How To Paint Stair Railings and Banister
Tired of the look of your stair railings and banister? Learn how to paint stair rails and balusters for an inexpensive upgrade to your home’s aesthetic that also adds significant value when done well.
Yield: 1 railing
Cost: $90
Equipment
- Paint Brush
Materials
- TSP or Degreaser
- Sand paper 120 grit for taking finish off, 220 for smoothing
- Sanding Blocks 80 or 120 grit
- Wood Filler Only for imperfections or filling old hardware
- Painter's tape
- Lint-free Microfiber rollers
- Paint trays
- Stainblocking Primer
- Paint
- Protective Top Coat
Instructions
- Clean surface thoroughly with a degreaser that won't leave a film. Tri-Sodium Phosphate works well, as do most commercially available cleaners. Repair scratches with wood filler.
- Sand any glossy varnish or coating off. Sand a little extra on the hand rail, but otherwise you do not need to sand every bit of previous stain or paint off if it is in good condition. Use an orbital sander with 120 grit on all flat surfaces to make this much easier. Spindles will need to be hand sanded with 80 grit sponge or 120 grit sandpaper. Vacuum and wipe all dust off of the panels before priming.
- Tape around surfaces to prevent paint spilling.
- If painting white or light colors, prime the railings with a quality primer. Kilz Premium (not original) is my no-fail primer. 1 coat of primer is sufficient. Allow to dry 24-48 hours.
- Brush 2 coats of paint for full coverage. Brush with the grain and always from one end to the other. If paint starts to dry, don't go back over it.
Notes
The Best Paint for Bannisters
Benjamin Moore Advance (my #1), Sherwin Williams Emerald Line, Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations
Guide to Cleaning Stair Bannisters for Painting
- Knots - use a shellac based primer
- Gooey stuff/adhesive - I like Goo Gone for gooey messes, but make sure to clean off with a degreaser afterwards to remove any residue.
- Grease stains - clean with a good degreaser like Simple Green to break up what you can.
- Permanent Marker/food coloring/other - Clean as best you can and then prime at least two coats.
- Get the right tools. A few extra dollars will save you a lot of heartache and frustration. I have a helpful post on painting without brush strokes here. I prefer fine taklon brushes.
- Tape off any edges you don’t want painted such as connectors to the wall.
