Expert: Eileen Cronk - 5/8/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi There,

we have a bleach oak railing with wood spindles. We would like to re-stain or paint in darker color to match with the dark hardwood we are getting on the stairs. What will be the process? And also if you can suggest the products too.

Much Appreciated.

Thanks,

Alka

ANSWER: Hi Alka
Nice to hear from you.
In order to stain your railing and spindles you must remove all existing finish with paint stripper.
Not recommended in this area but it can be done with lots of time and patience. But you must do a test first to see if you can get the finish off.
Some newer finishes cannot be removed with paint stripper.
These are lacquer finishes.
Lacquer thinner will often soften these finishes but its like water and there is just no way this would be possible with spindles.
If you paint, just a light sanding is all thats needed then a couple of coats of paint.
In this case I would not use primer.
I say that because you will need to apply two coats of your top coat and the primer coat is just adding more painting in a miserable area to work.
I do not usually like to suggest using a colored poly, but perhaps that would give you a darker stain and hopefully only a one coat process.
Here is a link.
http://www.minwax.com/products/one_step_stain_and_finishes/polyshades.cfm
Hope this helps and get back to me if needed.
Kind Regards
Eileen



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thank you so much Eileen. Just a follow up, can you suggest a paint stripper which would do the job. It is large railing and I am worried sanding it manually would take a long time. Also can you suggest any better sanders to sand the railing i.e. orbit sander etc.. We did sand a small area and the stain does come off but we haven't tried re-staining yet..Should we use the primer first before restaining it.

Thanks a bunch for your help!

Answer
Hi Again Alka
I suggested sanding only if you are going to paint.
If you use this stripper to remove the finish you do not need to sand.
http://www.swingpaints.com/1806.htm

And you cannot ever hope to remove the finish with sanding alone.
And you cannot sand a finish off if you hope to stain afterwards.
Sanding just does not get the finish off correctly.
You never use a primer before you stain...only sometimes when you paint.
So here it is in point form
1..remove the current finish with the product mentioned above following all safety precautions listed on can.

2..Then apply your dark stain with a rag..I use Minwax stains.

3..then apply your top coat of finish.
That is the procedure.

Personally Alka on this type of application I would use a low luster poly on the railing and then use 2 or 3 coats of low luster tung oil on the spindles. The oil is applied with a rag very easily.
Good luck.
Regards
Eileen
PS..before you go further, do a stain test on the area you sanded to see if this wood will go as dark as you want it.
And remember..this is not a job for the faint hearted LOL