropriate wood paint or varnish that is long lasting and can protect your wooden staircase. Before painting, use a primer to prep the wood.
To Sum Up
Once you complete all these steps successfully, your stairs are now almost brand new! Take care of these by cleaning the staircase and oiling the wood regularly.
Also, you could consider adding a carpet or a rug runner to further protect your stairs. Your renovated staircase should now hold up to further wear and tear for years to come.
