How and how to paint a wooden staircase: an overview of methods and means

You can protect the wood and give the stairs in the house a well-groomed look by painting, varnishing, impregnation or oil - but it is important to choose the correct composition, as well as in accordance with the technology do the job.

Why wood?

Wood, solid or glued, is often the choice for staircases in the home. The material can be given different shapes and interesting designs, taking into account the peculiarities of the architecture. Other advantages of the solution are considered aesthetics and environmental friendliness. The tree looks elegant, solid and has a natural charm. Products made from it do not emit toxins and are safe for the health of the inhabitants of the house.

But in the absence of processing or improper finishing, the tree becomes short-lived and loses its aesthetics. Its structure begins to deteriorate - the steps and frame will soon require repair and sometimes replacement.

This is due to the loads that the staircase is subjected to throughout the year: temperature and level changes humidity, exposure to sunlight - staircase elements dry out, crack, wear off and deformed. The formation of mold and mildew is also possible.

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The spans, handrails and the middle of the steps wear out the most, since the inhabitants of the house use them more intensively. By the way, according to statistics, it is women who go down and go up the stairs more often (I forgot my purse, I need to change clothes, household chores, etc.). And the children do not lag behind - they run up and down, play.

When to paint the stairs

It is most convenient to process and paint the stairs before installation, in disassembled form - it is easier to cover the back side, ends, convergence points with the composition. If the structure is already assembled, it is not always convenient to handle hard-to-reach places. After painting, if possible, household members are better off leaving the house - until everything is completely dry. There is not always a place to live for two days.

Life hack!

Painters are advised to go for a little trick and paint over a step. The main thing is that the inhabitants of the house do not forget about it when going up or down the stairs. But the process itself is lengthening.
It is not recommended to paint in rainy weather, as the moisture content of this material should not exceed 16–20%. Otherwise, the paint and varnish composition will not be able to penetrate deeply into the wood. The optimum air humidity is at least 80% (if it is raining outside, the humidity in the house also rises).

In cold weather, you should also not be engaged in painting wooden elements, since the tree contains free moisture, which freezes in the cold - the paint, again, will not be able to penetrate deeply into the material. Very hot days are also not a suitable period, as drying too quickly is undesirable. The optimum temperature for painting is not higher than + 20 ° С and not lower than + 5 ° С.

Surface preparation

Cracks, irregularities, chips and other surface defects must be repaired with a special wood filler.

It is worth choosing the tone of the putty carefully so that the material does not stand out against the background of natural wood. The composition is applied in an even layer, and after it has completely hardened, it is sanded with sandpaper or cycles. Experienced craftsmen say that the final grinding is carried out a couple of days after the first cycle. Further, the surfaces are primed.

If there is mold, then first get rid of the fungus.

FORUMHOUSE participant Vladimir Ivanov:

"Ideally, when painting wood, it is better to first sand the surface to a minimum, then prime and then paint. Take either alkyd or acrylic paint, however, if you paint inside the house, I think acrylic is better - it is more durable and the painting is of better quality, and most importantly, it will not smell as much as when painted with alkyd. If you impregnate before that, then the paint consumption will be less, if you do not impregnate - it's okay, but when painting, some of the paint will be absorbed into the wood. "

Requirements for coloring agents

Location. If the staircase is inside the house, then materials that are suitable for interior work are accordingly selected - without strong odors, toxins. For exterior finishes, when the steps are in the open air, the compounds are designed for tougher use. It is worth paying attention to the location of the structure. And if the staircase is installed on the south side and is often illuminated by the sun, products with UV protection are needed.

Wood. What else should you pay attention to? The choice also depends on the type of wood. Coniferous wood tends to release resins that can seriously impair paint adhesion. The resin is removed with a natural solvent and thereafter does not create adhesion problems. By itself, such wood can absorb paints and varnishes unevenly. Therefore, pine is covered with several layers of material. Larch also absorbs varnishes and paints unevenly, but on floor coverings it will last much longer than pine.

Passability. If a large family lives in the house, and there is only one staircase, then the permeability is high. In this case, it makes sense to pay attention to products that provide high wear resistance - for example, to polyurethane base or acrylic-polyurethane base, such paints create a durable, wear-resistant coating.

Safety. When in the house there are children who usually take off up the stairs, you can cover the steps with an anti-slip compound. But modern materials are not very slippery anyway. Old varnishes - yes, they could slip easily.

Tools for painting

Lucky. They are widely used for processing internal wooden structures and are optimal for all staircase elements. There are colorless varnishes with a coloring pigment that slightly tints the main shade of the wood (sometimes stains are used before coating to change the color). Products can be acrylic, alkyd, oil, resin and polyurethane based.

Acrylics are safe, non-toxic, but do not withstand mechanical stress so well and are more suitable for ladders that are rarely used (for example, in the attic). That is, for rooms with a low operating load. Alkyd (based on alkyd resin) give the surface greater wear resistance and are used even in a damp room. But the material is mainly used outside the premises, since it is not environmentally friendly and has a strong unpleasant odor.

Another option is polyurethane varnishes. The materials have many advantages - they are resistant to temperature fluctuations, high humidity, mechanical damage. But the coating turns slightly yellow - after some time. For interior work, the best option for rooms with moderate operating stress will be polyurethane-acrylic varnishes - they do not have an unpleasant odor and create a durable, wear-resistant coating.

The products create a durable layer, transparent, glossy or matte, protecting from abrasion and decay, and also - emphasizing the natural beauty of the tree. Experience shows that gloss in places with increased stress is undesirable, as it wears out faster.

FORUMHOUSE member Dmitry Koltsov:

"Ladders, as a rule, are tinted with a warrior and filled with polyurethane varnish, the most wear-resistant paintwork materials, oil and water paints will not last long. The only thing is that there is another type of water-based varnish-SUV, this is usually a water-polyurethane system, also suitable for stairs. "

Paints. Sometimes the interior "requires" to paint the stairs in the desired color. For example, for the last 10 years, white or cream has been in fashion, giving freshness and modernity to the atmosphere. Sometimes it is necessary to completely close the texture of the material due to any defects - a layer of paint is well suited for this.

The palette is unusually wide - you can choose any shade from the catalog. The paint has a covering ability and "hides" the wooden surface. There are paints that create a homogeneous, opaque surface on the surface, but leave the relief of the wood.

For wooden stairs, alkyd or acrylic paints are usually chosen. Alkyd have an unpleasant odor, create a durable coating, but do not have sufficient elasticity. Acrylic paints do not have a strong unpleasant odor, have elasticity - and have good durability for use in rooms with low operating stress.

The best choice for rooms with moderate operating stress is polyurethane-acrylic paints - do not have an unpleasant smell and create a durable, resistant to mechanical stress, coating.

Impregnation. It is a protective coating with several properties - there are different formulations. Impregnations penetrate deeply into wood, dry very quickly, can have an antiseptic effect, impart water resistance, and protect from fading in the sun. Such products are used as paint (tinting impregnation) for stairs and to protect the material from harmful effects.

With the help of impregnations, you can emphasize the aesthetics of natural wood or add an interesting effect or shade. For example, tinted impregnations help to create an imitation of expensive wood. Typically, the compound is applied to a new wooden staircase to protect the element from moisture and fungus - and inexpensively. Impregnations usually cost a little. But such a coating will not hide surface defects like alkyd paint - and will require renewal every 3-5 years.

Oil. Suitable for wood processing: tar, teak, mineral, combined, etc. There are formulations with color additives (toning). FORUMHOUSE offers linen for stairs or tung oil, mixtures thereof, and - aquamil (emulsion based on vegetable oils). 100% natural oil without solvents and accelerators. A wide range of applications. Resistant to wet abrasion. Provides protection against UV radiation, mildew, mold and parasites. Protects wood from high temperatures. Safe when handling surfaces in contact with food.

Oils from FORUMHOUSE are environmentally friendly, protect from pests, biological damage, exposure to direct sunlight. By the way, not all oils protect against ultraviolet radiation. At the same time, the surface of the wood acquires a more saturated shade, it becomes more beautiful and brighter. Therefore, oils are classified as decorative and protective coatings. The peculiarity of the tool lies in deep penetration into the structure of the tree.

The oil protects it from drying out and cracking, controls the moisture content, makes the material more elastic - which helps to avoid damage. Oils are easy to restore.

Tung oil for wood FH-017 significantly increases the wear resistance of wood and, with tinting, can give the material a variety of shades, but it dries for a long time (does not contain accelerators).

Aquamil FKh-051 penetrates deeply even into heat-treated wood, prevents cracking, and dries faster. According to our user experience, linseed oil takes a long time to polymerize. By the way, he tasted tung oil FORUMHOUSE and shared impressions.

FORUMHOUSE JamMsk member:

"About" flax ", which may not polymerize for weeks or even months. "Tunga" dries for two or three or four days. It should be noted that the drying of oil is the process of its polymerization, and judging by the reviews, tung oil is conditionally polymerized "forever", but linseed oil can be washed out, that is, the process is reversible. I decided to make another sample (also on oak), to check how much Tung oil will dry completely - it seems to have dried up in 4 days. And yes, the drying time of the oil is highly dependent on temperature, humidity and air (oxygen) availability. And yet - rags (rags for sure) soaked in tung oil can ignite spontaneously, so it is advisable to put them in a non-combustible container (you can on a plate) before they dry. "

Conclusion - if it is planned to paint wooden products with (transparent) oil, and there is an opportunity to wait several days of their drying, then it is quite possible to use Tung oil instead of expensive brands FH-017. Another plus for him is that the open oil in the container does not deteriorate for a long time, since Biofa (and other expensive oils) very quickly becomes covered with a film. And it is also worth considering (I am already doing an experiment, I will unsubscribe about the result) "tungu" FH-017 as an option for covering kitchen countertops (in several layers, only it, without a finishing wax coating), it seems like it is resistant to hot objects coating.

Before you buy the desired paint product, try to make samples - to see how the tree will look like with one or another coating. Sometimes the tone is too dark, or vice versa - light.

How did you paint your staircase? Write in the comments!

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