How do you sand a stair tread?

Steps to Refinishing Your Stair Treads:

  1. Sand. Start by sanding down the treads to bare wood with the 80 grit sandpaper. …
  2. Clean. Vacuum between passes, then wipe down the treads with a tack cloth. …
  3. Sand again. …
  4. Clean again. …
  5. Treat the wood. …
  6. Stain the treads. …
  7. Apply the Finish. …
  8. Sand, then repeat two more times.





What is the best grit for sanding stairs?

How to Sand a Wood Staircase

  1. Use 60-grit sandpaper on a circular floor sander to remove the initial finish from the center of the wooden stair. …
  2. Sand the outer portions of the stairs and the rise of each step with a small, orbital hand sander using 60-grit sandpaper.

Do I need to sand stair treads before staining?

It is really important to sand stairs with a fine grit sandpaper prior to staining.

What to use for sanding stairs?

Youtube quote:So here's where the paint scraper comes in handy we have some paint buildup on the inside edge of our stairs.

What kind of sander Do I need to sand stairs?





A “hand-held random orbital” is the best hand-held power sander for hardwood stairs because it minimizes the risk of cross-grain sanding scratches. A flat sanding disk spins rapidly while the entire head of the sander revolves. Hold on tight, when you turn the sander on – you’ll feel the circular revolution motion.

How do you remove old stair treads?

Youtube quote:And cut them with a long metal cutting blade. So the first thing I want to do is I want to pry this tread up just a little bit to get the blade in it.

Do you have to sand risers before painting?

Sanding. The purpose of sanding the risers is to remove any existing paint or stain and prep the risers to receive the new paint. Painting will roughen the riser. When finished, use a good primer to fill and bind the small but noticeable irregularities in the riser.

Should I paint the risers or stain the threads first?

Once the stairs are ready, it’s best to start by painting the risers. That way, you can remove any paint you get on the treads before staining them; and painted risers are relatively easy to protect from stain. Choose semigloss or gloss paint — both are easier to keep clean than flat paint.

How do you fix scratches on wooden stairs?



How to Fill Scratches on Stairs

  1. Clean the scratched area with paint thinner or turpentine, using a soft cloth. …
  2. Fill deep scratches with wax or lacquer sticks that match the color of the wood. …
  3. Apply paste wax to 0000 steel wool to buff away smaller scratches.

Do I need to sand stairs before painting?

You’ll need to sand the stairs. If there is old paint or the surface is a bit rough, you’ll need an 80-grit sandpaper first of all, followed by a fine sandpaper around 240 grit to smooth it ready for painting. A random orbit sander will make this job much easier.

How do I choose sandpaper?

The lower the number, the coarser the grit; and the higher the number, the finer the sandpaper. Since coarse sandpaper leaves deeper scratches, start with the finest sandpaper that will tackle the project easily and work your way up to finer grits.

Is it better to stain or paint stairs?



Stains are generally more durable than paint, and lighter tread paints may begin showing scuffs and marks before stains or darker paints. Painting over dated, stained wood on spindles, risers, and handrails is one of the most cost-effective ways of transforming your staircase or stairwell.

Is it OK to paint stairs white?

The best and most widely used paint for stairs is a Semi-Gloss paint. Semi-gloss paints dry to a harder finish and have enough of a gloss they can be easily cleaned. What is this? Then I MUST recommend Valspar Signature Paint in Semi-Gloss at Lowe’s, if you are painting the risers white.

Should I paint wood stairs?

Upkeep. While prepping your stairs and using a high-quality floor and porch paint will help keep your stairs looking nice, nicks and general wear and tear are more noticeable than on hardwood and you’ll have to touch them up occasionally.

Do you stain stair treads before or after installation?

Staining and varnishing hardwood treads prior to installation is recommended, especially in this case where we have stone or tile risers. We purchased 11.5-in x 48-in unfinished red oak stair treads from Lowes for about $30 each. Treads should be laid out, sanded if needed, and cleaned prior to applying stain.

Do you need to sand between stain and polyurethane?



You don’t need to sand after staining before applying polyurethane. You only need to allow enough time for the stain to dry before applying polyurethane. But, if you are a perfectionist, you can feather sand the surface using super fine-grit sandpaper(400-500).

Do treads or risers go on first?

When installing stairs, install the riser first, and then the tread. Start at the bottom of the stairs and work your way up, alternating risers and treads. The back of each tread will sit flush against the riser. Treads and risers fasten with construction adhesive to the subfloor.

Should you nail or screw stair treads?

Don’t fasten treads and or risers with only nails or staples. The adhesive is much more important than the fasteners. There will be times when fastening may be limited, so a good adhesive is critical.

Is Liquid Nails good for stair treads?

We no longer recommend using Liquid Nails® brand products. Because Liquid Nails’ products are labeled very similarly and packaging can vary between location and retailer, we strongly discourage the use of any other brand of adhesive, including Liquid Nails, for your stair installation.

Do you caulk between treads and risers?



If the gaps are not too severe, consider using colored caulk to cover them. This type of repair has one advantage: It’s pliable enough to move with the steps. If the treads and risers continue to move, the caulking will move with it. It can also help to deaden squeaks and creaking noises.