STAIRS – Going Up In Style

There are elements in our homes, like stairs, which are a functional necessity but that doesn’t mean that they can’t be a stylish part of your design too.  Painting the stairs is not only a great way to add colour to an area of your home it’s also the perfect solution to refreshing a surface when refinishing is not in the budget.

Like with any project, preparation is a very important step.  Before painting, wash floors thoroughly with hot water and ammonia (I like to mix it 50/50) to get rid of any dirt, grime, or residue from floor cleaners then sand thoroughly to make sure your paint sticks well.  A high quality latex porch and patio paint is a great choice because it will dry relatively quickly with little smell and can be tinted to thousands of colours.

TIP:  You will probably need to get up the stairs at some point.  Try painting every other stair first.  While going up will be a work out at least the stairs will be functional.

Plan out your timeline carefully.  Depending on humidity and temperature, latex paint will take anywhere from 4-6 to dry enough to LIGHT foot traffic.  If this is a high traffic area, consider applying a clean water based sealer to the floors after the paint is fully dry (usually the next day).

Need ideas?  Check out creative Houzz finds below!