Expert: Greg Scholl - 5/20/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi
We recently have a new staircase installed for the loft extension.  It is hardwood and bare at the moment.  The original staircase has a wax finish in pine colour.  It was like that when we first bought the house many years ago and over the years we just carry on waxing the staircase.  How shall we treat the new wood staircase in the loft extension so that it can match the existing one?  Grateful for your advice.

ANSWER: Hi Dora, my suspicion is that there was more than just wax on the original stairs....wax a lone does not stand up very well, especially to wetness.....it was likely shellac or "button polish"....if it's an older home. Matching the color is the difficult part as UV light, the wax,surface dirt, etc. will have changed the color over the years...and so a stain would likely have to be employed to try to come close....I am not very aware of what's available as a finish over there....but I would suggest a pigmented stain and then a few coats of a urethane (solvent or Acrylic), designed for floors. Some experimentation and possibly intermixing of the stain will be required to get a decent match....are there any scraps left over? Or could you perhaps acquire some from the contractor? This is the best way to proceed, (working on scrap of the same material), before committing to the stairs.....hope that helps. A visit to a store that sells finishing supplies will help, and hopefully you'll be able to find an experienced employee to guide you further....regards- Greg

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QUESTION: Hi Greg

The colour of the original staircase is in pine and we have waxed it for many years.  The handrail and the strings of the staircase for the loft extension is in oak (or some sort of hardwood).  Do you think we should stain the new staircase in pine to match and then followed by waxing.  Grateful for more advice.  Dora

Answer
I think trying to match it is a good idea, but wax as a finish isn't very resilient....and once you start with paste wax...it sets you up to a lifetime of maintenance, I would use a floor finish instead...something that will not need constant waxing....a urethane or Aluminum oxide type finish that will stand up much better to the foot traffic, wetness and dirt from shoes, etc.