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What Should You Paint Wooden Stairs With?
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Stairs Sowosz
Painting wooden stairs makes it possible to match them to the interior we live in and to give them a unique character. By changing the color, we can highlight our stairs or—on the contrary—blend them into their surroundings if we choose the same color for the stairs, floors, and walls.
Painting is also an important stage in the maintenance of wooden stairs. A properly applied layer of varnish is the best way to protect the surface of the stairs from damage. In the paragraphs below, you will learn what to paint stairs with so that they are not only beautiful but also functional.
What Should You Paint Wooden Stairs With?
In most homes, the staircase is a heavily used area. We probably don’t even think on a daily basis about how many times a day we go up and down our indoor stairs—especially if there are children living in the house. Painted wooden stairs should therefore be not only aesthetically pleasing but also resistant to abrasion. The layer we choose to apply to the treads can (and should!) provide additional surface protection for many years.
On the market for wood preservation and care products, you will find a wide range of options: from paints and varnishes, through stains, to oils and waxes. How not to get lost in all of this? What should you choose so that you don’t have to carry out a major renovation of the stairs after just a few years?
Here are the most important criteria worth considering when deciding what to paint wooden stairs with:
- The hardness of the wood from which the treads are made. In theory, softer species should be given effective protection against damage, and a product should be chosen that protects the treads from scratches or dents. In practice, regardless of the hardness of the wood, stairs benefit from a protective layer against dirt and moisture.
- The effect you want to achieve. What wooden stairs are painted with significantly affects their appearance. It’s worth considering whether you want a matte or glossy finish (or maybe semi-matte); a natural wood color or a specific shade; visible grain or a smooth, uniform tread surface, etc.
- Maintenance. Some stair-painting products require only standard care, i.e. regular cleaning. Others may require additional, systematic maintenance to retain their original appearance. Varnish is the least troublesome, while oils and waxes usually require the most effort.
- The possibility of future renovation. Think about whether you want to finish the stairs once for many years, or if you are someone who likes frequent interior changes and already knows that you’ll want to refresh the look of your stairs after a short time. In that case, choose products that are easier to sand down before applying a new layer.
- Drying time. If time is tight and quick completion is essential, the time after which the painted stairs can be used may be the decisive factor.
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What Should You Paint Spruce Stairs With?
At SOWOSZ, we offer stairs made of spruce wood, which combine natural beauty and durability while not straining our customers’ budgets as much as stairs made from harder wood species. In another article, we explain why spruce stairs do not differ in quality from others and what has earned them such a positive reception among our customers. Be sure to check out the article „What types of wood do we distinguish? Which wood should you choose for stairs?”
What should you use to paint spruce wooden stairs ordered from our store? As a manufacturer of wooden stairs with many years of experience, we strongly recommend a good-quality wood varnish that protects the treads from scratches, dirt, and moisture while emphasizing the natural beauty of the stairs. Let’s take a look at what else speaks in favor of choosing varnish.
Varnish for Painting Wooden Stairs
For customers who ask what to paint indoor wooden stairs with, we definitely recommend varnish. Of course, a high-quality wood varnish—not a dubious substitute from an unknown manufacturer. The greatest advantages of varnish are:
- hardness and resistance to abrasion—among the products available on the market, varnish protects stairs the most effectively;
- preservation and even enhancement of the natural wood grain;
- easy maintenance—regular cleaning is enough, with no need for additional care.
Although varnished stairs are often associated with a glossy finish, in reality you can choose between gloss, matte, and semi-matte. Stores also offer wood varnishes with additives that give the products additional properties, such as:
- pigmented varnishes—products that provide not only a protective coating but also a specific color;
- anti-slip varnishes—contain ingredients that increase grip, which is why they are particularly popular for painted wooden stairs;
- UV-protective varnishes—recommended if there is a window in the stairwell and sunlight entering through it could cause gradual color fading;
- self-hardening varnishes.
Paint for Wooden Stairs
An alternative to varnishing is painting wooden stairs with oil-based paint. High-quality wood paint is durable and relatively resistant to damage. However, it should be remembered that—unlike varnishing—covering the stair surface with paint conceals the wood grain and results in a uniform color.
The unquestionable advantage of paint is the wide range of shades available. You can have white, black, green, purple stairs—or any color you can imagine.
In addition to oil-based paints (the most durable among paints), acrylic and polyurethane wood paints are also available on the market.
When choosing paint for wooden stairs, it’s also worth checking whether it spreads easily, so that painting doesn’t turn into a chore—especially if you plan to do it yourself.
Wooden Stairs Painted White
White in interiors never really goes out of fashion. No wonder—its simplicity and elegance make it a perfect fit for both classic and modern homes and apartments. At the same time, it provides an excellent base for all other colors.
White-painted wooden stairs are very popular, as well as stairs where the tread remains in a classic wood color while the riser is white. What should you use to paint wooden stairs white? You can choose from:
- white wood paint—the most obvious and therefore quite common choice. Strong coverage can be an advantage if you want a uniform shade, or a disadvantage if you don’t want to lose the natural look of the wood. Paint is easy to refresh—there’s no problem with sanding down the layer and applying a new one;
- white opaque varnish—fully opaque varnishes with a high pigment content are available, as well as semi-transparent ones that preserve visible grain. A varnish layer withstands impacts better than paint, which is why families with small children often choose this option;
- white stain—used only for coloring; it penetrates the wood only superficially, so the stained layer must be additionally covered with a transparent varnish.
Whichever method of painting wooden stairs white you choose, it’s worth investing in high-quality products from reputable manufacturers. Well-known brands offer high product quality, and online you can find plenty of reviews from customers who have tested these products and can recommend them to others. Remember also to follow the instructions on the product packaging and to paint the stairs under optimal conditions—at the right temperature and humidity level.
