HOW TO GUIDES

Interior Woodwork

How to paint spindles on a stair case

Painting detailed areas like staircase spindles and banisters can be a real challenge even for seasoned DIYers. But fear not, we are here with an easy to follow guide showing you how to paint spindles and your staircase completely.

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Step 1. Protect the area.

First lay a Seriously Good Dust Sheet along the area you will be painting and use some Seriously Good UV Tape to secure it in place. Top tip, tape the dust sheet to the carpet by first adding the tape to the edge of the dust sheet, with a small (about 1 cm) upturned lip resting on the skirting board or edge of the stairs. Now use your fingers to pull the carpet back slightly and push the tape down. Do this as a single motion then release the carpet. It should spring back into place and you will have a nice seal protecting the carpet.

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Step 2. Prepare the wooden surface.

The objective here is to end with a nice smooth matt surface to paint on. In most cases you will be able to sand the banister spindles using a Seriously Good Fine Sanding Block, until they feel smooth. Then clean the dust away using a Seriously Good Microfiber Cloth. If the paint on the banisters is very thick, we recommend scraping it off first using some paint stripper. Make sure you wear protective goggles, gloves and a mask when working with paint stripper. Follow the manufactures instructions and then use the Premier Combination Shave Hook and Taskmaster Wood Scraper to take the top layer or paint off.

If there is any damage such as holes or cracks these will need to be filled as well. To do that we have made a detailed guide on how to prepare wood for painting which will list all the tools and techniques you need to prepare any wooden surface.

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Step 3. Paint.

When the whole staircase has been prepared and cleaned of dust, use a wood priming paint to prevent any stains from sap or other contaminants in the wood from coming through and staining the final coat. Shake the paint tin well before opening, then stir to make sure the paint is thoroughly mixed. Paint the spindles using the Taskmaster Wood Care Round Brush which has been designed for use when painting intricate areas of detail with gloss, satin and eggshell paints.

Get an old jam jar or similar and pour some white spirit into it. Wash the brush immediately after use by pushing it into the jar and working the white spirit into the bristles. Then use some Seriously Good Paper Towels to wipe any paint off the brush, repeat until clean. When you have finished screw the lid on the jar and take it to your local tip to be disposed of. Oil paints and white spirit must not be poured down the sink as this is harmful to the environment.

Allow the primer to dry, then give a light sand with some Ultimate Fine Sandpaper and clean again with the cloth. This extra sanding is optional, but it will give you the best finish possible. Once the banister spindles are clean use your chosen gloss, egg shell or satin paint to apply the top coat, using the Taskmaster Round Brush.

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Interior Woodwork

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