Expert: Joseph G. Swallow - 8/25/2008

Question
Hi,
My husband and I bought a 1917 two story home last year and have been trying to bring it back to its old glory.  In the foyer there is a beautiful oak staircase and the railing has a lot of ornate detailing.  It is tired and worn and I want to strip it and refinish it.  My husband is scared and thinks that it would be too difficult to do.  I want to do the whole staircase including the steps.  Right now it has a medium dark brown stain on it.  I would like to bring it back to natural wood and just do a clear coat.  What are the steps I need to take, and what products do you suggest.  I would like to stay away from anything that has harsh chemicals and smells.

Answer
Michelle,

Sorry for taking so long to answer as I've not had access to a computer for some time.

In refinishing stairs, I've rarely stripped finish off of stairs with any chemicals or strippers.  I've done it the hard way:  Belt Sander, Orbital Sander, hand sanding, etc.   I knock down what I can with the belt sander to get through the varnish into the raw wood and detail it out with a vibrating and orbital sander.  It is a lot of work, dirty, dusty, but the end results have always been satisfactory.  You may wish to check with a professional painter on the best way to take care of this.  Sanding-wise, I've started with the heavier grit papers and worked my way down.  Since I've never used strippers or chemicals, I cannot vouch on the success or results.

Hope that helps.  Good luck!