CONFESSION: This is by far the most advanced project I’ve completed in my house. It is NOT a simple 1-2-3 and done type of job! If you are up to the challenge, keep reading! It feels SO GOOD when you’re done I promise!
MATERIALS I — USED:
Belt Sander. Worth the money and saves your hand from working overtime. 
Hand Sander– this is used for those hard to reach spots, or any spot where the Belt Sander is just too big. (Railings, corners of stairs, etc).
80 grit sandpaper to fit on sanding belt
80 grit regular sheets of sandpaper – *I ripped the sheets in pieces to to use for my hand sander*
Polyshades “Espresso” Stain – this stain already has polyurethane in it so it cuts out the last step, which is a plus in my book.
Brushes for stain- any wide paint brush will do. I bought a few of these because I completed the project over several days.
Frog Tape– the wider the better always. I would buy 2 packages
Steel Wool 0000– one package will do.
Behr Premium Plus Ultra in Semi Gloss Pure White Paint
Goof Off Wipes – Saved my life! These are for any drips and drops that WILL happen along the way! This product works like magic- good for taking it off your hands too
Lastly, gloves– get a multiple pair package…stain is hard to remove from skin!
HAVE EVERYTHING? LET’S GET GOING!
Step 1: Remove Carpet
If you have a runner on your stairs, like I did, it’s time to remove it. Sounds easy enough right? Wrong. I would strongly recommend getting a man for this job (no offense ladies). I just pulled at the carpet from the corners until it came loose. Removing all the pads and nails afterward is quite the task- use pliers and take some Advil- your back will be hurting. I called the best guy for the job- he goes by the name of Dad 🙂
Step 2: Sanding
Once you are left with bare stair treads, they’re ready to start sanding. Take your belt sander and sand along the grain of the wood. This process takes a while. Some things I would recommend:
**Start at the TOP of your stairs when sanding. The dust sprinkles downwards, so if you stain at the bottom first, the dust will stick to your finished product. I did about 3 steps every few days since I was working. If you have a few days off, sand them all at the same time. You want to get this over with, trust me. For the railings and corners of treads, use your hand sander. The goal here is getting the shiny glaze off of the steps so the stain penetrates deeply.
**Stain EVERY OTHER STEP! You need to get upstairs still right? This leaves you every other step to climb up! Free workout, right?
Step 3: Taping
Tape along the the border of each stair tread, blocking the stain from hitting the risers and walls. Also, if they are white, tape around each base of the spindles.
Step 4: Sample your Stain!
You may not like the color of the stain in your own home. I tested mine out on my first step below-You can test it anywhere- probably best on a separate piece of wood similar to the type you will be staining. I loved it, so I continued.
*You can also see where I taped below*
Step 5: Get Staining
Put on your gloves and get ready to begin staining. Again, start at the top and work your way down, every other step. STIR THE STAIN FOR A FEW MINUTES FIRST. The stain develops chunks at the bottom and needs to be stirred for a while prior to using. Lay the stain on pretty thick with your brush- going with the grain again. No need to be perfect here- we still have a second coat! Let it dry for at least 6 hours before walking on it.
Step 6: Steel Wool
In between the first and second coats, rub the steel wool over each tread. It doesn’t seem like it’s doing much, but it smooths the tread nicely.
Step 7: Second coat
Apply another generous amount of stain for your second coat. This is the final coat, so make sure get all of the spots you missed the first time around.
Step 8: Paint the Risers
When your stair treads are completely stained and dry, it’s time to paint those risers a nice bright white. If you already have white risers that are in good shape and you’re happy with them, you can skip this step. I wanted to brighten mine a bit, so I painted them. One coat did the trick.
{OPTIONAL} Step 9: Apply trim
Although I used tape along the borders of my treads, the stain still appeared jagged along the edges. I bought some trim, painted it white, and had my dad come over to nail it in. I think it added a nice, crisp, finished look.
Step 10: Step back and enjoy your hard work! You did it!
