So this is where I left off last week.
I had sanded coarsely once, filled all the dings and dents with wood filler, sanded with a fine grade paper, wiped everything clean with a damp rag and now it was time to do some caulking. The reason for caulking before you paint is that you want to eliminate anything that will cast a dark shadow within your white paint. If you were to paint a dark color it wouldn’t be necessary in the same way. I caulked along the edges where the stairs meet the walls and also along each step. After adding caulk I used a finger to smooth and then the damp rag to wipe away any excess.
Since the stairs are basically a floor that you walk on I got some special floor paint. I was told that it would be more fluid than regular wood paint for trim and they recommended that I use regular paint on the sides and risers and the floor paint on the treads because the floor paint might need more coats to get good coverage.
So I started doing it by the book with the first coat and painted with two different paints. I didn’t find the texture of the paints to be that different though so I ended up painting the remaining coats with just the floor paint. Doing that also ensured I would get the same finish everywhere.
It took three coats and while I was paining the last coat I did think that I’d need a forth one, at least to touch up here and there but when it was dry it was evident that three coats was enough.
As for the handrail I’m keeping it wooden and it matches all the handles downstairs too. I stained the handrail back when I did the rest of the handrails and I do like the look of it against the white and grey.
This may look like the finished product, but it’s not actually, I still have the mystery product to add and hopefully I’ll be able to show you that next week. Stay tuned.
Wonderful Benita ! It looks clean and fresh and neat (like everything you do !). What were your tactics not to find yourself stranded downstairs, having to wait for the paint to dry before you could go upstairs again ? Did you somehow paint from the bottom upwards, bending ? It doesn't sound very comfortable/practical/doable to me, and I think you must have found another way ...
Posted by: Emma | March 19, 2013 at 07:23 AM
Ah this is beautiful already. Mystery product... sounds intriguing.
Posted by: Leena | March 19, 2013 at 08:01 AM
I have stairs from the basement out into the back yard :). I did almost lock myself out though by almost forgetting to unlock the patio door at one time...
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | March 19, 2013 at 08:05 AM
Of course ! Forgot about those ... The mystery is now solved ... I almost expected some ninja moves ! Have a good day :)
Posted by: Emma | March 19, 2013 at 08:10 AM
It looks great already ! Bon travail !
Posted by: Ariane | March 19, 2013 at 08:12 AM
Oh my gosh, that looks SO good. Can't wait to see what the mystery product is!
Posted by: Judith | March 19, 2013 at 08:29 AM
What a difference! Snyggsnyggt!!
Posted by: Anne | March 19, 2013 at 09:06 AM
Lot of work but so worth it!
Looks just great, and the combination with the handrail makes it perfekt!
Posted by: Helen F | March 19, 2013 at 09:17 AM
It's so bright and fresh that you might save on electricity - almost no need to use a light on the stairs ;-).
Looking forward to the added touch.
Posted by: Zosia | March 19, 2013 at 10:25 AM
Love it! And I agree with you about the handrail. Can't believe there's something that's going to make it even better?!
Posted by: Sara | March 19, 2013 at 11:03 AM
Maybe not better, but different :)
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | March 19, 2013 at 11:05 AM
Nice!
Posted by: jja | March 19, 2013 at 11:44 AM
It looks great! I did my stairs a half year ago very similar to yours. Although I hardly ever walk with shoes, another layer of paint is already necessary. I did three layers back then. So it goes.
Posted by: Annika | March 19, 2013 at 11:58 AM
Beautiful job, Benita. I like that the handrail isn't white because it's easier to see this way.
Posted by: devil | March 19, 2013 at 12:32 PM
That is so clean, fresh and sleek looking. Love it! If you don't mind me asking, the little bit of art I see hanging, is that a piece of the wallpaper you found in the house? Whatever it is, it looks interesting.
Posted by: Sandy (USA) | March 19, 2013 at 01:14 PM
I love this! I also really like that you left the handrail alone - I used to have one that was white, and I would miss grabbing it in the dark all the time. How I never fell down my stairs I'll never know...but having the contrast there is nice, especially if you're not totally awake and trying to make it up or down the stairs!
Posted by: Heather P. | March 19, 2013 at 03:15 PM
Stunning!!
Posted by: Lisa | March 19, 2013 at 03:59 PM
looks really good! Great job!
Posted by: Elena | March 19, 2013 at 04:10 PM
absolutely gorgeous! curious what you'll do next. i have to admit, i lived with white stairs twice, and i spent all my time sweeping them. :\ if you had a solution to that i'd paint my next staircase white in a heartbeat. x
Posted by: elisa | March 19, 2013 at 05:00 PM
It looks amazing! What a difference!
Posted by: Whitney | March 19, 2013 at 06:20 PM
Ethereal. Charming. The wooden railing makes it. It seems to float. You do seemingly simple things so very well: I think the Italians call it sprettzatura. (sp?)
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Amy | March 19, 2013 at 09:16 PM
Love love love!! I hv painted mine white as well. We bought 2 inexpensive indoor/outdoor runners from Costco & stapled them on. This helps with dirt (brown pattern same color as dirt and dog hair) AND super necessary in summer when wet feet run in from pool, up the stairs to the bathroom!
I think I'm going to re-do my banisters soon tho...from white to high gloss black. Well done Benita!!
Posted by: katie | March 20, 2013 at 12:47 AM
Aahhhh! So gorgeous and absolutely love it!
Posted by: Yschoo | March 20, 2013 at 05:08 AM
It is wallpaper :).
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | March 20, 2013 at 08:11 AM
I am constantly wiping and sweeping, so no miracle tip there I'm afraid.
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | March 20, 2013 at 08:12 AM
I love the railing left in wood because the curve is gorgeous, like the one you have upstairs. I'll bet the mystery is glitter! Yep, glitter is definitely you! HA!
Posted by: Missy | March 20, 2013 at 10:46 AM
I´m so glad that you have shown how you made your stairs så pretty - I have to do the same job at my house. I have one guestion thow - did you use a brush or a roller when you painted?
Posted by: Anna | March 20, 2013 at 02:47 PM
I used a brush!
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | March 20, 2013 at 03:14 PM
Sprezzatura. Lovely expression :)
Posted by: Biggi | March 20, 2013 at 11:14 PM
Perfectly simple. Perfectly lovely. Simple is not always easy. Lovely is easy on the eyes. Thanks for sharing the process.
Posted by: Peggy | March 21, 2013 at 03:32 PM
Att säga "Vad duktig du är!" känns ju lite överflödigt, men jag är imponerad över allt det fantastiska förarbete du alltid lägger ner för att få ett resultat som alltid blir fantastiskt bra. Imponerande!
Posted by: Monnah | March 22, 2013 at 03:13 AM
Det blev ju SÅ snyggt, och jag blev inspirerad! Så nu ska jag måla vår trappa, bara det tråkiga underarbetet först... Får jag fråga vilken slags fogmassa du har använt?
//Sabina
Posted by: Sabina | May 06, 2013 at 07:18 PM
Sabina - jag använde vad jag hade hemma vilket råkade vara Sikacryl-HM latexfog.
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | May 06, 2013 at 08:06 PM