Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The stairs – done!

Overall, I think it turned out really well.

Before:

After:



My tips...

- Spend the extra $10 and buy the conditioner. This helps limit the blotchiness that can happen while staining.

- When staining and using the polyurethane – move quickly. Both these products change consistency quickly when they start to dry, making them more difficult to work with. Because of this, I felt more comfortable using a smaller brush, because I had more control of it – so I could be fast and not so sloppy.

- Second coats doesn't necessarily make things darker – time is the biggest factor. It's better to do 1 15-minute coat instead of 2 10-minute coats.

Projects for later...
- Paint the handrail
- Tear out the carpet in the hallway and stain away.

11 comments:

  1. I really like the wood/paint combo! They look great!

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  2. It looks great! I just happened upon your blog from Better After. I have plans for a similar treatment for our stairs...What color stain did you use? Thanks! Great job!

    Lara

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  3. Thanks! I used Minwax products, and the stain finish is provincial.

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  4. Your tips will come in really handy. Did you remove the steps when sanding and staining them, or just do it right there? I am trying to figure out how to do mine. Luckily, My steps have no carpet runner... they're just old and worn down.

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  5. Looks fantastic... awesome job... love the new look much better.

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  6. Wow, that is gorgeous!! Great job!

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  7. I found your blog off of the DIY showcase and I loved this project. Can you tell me what stain color you used? Love your blog... you have great taste!

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  8. Lindsey – Thank you so much! Here's a link to the products I used:

    http://decoratingobsessed.blogspot.com/2009/11/stairs-day-3.html

    The stain color is Provincial.

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  9. looks great! thanks for the inspiration!

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