Tired of the look of your stair railings and banister? Learn how to paint stair rails and balusters for an inexpensive upgrade and professional results that can update your home's aesthetic and add significant value.
When we installed new hardwood floors, I was shocked at the price of replacing the balusters, railings, and steps. $200 per step and the railings would add several thousand dollars to our project.
That was pretty far outside my budget, so a $50 can of paint looked mighty enticing. Since we have built and stained staircases, painted several high-traffic bathroom cabinets, and are experts at painting makeovers, I knew that painting railings and balusters would be fairly easy.
Even several years later, they look almost brand new. This project is a little different from painting furniture, so I have included a printable tutorial (with photos) at the bottom of this post or read on to get all our tips and tricks!
Recommended Materials and Supplies
Over years of remodeling homes, I have developed my no-fail list of products for painting tricky surfaces:
- TSP or Degreaser
- Orbital Palm Sander with 120 or 220-grit sandpaper
- Sanding blocks – I like the ones with the angled edge.
- Stainblocking Primer – I have used many brands, but Premium or Adhesion is my never-failed-me-ever primer.
- Fine Paintbrushes – A fine furniture paintbrush will give you the best finish.
- Clean, dry lint-free rags
- Wood Filler – Only for imperfections or filling old hardware
- Paint
- Stir Sticks
Paint Recommendations
My go-to paint for handrails is Benjamin Moore Advance. There are some other paints that I would use, however, they are either more expensive (Sherwin Williams Emerald Line and Benjamin Moore Grand Entrance), have mixed reviews even if I haven’t had a problem (Behr Cabinet Paint), or have limited colors (Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations).
Read More>>>> Our thoroughly tested guide to The Best Paint for Furniture.
Pros of these types of paints:
- Durable finish that will last!
- Does not need a topcoat for durability.
- Smooth self-leveling paint.
- Easy to wipe and keep clean (satin or semi-gloss finish)
For this particular project, I used the pre-mixed Advance paint. A quart was more than enough for all of our stair railings. Closeup of Satin Black in Benjamin Moore Advance to show finish:
Pro Tip: Stair banisters are high-traffic areas. They will be touched, leaned on, and perhaps a child, like mine, will treat them as a jungle gym. Therefore, I recommend hard enamel-type paint in a satin or semi-gloss finish. Flat or matte paints are generally more likely to blemish and can be harder to clean.
Do I need to sand before painting stair railings?
Handrails NEED to be as durable as possible. I recommend that the rails and balusters be sanded to achieve a proper bond. Hand sanding all of this is certainly the worst part of the job, but you really just need to “rough up” the surface.
Tips for sanding stair banisters:
- There is no need to remove all of the previous varnish and stain. Just remove the glossy finish.
- Use 120-grit sandpaper or 80-grit sanding sponges.
- Flat surfaces can be sanded with an orbital sander to make it faster and easier.
- Sand in the direction of the grain, where possible, not across it.
- I usually sand the handrail where people grab the most a little extra.
Does wood need to be primed before painting?
Paint plus primer is useless. I recommend a high-quality stain-blocking primer if you have ANY of the following situations:
- Painting unfinished or raw wood.
- Almost any paint except Chalk paint, Fusion Mineral Paint, or Benjamin Moore Advance (but only if none of the other reasons in this list are present)
- Painting over dark surfaces (i.e. navy or black) with a light or white color.
- Bad stains like deeply embedded oil or markers.
- Rails with knots in the wood such as knotty pine. <- This is uncommon.
However, 1 coat of primer is all you need for good coverage and sealing. After using many, many primers, this series of Kilz is my never-fail go-to primer.
Tips for the Best Paint Finish
- The best paint for painting railings, in my experience, is Benjamin Moore Advance. Unless you have raw wood, it doesn’t require priming! It levels beautifully without brush strokes.
- These are my Favorite Brushes that are soft and don’t leave brush strokes. You can get smaller ones like these paint brushes at Michael’s craft store for under $10.
- Use a one-inch brush to paint details. This makes the paint even, stroke-free, and less likely to drip than a larger brush.
- Sand and paint in the direction of the grain.
- Always tape off areas you don’t want to paint. It’s faster, easier, and looks much more professional no matter how steady the hand.
More Easy Home Improvement Ideas
- How To Paint Wood Furniture
- How to Paint Concrete
- How to Get Beautiful Baseboards
- Easy Kitchen Upgrade with Peel and Stick Tile
- How To Install Wainscoting
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything should be cleaned thoroughly with a degreaser that won’t leave a film. teaspoon works very well, but other readily available cleaners work just as well. Use a microfiber or lint-free rag to remove any dirt, debris, and grime. Tack cloths are ok, but they sometimes leave a film behind.
My go-to paint for handrails is Benjamin Moore Advance. There are some other paints listed in the article that I would use. The most durable paints will be a satin or high-gloss sheen. Do not use flat paint like chalk paint (unless you use a protective topcoat like polyurethane) on a high-traffic piece such as a kitchen table or stair railings.
You can paint or stain a stair railing with durable results if you use a durable topcoat like polyurethane.
Because stair railings are one of the most touched surfaces in a home, it is highly recommended to sand first.
In my experience, BM advance does cure pretty fast. In the dead of winter (low humidity), the Benjamin Moore paint cured in only a few days. However, don’t depend on those results. I pleaded with everyone in the house not to touch the railings for a week until I was sure they would be able to withstand it. True cure time can take up to a month or more if you live in a high-humidity region.
It is too much work to pull out and reinstall stair rails and balusters, so I paint them with a brush. This is why I recommend a good-quality brush to minimize strokes. I detached the single handrail on the right wall because it was rather simple.
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How To Paint Stair Railings and Banister
Tools
- Paint Brush
Supplies
- 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
- 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.
Nicole says
Hi! Getting ready for this project.
Any tips on covering and prepping the carpet. That’s my biggest worry to not ruin or spill on the carpet stairs. Thank you!!
Rachel says
I used painters tape on the carpet edges and newspaper or construction (brown) paper coverings for things like spraying walls.
heather green says
HI Rachel do you need to seal it with a top coat?
Rachel says
Nope, not really. For this particular project, as long as the bannister is prepped well and the paint bonds well, the paint that I used is very durable and well sealed on it’s own.
Kimberly says
How did you deal with painting the underside of the railing? Was it hard to keep it from dripping? Was it hard to keep it off of the rungs? I can see the underside of my railings. I would have to paint them.
Rachel says
I taped around the balusters when I painted near them.
Kimberly Garvey says
But was it hard to keep it from dripping when you painted underneath? Thanks for your response.
Rachel says
Not really. The paint I used is generally thick, but I was also careful and didn’t glob it on the brush.
Kimberly says
Thanks for your instructions and advice. I just finished the stairs and they look AMAZING! You were right on about the kind of paint to buy, And no it didn’t drip while painting the underneath part. It didn’t drip much at all.
Collette says
Thank you for inspiring me. I followed your recommendations exactly and love my progress so far!
Jessica says
Hi, This looks beautiful! Can you please share what the Benjamin Moore black paint color is that you used? Was it black beauty? Thank you!
Rachel says
Great question! My particular store had pints of pre-tinted black, which is what I used. I don’t believe that it was tinted with any particular color, because the can just says black on it.
Sandy says
Hi Rachel – Thank you for the tips. I am wondering if the Benjamin Moore Advance Black paint that you used was Satin or Semi-gloss.
Rachel says
Hi Sandy, good question. The Advance was a Satin.
Melissa says
Beautiful! I started this project but I think messed up as it doesn’t look “perfect”. I’ll have to do it all over again. What kind of white did you use for the spindles? And did you have to use painters tape to tape near the corners/details so the paint doesn’t spill over?
Rachel says
Oh, I am so sorry that your project did not turn out how you wanted. Since I painted mine in two tone, I painted the white first and although I was careful, I didn’t tape around them. When it came to the black, I did tape around the walls and also the bottom and top of the spindles to prevent oopsies. I just used bright white from Benjamin Moore Advance. I hope you find the look you are wanting! The biggest tip I have is using a good brush and thin coats.
Kim says
I used a black onyx satin on my rail and love it.
I did prime as it was new wood then used 2 coats of paint.
Though I did notice looks like someone may have bumped something hard into it and have to repaint a tiny spot. Thinking of putting a hard clear coat on top but am reading many of them yellow over time. Did you use a top coat or is no one hitting things against your rail 😊
Mine is a short set of stairs and its the cap I painted. Like on top of a very short wall.
Rachel says
I feel like no paint is truly boy-proof, but durability is super important to me in my home of rowdy boys/dogs/DIY. I painted this 3 years ago now, and I have 1 small scratch ( probably from metal hangers). However, this is one of many paint projects from myself and clients, and I have put a poly coat over BM Advance as well. If I do use a poly, I usually spray 2-3 thin coats or brush only one. There are a lot of misconceptions about polyeurethane vs polycrylic, yellowing, etc. You can see more about what paints I use and whether a top coat is needed here: https://www.cravingsomecreativity.com/best-paints-for-furniture-painting/ and here is my absolute favorite poly topcoats (most guaranteed not to yellow ever)
Lindi says
Hi there! Just wondering if you used a polyurethane top coat and if so, how many coats?
Thanks!
Rachel says
Many of the paints that I used are formulated to be durable without a top coat. If I do use a poly, I usually spray 2-3 thin coats or brush only one. You can see more about what paints I use and best topcoats for painted furniture here.
Susan says
The handrail attached to the wall, did you remove it or pain it attached to the wall?
Rachel says
We did remove the handrail on the back wall to paint it. It was impossible to get around every side smoothly without removing it. I painted it in the garage on two sawhorses.
Patti says
What brushes did you use?
Rachel says
The benjamin Moore paint that I used is excellent at self leveling. Generally speaking, my favorite brushes are these taklon ones. They are soft and flexible and most importantly, inexpensive. I buy them at the craft store like Michaels or Joanns, and they are a lot less than on Amazon. You can also get wider ones generally for painting. I also have this very nice brush, but I wouldn’t recommend something that expensive unless you have lots of projects. A Staalmeester is wonderful lifetime-quality brush.
CA says
So I’m about to tackle the same project on my identical staircase. How is it holding up now a year later? Why did you decide to paint blank instead of stain? Ty!!
Rachel says
It has been almost 2 years now and it is holding up excellent! It’s actually perfect except one white swipe I have on it. Whatever it was didn’t scratch the paint on the railings, it seems to have transferred paint from something else. The main reason I painted rather than staining at the time is because I didn’t want to sand as much, especially since everything was done in place. These railings have almost no flat areas so it was all done by hand. With paint, I only needed to scuff the surface rather than stripping or sanding down to prep for stain. Strippers also generally have a lot of fumes which would work against doing them in place. However, we have to rebuild an upstairs railing in the future so I have considered taking the entire banister out and staining it to match the floors then.
Barbara says
I have one that goes horizontal that is on a small step up in our den. I want to update it and redo it with something else. Any ideas?
Rachel says
Hi Barbara! Many readers send me photos of their projects for ideas so that I can get a real sense of what direction they want to go. It would be hard to know what would work for your particular situation, but feel free to email me at Rachel@cravingsomecreativity.com and maybe I can generate some ideas. I am actually remodeling two sets of stairs this summer for my parent’s house so I have been deep in looking at all kinds of stairwell and step ideas. Hope I can help!
Joni says
I am getting ready to paint my banister and know from experience how hard it is to keep people from touching it while it dries and cures. Including myself. Do you have any tips or ideas on how to visually remind everyone to not touch it? I would like to put three coats of polyurethane on so it needs to be hands off for quite awhile.
Rachel says
Great question! I will say that paint and poly definitely dry and cure faster in low humidity conditions, like the middle of winter. Summer curing noticeably takes longer, but after a few days, light touching shouldn’t be a problem either way. For example, I left my cabinet doors open for about a month after poly to avoid surface to surface contact, but we used them as normal. However, I understand that several coats takes a while to apply, so you are definitely right that it would take a while. Unfortunately, I don’t have any great ideas on a physical reminder, outside of a wet paint! sign. However, you could add the polyeurethane by section if you have a large bannister. For example, do all 3 coats of the handrail (the area most likely to be touched) at the same time to keep the amount of “open time” to a minimum, then go back and do the parts that are less likely to be touched (such as the ballusters).
tiffany says
Beautfiul! Do you know what color your WALL paint is?
Rachel says
Thank you so much! If you are referring to the wall on the stairwells, that is Oatlands Subtle Taupe at Lowes. Most of my house is painted with that and Asiago. The blue color on the dining room wall is Aquatic Edge, also from Lowes.
Pat says
Looks beautiful, about to paint mine the same. What sheen did you use for the wall paint in the stairwell?
Rachel says
I am a big fan of eggshell for interiors. It’s enough sheen to make it more durable than a matte usually is, and you can wash any marks off easily. But it isn’t shiny like a satin or semi-gloss. It also hides imperfections pretty well.
Lacey says
I love this! What color black did you use fro BM?
Rachel says
I am not actually sure that it has a name as it would be difficult to mix a pure black. They didn’t mix it in store for me, so I think it was just Advance Satin Black and White. Hope that helps!
Ginger says
Thank you so much for this idea of the two tone. My stairway looks exactly like your before. I also had new hardwood grey floors put in an luckily my son is in the trades so “no labor”!! But painting is my job, he refused to paint!!! So I’m in the process of painting the bookcase shelves on each side of the fireplace in living room and window frames and stairway is next. A lot of work but seeing the change from the old fashioned wood color to white changes the whole room!!! I’ve been working on this project for three months (from working full time to getting a new grandson in the same time frame) it feels like it is taking forever but perfection takes time lol.
Rachel says
Oh you are so right about perfection taking time! I’ve been renovation for a long time now, but I can remember in the beginning stages I was catching myself thinking that it would be like all those tv shows and done in an hour! I just laugh at those thoughts now. And you are very lucky to have a wonderful family that will throw in some free labor for projects! I bet your project looks amazing and what a big transformation.
Offrs says
I seriously can’t believe what you accomplished in this room! You completely transformed it, and I am SO impressed!!
Rachel says
Thank you!