Refinish Wood Stairs without Sanding – Make Your Stairs Look Brand New

When left unattended for a long time, wood stairs can leave big, blotchy marks that are extremely unpleasant to the eye. Some people paint their staircases in different colors, which also tend to leave a mark behind. If you have recently come across a staircase with ugly blotches, don’t worry. You don’t have to strip and sand the surface of the wood to get rid of them. We have the perfect solution for you to refinish wood stairs without sanding or stripping. Let’s dive into the process.

How to Refinish Wood Stairs without Sanding – The Process

Staining the stained surface of the wood usually requires stripping the entire surface then covering it with tons of coats of sand. The process of sanding is to ensure that the paint stays on for long. However, if you want to refinish wood stairs without sanding, here’s what you need to do!

Step No. 1 – Cleaning the Surface

The first step when you’re looking to refinish wood stairs without sanding is cleaning the surface of the piece of furniture or staircase you plan on staining. This is a fairly easy step if you have a suitable wood cleaner. All you need to do is spray some on the surface and wipe it clean with a dry cloth. The cleaner will tackle the accumulated dust or dirt if used correctly. Make sure to dab the surface dry once you’ve thoroughly cleaned it.

Step No. 2 – A Little Sanding Never Hurts Anyone!

Now, we know the title of the article says “Refinish Wood Stair Without Sanding,” but even then, we recommend light scuffing of sandpaper as it helps the paint stick to the stairs. However, you don’t need to sand the surface over and over again as you would with any other method. Here, you can use medium-grit sandpaper and lightly scrape the surface once.

Step No. 3 – Dabbing the Surface Clean – Once Again!

You might think that the dust particles are all gone by now; however, they’re likely still there. Therefore, you should dab the surface clean one more time. This step will help ensure that the surface of your wooden stairs is as clean as possible, and the finish will be remarkable.

Use a damp piece of cloth followed by a cloth before the final stain to ensure thorough cleaning of the wood.

Step No. 4 – Taping the Sides of the Staircase

To refinish wood stairs without sanding, you need to cover the stair treads with the final touch. However, before that, you need to cover all the areas you don’t want to get the paint on. This includes the sides of the stairs and risers as well.

No matter how careful you are, you will inevitably get splashes of paint on the sides of the stairs. Therefore, you should use painter’s tape to make sure that the paint doesn’t stray from the stair treads. Even if it does, it will be easier for you clean if you have the painter’s tape on.

Step No. 5 – Applying the Stains

Now is the time to finally refinish wood stairs without sanding. To initiate this process, you need the following items:

• Stain and finishing oil in the color of your choice
• Lint-free rag or an applicator pad
• Foam Brush
• Plastic spoon or a stir stick

Get your hands on the stain and finishing oil and give it a spin with the help of a stirring stick. Refrain from shaking the bottle and make sure that there are no bubbles. Otherwise, the staining finish won’t stick as well as you hope.

Now apply the stain onto the surface of the wood using a foam brush. Move the brush in the direction of the grain and make sure to cover all the bases. You can use a lint-free rag to attain the stain as opaque as you want. If you want a darker stain, leave it on for a while before removing it with a lint-free rag. The longer the wait, the darker the shade.

Step No. 6 – Let It Sit for a While

Once you have covered all the stairs, analyze your work and decide if you want the stain to be darker. If so, then you can use another coat of stain and finishing oil. Two to three coats should suffice, depending on how dark you want your stairs to be. Ensure you get a stain and finishing oil with a sealant that does not need a protection layer.

When you are satisfied with the process of refinishing wood stairs without sanding, it is time to let your stairs dry. Take off the painter’s tape from the sides of the stairs and let them sit for a while. Refrain from using the staircase at least for a day.

Final Word

Refinishing the wood stairs is a relatively easy process that requires a good eye for a stain and finishing oil, and you are good to go. You do not need coats and coats of sanding to conclude this process. Instead, you can refinish wood stairs without sanding using the techniques mentioned above.