Timber Stairs - Polishing and Staining
- Thread starter Wise1InOz
- Start date
Day for sanding, day each for varnishing (4 days plus materials). Do it yourself unless you've got money to burn and you might just learn something.
Tempting as it is, I'd rather not. Neither have the time nor the inclination at the moment to learn sanding and polishing.
I recently did a small timber staircase that was carpeted. I spent 1 day at least removing staples - there were thousands of them!! 
Some staples broke which made the job even harder. Removing them with multigrips and pliers made some blisters on my soft white hands too.
A light sand with some sandpaper and 2 coats of a water based Cabots: http://cabots.com.au/product-detail/1444/cfp-floor-water-based and it still looks great.
I'd estimate 2 days all up for my job, but they did not need much sanding and the timber under the carpet was in excellent condition.
Some staples broke which made the job even harder. Removing them with multigrips and pliers made some blisters on my soft white hands too.A light sand with some sandpaper and 2 coats of a water based Cabots: http://cabots.com.au/product-detail/1444/cfp-floor-water-based and it still looks great.
I'd estimate 2 days all up for my job, but they did not need much sanding and the timber under the carpet was in excellent condition.
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Thanks so much for that Propertunity. There are no staples, as the carpet has already been removed. Problem is I need a stain that will match the floor.
Could I take a small sample of the floor timber and get the paint shop to prepare the stain for me? I could then ask our painter (or hubby) to do the stairs.
Could I take a small sample of the floor timber and get the paint shop to prepare the stain for me? I could then ask our painter (or hubby) to do the stairs.
I don't see why not. They colour match paint with their computerised thingy, but I'm not sure if it can do timber-stains the same way? Worth asking them, I think.
That would be a job for a floor sander.
Generally stairs are quoted at around $100 per stair. The complication (particularly if they have been coated before) is to get matching colour in the sanded boards. This proves problematic in the risers and in the number of corners. ( A standard room might have around 6-8 corners, whereas a set of 14 stairs will have over 50 corners - more if the step protrudes over the riser).
I dont know know many sanders who enjoy doing stairs.
Generally stairs are quoted at around $100 per stair. The complication (particularly if they have been coated before) is to get matching colour in the sanded boards. This proves problematic in the risers and in the number of corners. ( A standard room might have around 6-8 corners, whereas a set of 14 stairs will have over 50 corners - more if the step protrudes over the riser).
I dont know know many sanders who enjoy doing stairs.
If you are going to diy, watch out for all the fine dust which will take days to settle.
Ohhh yes!!!!
Damn fine dust gets into every little crevice, nook and cranny within a 50m radius (or so it seems
) Make sure you block neighbouring doors, pin up sheets/drop cloths over gaps/spaces and fittings and be prepared to clean afterwards. Even with sanding machines catching dust it still gets out.... trust me on this Not a job I'd now do myself, though 10-15 yrs ago I would have tackled it (getting lazy in my slothful old age
) Have fun!That would be a job for a floor sander.
Generally stairs are quoted at around $100 per stair. The complication (particularly if they have been coated before) is to get matching colour in the sanded boards. This proves problematic in the risers and in the number of corners. ( A standard room might have around 6-8 corners, whereas a set of 14 stairs will have over 50 corners - more if the step protrudes over the riser).
I dont know know many sanders who enjoy doing stairs.
no most of us floor sanders dont like stairs at all
$100 a step for staining of an old staircase is probably about right maybe more, it does depend a bit on how "old" the staircase is. a LOT of work goes into sanding stairs let alone colour matching them with stain. matching stain to existing flooring is also an artform in itself as there is no way to know what brand/colour of stain was used on the floor so its all guesswork to get the colour right unless you are somehow familiar with the previous job. you might find a lot of sanders would probably price themselves out of the job just so they dont have to do it.
