# How to redo staircase / stairwell with chipping paint on wood? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 29, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586 "2014-05-29T19:03:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrlbrarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrlbrarian/32/4048_2.png) [@Grrlbrarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrlbrarian)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/1 "2014-05-29T19:03:34Z")
I’m in an home renovation-based pickle, made worse b/c I’m a total newbie. Advice wanted, please. Situation: We’ve got one staircase to the second floor. 180 turn, if it matters. Prior to my purchase of the house, stairs were painted with (what appears to be) white latex semi-gloss paint. This was laid down atop dark-finished and poly’d hardwood (steps) and risers (also hardwood, also dark, but may be black paint rather than dark finish. Tough to see). As far as I can tell, there was no prep work done except maybe sweeping the steps, so the semi-gloss didn’t adhere well. It’s now peeling like a son-of-a-gun. Basic question: What’s the best and most efficient way to remove the paint and refinish the steps? How long might such a project take, and what tools could be used by a newbie to complete it? Or am I an idiot thinking that I could do this myself with essentially the skill level of a 4th-grader? Complicating factors: We have no other way to get to the second floor, the sole site of bedrooms and bath/shower facilities. There are no bedrooms on any other floor. There’s a toilet on the main floor, but no way to efficiently clean oneself. Best to chemically strip? Sand? Products? Tools? Mods, if I’ve stuck this in the wrong forum, please do move the thread and thanks! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/2 "2014-05-29T19:10:17Z")
How hard/expensive would it be to pop off all of the stair treads and replace them with new treads that you’d already stained in your garage? Then you just have to do the paint work on the risers, and you can still use the stairs while they dry. ---
**Author:** ![Grrlbrarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrlbrarian/32/4048_2.png) [@Grrlbrarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrlbrarian)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/3 "2014-05-29T19:15:22Z")
Ooh, that’s a cool idea. I have to say: I’ve got no idea b/c I’ve never checked into this. Definitely an idea to put in the hopper though. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/4 "2014-05-29T19:21:33Z")
I am not of much help, sorry, but I will pass on a tip I read somewhere, if you do end up staining/painting/otherwise finishing the stairs while they’re in place, only do every other one, then you can still use the others to go up/down while they dry. Then the next day, finish the others! ---
**Author:** ![Fishtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ed655f/32.png) [@Fishtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishtar)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/5 "2014-05-29T19:45:28Z")
I just did a similar project. Experimented with a heat gun, oven cleaner (lye), then orange stripper (d limonene) None worked great. So I put on the respirator and nuked the whole staircase with nasty old school stripper. Heat gun will work for paint. And lye works great on shellac and oil finishes. But that polyurethane is a bitch. I could have melted the paint off, then sanded as well, but did not want to loose the woods character. If you are lucky, there is just shellac under the paint. Rub some alcohol on it and see if it gets sticky. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/6 "2014-05-29T19:47:48Z")
Get a professional/semi-professional to come and give you an estimate before you decide whether it’s worth it to try to do it yourself. Ask him or her a lot of questions about exactly how they would go about the project, then decide whether or not you are capable of the work. Even get a second bid, to get an accurate idea of what the project will require and what you might save by trying to do it yourself. Sanding/stripping and refinishing are not particularly requiring of extreme expertise, but by the time you buy the needed tools and equipment, hiring someone may not cost much more, and your own time does have value. “Popping in” new stair treads may sound appealingly easy, but if you haven’t done anything like this before, it probably won’t be and hardwood is pretty expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Fishtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ed655f/32.png) [@Fishtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishtar)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/7 "2014-05-29T20:02:31Z")
Correction: lye works great on oil finishes. Alcohol works great on shellac. ---
**Author:** ![Grrlbrarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrlbrarian/32/4048_2.png) [@Grrlbrarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrlbrarian)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/8 "2014-05-30T00:58:02Z")
Thanks to all for the helpful responses! Yow, those chemicals sound nasty. :eek: Is a heat gun available for rental, as far as anyone knows? I’ll definitely try the alcohol on the exposed dark spots and see what comes of this. ---
**Author:** ![Fishtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ed655f/32.png) [@Fishtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishtar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/9 "2014-05-30T10:47:33Z")
> [@Grrlbrarian](#): > > Thanks to all for the helpful responses! Yow, those chemicals sound nasty. :eek: Is a heat gun available for rental, as far as anyone knows? I’ll definitely try the alcohol on the exposed dark spots and see what comes of this. They are really cheap. Just an extra hot hair dryer. > **[Wagner Spraytech 0503008 HT1000 Heat Gun, 2 Temp Settings 750ᵒF & 1000ᵒF,...](https://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Spraytech-0503008-Heat-Gun/dp/B00004TUCV)** > > The HT1000 Heat Gun is a dual temperature heat gun that can help you quickly complete countless DIY projects using high temperature heat outputs. It uses a 750ᵒF and 1000ᵒF temperature setting to easily loosen rusted bolts, remove flooring, and thaw... Just heat till the stuff bubbles, then scrape. Will work on the paint for sure, and might work on the brown stuff too. Take care. ---
**Author:** ![Fishtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ed655f/32.png) [@Fishtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishtar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/10 "2014-05-30T11:02:34Z")
Also, I was a newbie to most of this until A year and half ago. Only one way to learn. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/11 "2014-05-30T12:53:44Z")
> [@Grrlbrarian](#): > > Thanks to all for the helpful responses! Yow, those chemicals sound nasty. :eek: Is a heat gun available for rental, as far as anyone knows? I’ll definitely try the alcohol on the exposed dark spots and see what comes of this. you can purchase one for far less than the rental cost. hardware and building supply stores will have them. ---
**Author:** ![Grrlbrarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrlbrarian/32/4048_2.png) [@Grrlbrarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrlbrarian)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/12 "2014-05-30T13:44:28Z")
Okay, great! Thanks! I’ll check around for a heat gun and get started as soon as I can find one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/13 "2014-05-30T14:19:12Z")
Yes, if it’s latex, a heat gun and a putty knife will get it off. Easy peasy. If you’re going to repaint them, you can opt to paint every other stair so you can still use them while they dry. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/14 "2014-05-30T14:20:18Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > “Popping in” new stair treads may sound appealingly easy, but if you haven’t done anything like this before, it probably won’t be and hardwood is pretty expensive. How about removing the stair treads and stripping them elsewhere (like in the garage)? Avoids the expense of buying new hardwood and the difficulty of trying to strip them in place. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-redo-staircase-stairwell-with-chipping-paint-on-wood/689586/15 "2014-05-31T13:49:41Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > How about removing the stair treads and stripping them elsewhere (like in the garage)? Avoids the expense of buying new hardwood and the difficulty of trying to strip them in place. Runs the risk of splitting or damaging one then having to find/create a perfect match. Plus, what looks like it will be a nice pile of matching rectangles may well turn out to be slightly-different trapezoids–that is, they will not be interchangeable, so if you don’t keep them carefully labeled, they won’t fit back in properly. If either side of the staircase is open, there are probably railing supports involved too, so more pieces to remove and keep in order and possibly break. If neither side is open, there is the risk of scraping up the wall and having to repair it too.