If the process of constructing a staircase is already behind you and a magnificent pine structure, made by yourself, is already in your country house, then it's time to start painting it. How and with what to paint the staircase system, what types of paint and varnish products to give preference - this article will tell you about this and much more.
A pine staircase coated with varnish looks beautiful and durable
Features of painting wooden surfaces
Varnishing and painting pine products has its own characteristics. After all, as you know, wood, unlike metal, plastic and stone, is hygroscopic. Besides, don't worse than water its surface is eaten away by paints, varnishes and solvents. This can cause the wood fibers to change and the surface to become rough.
That is why you can paint a pine staircase with your own hands only with a coating that is intended specifically for these purposes.
Due to its unique resinous structure, pine wood requires a special approach and certain knowledge Does wood need to be painted?
The texture of the wood itself is quite beautiful and can be used as part of the decor. In this case, its coating can be made transparent or translucent.
Pine has a high content of resin that impregnates the material. Therefore, not all paint will apply evenly to the tarred area.
By painting wood, you not only make it more attractive, but also protect it from external factors stain
This layer is mandatory and should be the first when processing wood. Its advantages:
- firstly, it prevents the tree from fungus;
- secondly, it protects against rotting;
- thirdly, it does not allow midges to breed in the wood.
In addition, the stain forms a barrier against moisture and prevents the pine from cracking.
Pine tree highlights a large number of resins and therefore requires very careful processing However, this coating alone is not enough, since it is not able to protect the wood from mechanical wear. And you will agree that walking along the soaked stairs only barefoot or in slippers is not very comfortable.
What coating to apply
The second layer after applying the stain should be varnish or enamel.
From the right choice high-quality coating depends on the appearance of the entire structure Enamel
For painting wooden stairs made of low-grade wood, enamel is the best choice. It will hide the putty on knots and cracks and protect the surface from wear and mechanical damage. In addition, the enamel layer is very easy to care for – you just need to wash it periodically.
Enamel can hide all imperfections in wood texture Varnish
If the surface of a pine staircase is smooth and free of any damage, then varnish would be the best choice. It will highlight the beauty of the texture and elevate its appearance.
If the pine wood is of the highest quality, then it can be varnished Varnished surface pine stairs look extremely beautiful.
When to paint
Many novice craftsmen are interested in the question of when to paint and varnish a pine staircase - before installation or after.
You can paint the stairs both after assembly and before, depending on the type of structure According to many experts, you need to coat a product with varnish or paint like this:
- If you use for the installation of a staircase structure anchor bolts, screws and studs, then it is best to apply a layer of coating to the component parts before joining them together. This will reliably protect from negative external influences those planes that will be inaccessible after installation of the system.
- If, when building a staircase with your own hands, you use glue to connect its components, then you need to coat the surface with varnish or paint on a ready-made staircase structure.
Varnish better stairs already in a ready-made, finally assembled form How to choose the right paint and varnish
Before deciding on the required coating, it is necessary to divide the working surface of a pine staircase into separate components, since they have completely different modes of operation.
When choosing paint and varnish, you should give preference to proven brands For example, steps are subject to more severe wear - stilettos and heels can leave marks on the wood surface if the protective layer of the coating is weak.
At the same time, handrails and fittings, as well as risers, experience almost no overload. And, therefore, their coating has more of a decorative function. Hence the choice of materials.
Fittings (balusters and railings) must also be coated with high-quality paint and varnish products Deciding on the type of coverage
So how to paint a pine staircase with your own hands and choose the right varnish and paint?
For the working surface of the steps, alkyd floor enamels are used - for example, domestic paint PF-266, as well as its imported analogues.
In a specialized store you can choose any color The best varnish for pine stairs is polyurethane parquet. Its cost is quite high, but despite this it is of very high quality and forms a strong and wear-resistant protective surface.
For those surfaces that do not experience strong mechanical stress, we can recommend PF-115 enamels.
The paint and varnish industry today offers a lot quality species varnishes and paints for wood processing As for varnish, the best option is affordable nitrocellulose varnishes of the NTs series or alkyd PF-170.
Dyeing process
So, we now know how to paint a pine staircase. It remains to figure out how to do it yourself.
When purchasing varnish for pine wood, carefully read its instructions The entire dyeing process is divided into the following stages:
- Degreasing the surface.
- Application of putty.
- Polishing the product.
- Painting the stairs.
Processing of the staircase structure must occur in a clearly defined sequence Degreasing
This is the first step of preliminary work. Pine, as you know, has a resinous surface, and in order to remove it, it is necessary to treat the product special solvent. Regular turpentine is perfect for these purposes.
To degrease the surface of a pine staircase, you can use regular turpentine. putty
In order to repair all existing flaws in the structure, it must be puttied. In this case, the best choice would be a special acrylic putty on wood.
Before painting, the product must be puttied, thereby making the surface perfectly smooth. Grinding
Immediately before painting a pine staircase, to obtain a flawless surface, the product must be sanded. It is better to process steps using a grinder, and balusters and railings by hand.
The paint will lay down in an even layer on a well-sanded surface. Coloring
It is better to paint a pine structure with a brush. Alkyd enamel or viscous varnish cannot be sprayed with a spray gun; for a roller, the surface of the stairs has a rather difficult shape.
Painting is carried out in three layers, and polyurethane varnish can be applied to steps in 6-7 layers, since in addition to its aesthetic function, it also serves as protection against mechanical damage.
Painting should be done with gloves and in compliance with all safety standards. After applying the first layer and drying it completely, the entire surface is sanded with zero-grade sandpaper.
Now you know how to paint a pine staircase with your own hands and choose the varnish. But, if for some reason you do not want to build and then paint the structure yourself, then you can always take advantage of the offers of our online store and buy from us a ready-made staircase made of pine or any other material
A pine staircase painted carefully and in compliance with all the rules looks extremely beautiful and impressive Many residents of private houses erect a wooden staircase to the second floor. To protect the tree and connect the structure with common interior, you need to paint it. There are various paints and varnishes on store shelves. Which one to choose and how to paint a wooden staircase.
Lacquer coating of stairs
The staircase in the house is used by all family members every day. And also some families have pets that also move around it. Regularly, the surface of steps and railings experiences all sorts of influences from humans, animals, and the external environment - scratches, abrasions, the influence of water. A popular method has been developed for protection - painting wooden stairs. But the use of any coating implies another goal - transforming the interior and implementing a design solution.
Wood is considered a hygroscopic material. In addition, when using chemical compounds, the surface can be modified and destroyed. Therefore, painting the stairs is done with special products suitable for wooden elements. As a result, the wear resistance and service life of the structure increases.
Painting compositions wooden stairs protect the material from the influence of pests, which often grow in the cracks of wood. Some products contain substances that prevent fire, which is useful for private home owners.
The dyeing technology itself consists of two procedures:
- Preparing the surface before applying paint or varnish;
- Treatment with paint and varnish composition.
In relation to the chosen means, the procedures have their own differences and nuances of implementation.
How to decide on the choice of paint composition
Owners of private houses and summer cottages often wonder how to paint the stairs inside the house. To begin with, you need to decide general principles painting and take into account the following criteria:
- To cover or not to cover the structure of the wood, because paints can completely hide the patterned surface of the stairs;
- How long will the residents of the house be able to stay outside the house, since many compositions take a long time to dry;
- To ensure long-term preservation of the applied coating, preference is given to products with high strength and wear resistance properties;
- For handrails and steps you can choose different remedy due to different loads;
- Before applying the compositions, it is necessary to apply antiseptics, helping to prevent fungus;
- Make the surface of the stairs glossy or matte - a variety of compositions allows you to choose durable glossy products (yachts) that do not rub off on wood and shine for a long time;
- Price - upon analysis price categories It is better to give preference to products that last a long time.
Painting stairs made of different types of wood requires selecting the appropriate product intended specifically for a specific type of wood. For example, the surface of pine contains a lot of resin, which interferes with the distribution of the coloring composition.
When the surface itself suits the owner, but you only want to change color shade wood, additional measures are applied or products with a certain composition are selected. For example, to change the natural color of pine or larch, you can use varnish compositions with an oil base.
Types of paints, paint selection criteria
The following types of paints and varnishes are available on the market. How to paint the stairs is up to the buyer himself:
- Varnishes - do not change the natural pattern, but only emphasize or are used as a final coating;
- Paints - can completely hide natural beauty and at the same time contribute to the creation of all kinds of drawings or paintings;
- Enamels – combine paint and varnish;
- Impregnations (stains) – tint wood and protect it from biological pests and fire. They have a varnish base with added color.
You don't have to limit yourself to just one color.
The coloring of wooden stair steps may differ from the coloring of the railings. The combined use of different means is allowed.
Lucky
If you want to use colorless varnish on the stairs, then the following types are known:
- Latex based - considered safe means with antiseptic properties.
- Water-based or acrylate - no unpleasant odor, characterized by high strength.
- Based on synthetic resins - they are characterized by quick drying and resistance to acids and alkalis.
- Yacht - divided into subtypes depending on the base (alkyd, urethane-alkyd, etc.), toxic, but after use on wood, the coating retains its freshness and shine for a long time. Used on outdoor buildings.
Tinting varnishes are produced at oil based, due to which the durability of the coating increases. When painting steps, you should buy a composition with an oil percentage of at least 65%.
Paints
Paint the interior stairs wooden house possible using following types colors:
- Oil - contain drying oil, stabilizing and coloring components. The cost is considered affordable. Wide choice of colors. Stairs painted with this type of paint wear out quickly.
Important: when using oil paint, the wood stops breathing, which contributes to rapid aging.
- Alkyd - contain pentaphthalate varnish, antiseptic substances and coloring pigments. The coating is durable and dries quickly.
- Acrylic - contain acrylic resins allowing the tree to breathe. Long service life and increased wear resistance are the advantages of this type.
Based on cost and quality characteristics, craftsmen advise choosing alkyd paints that provide elasticity and durability when applied to staircase elements.
Enamels
Classified based on the presence of a particular varnish:
- Alkyd;
- Acrylic;
- Oily;
- On polyurethane;
- Nitro enamels.
Possess the properties of varnishes over a fairly wide color scheme.
Impregnations and stains
Impregnations are based on synthetic substances, alcohol and water. They contain coloring pigments that give good results when painted in several layers. But after impregnation, varnish must be used to fix the tone.
It is better to use two types for stairs indoors:
- Wax;
- Oily.
Such compositions are used when it is desired to add color and protect wood from fire and harmful biological influences.
The nuances of coloring
How to paint a wooden staircase with a variety of paint and varnish compositions. When you have decided on matte or glossy, it is important to consider the following points:
- If a stain is chosen, then varnish or enamel is applied;
- It is better to paint the staircase disassembled, but when the structure is assembled, there is an option to paint the steps one by one;
- For wooden materials low quality enamel that hides the putty layer on knots and cracks is suitable;
- Pine structures are painted with alkyd, pigmented or urethane-alkyd paints to hide defects;
- The time allowed for drying according to the instructions should be increased by 5 hours.
When it is necessary to paint staircase elements and steps in a room, it is important to refuse to use the structure.
Variations of colors
When choosing paint for wood, the owner's wishes and the overall design of the entire house are taken into account. It is important to keep the colors consistent to achieve a harmonious environment. A popular option is to use uniform paint, which is applied to all stair elements. Nobody forbids combining colors. The number of combinations can reach 4-5 shades.
Decorative ornament on stair steps
Looks great when the wood railing is painted a different color. Moreover, the shades can be compatible or contrasting. Some recommendations for experimenting with painting have been highlighted:
- Using several colors is advisable when the structure is not assembled;
- Impregnation with finishing varnish will help to highlight the natural shade;
- In order to lighten the material, it is necessary to purchase glazing compounds of translucent shades, which contain light coloring pigments.
Don't be afraid to paint wood bright colors, if you want to add radiance and originality to your home. Having selected the required composition, the coating will serve for a long time.
Stages of painting wooden stairs yourself
How to paint a wooden staircase when you have bought everything you need? If there is an old coating, you will have to use a special compound to remove layers of paint and a spatula with sandpaper for leveling. With new structural elements the procedure is simplified.
Do-it-yourself pre-treatment is performed according to the following scheme:
Priming wood
After the last composition has completely dried, proceed to the painting procedure, which consists of following the steps:
Important: when painting, you should carefully handle joints, recesses, and squiggles to achieve perfect coverage.
The procedure ends with the application of a varnish composition to harden the coating.
You can clearly see the process in the video:
When painting the surface only with varnish, preliminary sanding is carried out once. It is better to buy a primer varnish for the first layer, which is sanded between layers using fine sandpaper. After which the second and subsequent layers are painted. Drying time after first application is 3-4 hours.
Knowing all the features of paints and varnishes and the nuances of painting, anyone can independently paint a wooden staircase. Then the interior of the old house will be transformed, and design ideas will be embodied in the new home.
Modern private houses and cottages are distinguished by the presence of two or even three floors. Thanks to the superstructure, you can get additional space, arrange several rooms, or set aside a room for storing things. For quick and convenient passage to the second floor and above, stairs are built, which are often made of wood. And this is not surprising, because the material lends itself well to processing, and it is easiest to make a staircase structure from it with your own hands.
Of course the tree is different beautiful texture and natural color, and stairs made from it can act as an effective addition to the interior. However, this material is subject to external influences, and over time, any, even the most beautiful wooden staircase loses its attractive appearance. The performance properties of wood are also reduced.
To avoid such consequences, experts recommend coating the wood with special protective compounds. And to give the staircase a more aesthetic appearance, painting is indispensable. From this article you will learn how and, most importantly, how to paint a wooden staircase, which paint is best suited for this, and consider the features of the painting procedure.
Painting requirements
The procedure for painting a wooden staircase should be taken carefully. First of all, you need to decide what result you want to achieve in the end. This will help with the choice of a particular coloring composition, working tools and processing technology.
Before you go to the store for materials, you should familiarize yourself with the basic requirements for the procedure for painting wooden stairs:
- If the structure is made of expensive wood with a beautiful texture, it is better to highlight it rather than paint it over. In this case, it is worth abandoning preliminary priming of the surface, and choosing paint with a low degree of hiding power.
- Varnishing is an alternative to staining, which also allows you to highlight the natural grain of the wood. You can choose clear or tinted varnish. In the latter case, it becomes possible to significantly change the appearance of the stairs.
- If you plan to paint the inside of the house, give preference to paints or varnish with quick-drying properties. It is recommended to choose formulations that do not have a strong pungent odor, and preferably those marked “odorless” or “eco-friendly”.
- For painting a staircase installed outside the house that leads to the attic, more resistant paints or varnishes that can withstand negative impacts external environment. As a rule, such compositions are made based on solvents.
- Regardless of the location of the stairs (inside the house or outside), the steps must be treated with a coloring material that is resistant to abrasion. This will allow you to preserve the aesthetic appearance of the wooden structure for a long time.
Important! Before buying this or that composition, it is worth studying the contents on the packaging and familiarizing yourself with the recommendations for its application.
A wide range of paint and varnish products presented in construction stores allows you to choose the composition that is suitable in certain conditions and meets consumer requirements. However, for those who do not understand the properties of paints of different groups, the choice becomes much more complicated. To purchase a truly suitable product, you need to have at least some idea of its composition. Next, we will consider what types of paints exist, and which of them are optimal for processing a wooden staircase to the second floor.
Alkyd
TO this type These include paints based on alkyd resin. This substance is obtained by mixing alcohol (glycerin or pentaerythritol), acid and vegetable oil. Thanks to his chemical composition alkyd paints tend to dry quickly as a result of polymerization (when interacting with air molecules). And this is one of the most important advantages. In addition, dyes based on alkyd resins may contain antiseptics, which are so necessary for treating wood against rotting, the formation of fungus and mold.
Alkyds form a protective film on the surface that protects the wood from mechanical damage. They are non-toxic and suitable for interior work.
Acrylic
Such paints are most often produced at water based, due to which they are able to dry quickly, do not have a strong odor due to the absence of harmful chemicals in the composition. It can also be noted that acrylic solutions do not fade in the sun and do not lose their original color. The maximum service life of the coating is up to 20 years.
From additional benefits: water-based acrylic paints allow wood to “breathe”, presented wide choose colors.
Oily
Such paint and varnish products have been used for a very long time, and today they are no less in demand. Its main advantages can be considered low cost and long service life (up to 5 years). And that’s where all the advantages end. Wood coated oil paint, unable to “breathe”, decorative layer It takes a long time to dry and wears out quickly, the stairs are not protected from mechanical damage.
Oil dye contains harmful chemical substances, so this material is best used for outdoor work.
Enamel
Enamel paints for wooden stairs are considered the best option, especially if painting is planned in a residential area. And all because these are quick-drying, high-quality compounds that do not contain harmful components. The coloring enamel lays on the surface in an even layer, ideal if you need to completely cover the wood without gaps.
It is also important that the enamel has high protective properties– it forms a dense film that minimizes the impact of ultraviolet radiation, moisture and temperature on wood.
Varnish
Varnish is not a paint or enamel, but a translucent composition primarily designed to highlight the natural color of wood and its texture. It comes in glossy and matte. To add shine or update an old staircase, it can be coated with glossy varnish. Coloring pigments can also be introduced into the solution, but they serve more of a tinting function - such coloring is not able to completely cover the wood grain.
In terms of their composition, varnishes are water- and alcohol-based, and there are also nitrocellulose solutions. The latter are more suitable for outdoor work, as they contain hardeners and plasticizers, which means the decorative coating will be durable and weather-resistant.
If you need to process flight of stairs inside the house, then you should choose a varnish based on water-alcohol base. For decorative purposes, shellac varnish is used for finishing.
Stains and impregnations
Stains and special impregnations are other options for paints and varnishes intended for wood. With their help, you can process the entire staircase or tint its individual parts (steps, railings). In addition to giving the wood different shades, such solutions also perform protective function, as they have bio- and fire-retardant properties. Just for covering wooden ladder use wax and oil based formulations.
What to pay attention to
Above we looked at the options for paint and varnish materials that can be used to paint the stairs yourself. To choose the right product and get the expected result, you still need to take into account many points related to the location of the flight of stairs and the intensity of its use.
Let us list the main factors that determine the choice of one type or another:
- Mechanical and other loads. If the stairs to the second floor are often used, you should choose a durable and abrasion-resistant coating.
- Wood species. If the flight of stairs is made of soft wood, for example, pine, then the surface must be painted with enamel or alkyd paint. Larch has a beautiful natural pattern - it is better not to paint it, but to cover it with colorless or tinted varnish.
- Availability of ventilation. This factor determines which composition is best to choose for painting inside the house - odorless or enamel, solvent-based varnish. Most often, the staircase is installed next to the entrance area, so there should be no problems with ventilation.
- Financial opportunities. If you don’t have the funds to buy expensive paints and varnishes, then you can buy cheaper products, the main thing is that the choice does not compromise the quality of the decorative coating.
Dyeing technology
Many specialized companies offer their services for painting stairs made of different types of wood. You can contact one of these companies, but do not forget that painting work can cost quite a tidy sum. If you're not ready for impressive financial costs and want to save your family budget, it is better to carry out the entire procedure yourself, especially since it is quite simple.
Any painting technology, be it painting or varnishing, includes steps such as surface preparation and application of a decorative layer. Moreover, the choice of painting tools and the technique of their use are not as important as the first stage. The final result of painting depends on how well the wooden surface is prepared.
Preparing the base
First of all, the surface of the stairs must be cleaned of dust, dirt and large debris. Next, the condition of the steps and flight as a whole is assessed, since if there are serious defects, additional materials for restoration may be required. If the design is completely new and was made from coniferous species wood, mandatory preparatory stage will remove excess resin from the inside.
Important! Resin contained in fibers coniferous tree, can prevent good absorption of the paint and varnish material - over time, this coating will begin to peel off.
To get rid of resin, you can prepare a special solution: 1 liter of hot soapy water, 200 ml of acetone, 10 g ethyl alcohol, 50 g of potash and the same amount of baking soda. The resulting liquid is applied to the surface of the boards with a wide brush, after which the stairs are left to dry for several hours. As a result of the solution being absorbed, the resin will gradually come out from the back of the boards.
Regardless of the type of wood from which the staircase structure was made, preparing its surface includes the following work:
1. If the staircase has already been painted, it is necessary to remove the old coating. For this purpose, specialized removers are used (sold in any hardware store with paint and varnish products). After applying the product, the old decorative layer can be easily removed with a spatula.
2. It is especially important to treat the surface of the stairs in order to obtain a smooth and even base for painting. Coarse sandpaper is used for this, but a sander will save you time and reduce labor costs.
3. If there are chips and cracks, they need to be repaired with wood putty. Such products are also sold in any construction supermarket. But you can also save money by preparing a leveling mixture of wood dust and colorless varnish.
4. At this stage, total grinding of the fine-grained surface is assumed sandpaper. After this treatment, the steps, railings and balusters should be perfectly smooth.
5. For better adhesion of paint or varnish to the surface, you cannot do without a primer. It is advisable to take a composition with antiseptic properties. The primer must be applied so that it penetrates well into all cracks, recesses, and places with threads (if any). Wait until completely dry.
After completing all preparatory work you can safely start finishing stairs. We will talk further about how to paint correctly and what tools are best to use.
Paint coating [application instructions]
Before painting your stairs, it is important to be well prepared. This means you need to find work clothes, which you don’t mind getting dirty, choose the right painting tools. If you purchased paint with a fairly thin consistency, it is easier to paint using an electric or pneumatic spray gun. Such a tool will significantly reduce your labor costs, and the whole job will take only a few minutes.
Important! When working with a spray gun, you need to take precautions. It is recommended to wear safety glasses to prevent paint splashes from getting into your eyes, and a mask or respirator, especially when using solvent-based solutions.
If a spray device is not available, you can use both a brush and a roller. The main thing here is to choose the right tool. For applying liquid paint, wide, soft-bristled brushes are more suitable; for applying thick paint, harder, but smaller ones are more suitable. A roller will be useful if you need to paint wide steps.
The process of applying paint or enamel is as follows:
1. First you need to prepare workplace. Cover the floor next to the stairs with covering film or old newspapers, and cover the area adjacent to the flight with masking tape.
2. Having opened the jar, use a long wooden stick to thoroughly mix the composition until homogeneous. There should be no lumps or watery liquid on top of the paint material. If the paint is too thick, it can be thinned with a solvent.
2. When using a brush, dip it in paint and, holding the tool at an angle of 45˚, apply the composition to the surface. The movements should be along the grain of the wood.
3. Typically, wooden stairs are painted in two layers. However, if the composition was chosen to be water-based, and you notice that it is absorbed into wood material like a sponge, more than three coats may be needed.
4. After applying the first layer, be sure to wait for the coating to dry completely. This rule must be observed when applying each subsequent layer.
5. Especially carefully you need to handle the joints of balusters and railings, recesses, carved parts, and figured elements.
6. Finally, the steps, railings and handrails can be covered with a colorless glossy varnish - this will give the surface shine and the entire product more shine.
On the video: painting a wooden staircase (instructions and recommendations).
If you don’t know what color scheme to choose for decorating the stairs, you can use the classic method, when the color of the decorative coating is slightly different from the shade of the walls and floor. It is important that the staircase fits harmoniously into the interior and complements the overall color scheme of the room.
Monochromatic coloring is the preferred option, however, some paint in several colors. This approach allows you to highlight the staircase against the general background and make it the main decoration of the interior.
Varnish coating [application instructions]
Before such finishing, the unfinished staircase is sanded only once. This is due to the fact that after application the varnish will still raise all the villi of the surface fibers of the wood, and sanding will have to be done again. Most best option– interlayer processing with sandpaper 180-220. It is also recommended to apply a special primer before varnishing, which will smooth out any unevenness.
After sanding the first layer, a wooden staircase is always a pitiful sight. But don’t be alarmed, after applying the second layer of varnish on a properly prepared base, the situation will change radically.
The varnishing process itself is not so complicated and includes several simple steps:
1. First you need to prepare the composition itself. If you purchased a two-component varnish, mix it as directed in the instructions on the package.
2. Dip a working tool (brush or roller) into the varnish, then walk over the surface, applying a thin layer along the wood grain.
3. Be sure to wait until the varnish is completely dry. This will take approximately three hours. Depending on the type of composition chosen, the drying process may exceed this time limit.
5. Reapplying varnish requires special care; apply the material evenly thin layer. Subsequent layers are applied only after the previous ones have completely dried.
Ready varnish coating you need to grab hold and gain strength. The drying time directly depends on how many layers were applied to the surface. The more there are, the longer the drying process. On average, the coating dries in 7-10 days.
High-quality painting of a wooden staircase includes the right approach on the part of the master painter. To ensure that the result meets your expectations and you don’t have to re-stain, we recommend using the following tricks:
- Staircases are painted by experienced painters even at the stage of building a house, when the structures are not in perfect condition. assembled form, because it’s easier and more convenient.
- If the staircase is already installed, it is best to paint it every other step so that there is something to stand on, and after the finished steps have dried, paint the rest.
- Painting work always starts from the top step. However, if the house has another exit (descent) from the second floor, you can start from the bottom.
- The last two layers of paint or varnish must be applied along the structure of the wood - this will prevent the appearance of visible stains after the coating has dried.
- If you are not sure that the paint has dried, walk around small area in socks or soft knitted slippers and see if there are traces left or not.
- To ensure that the painted staircase is completely dry, add another five hours to the allotted drying time.
The staircase leading to the second floor is one of the important components interior decoration private home. From her appearance The impression of guests about the owner of the house depends. It can be two-color, can be painted with paints, varnishes, and tinting stains. The choice of material is based on your personal preferences and expectations. And so that the final result does not disappoint, it is worth mastering at least minimal skills in working with paint and varnish products.
For a private home or cottage there is no material more accessible and convenient to process than construction wood. Almost any utility work is not complete without the use of lumber, but sometimes it is easier to build a gazebo, benches with a table or a wooden porch than to protect it from rain and sun. The entrance to the house is of special importance, so finding the material and processing method for the best way to paint a wooden porch always remains a small problem.
What does it mean to paint a porch correctly?
Usually, craftsmen who take on the construction of a wooden porch for a summer house or country house finish assembling the porch in a “dry” form; the problem of how to treat a wooden porch on the street and when to paint it is left to the discretion of the owners. This is understandable, good paint or varnish on wooden surface It takes a long time to dry, therefore, before treating a wooden porch with impregnation or paint and varnish, you need to choose the right moment so that residents do not walk around and interfere with the process. It is best to paint the porch before leaving the dacha.
In order for the wooden porch structure to be beautiful and at the same time resistant to bad weather and sun rays, you must follow several rules:
- Before covering a wooden porch with any varnish or paint, it is necessary to treat the wood with an antiseptic and bleach. You can, of course, simply paint the porch with expensive paint containing stains. Masters advise to perform the treatment sequentially with different compositions, and then just paint with the composition you like;
- The second condition is correct selection paint or varnish. Not all parts of a wooden porch are subject to the same conditions. It is best to paint the steps with varnish or paint, primarily resistant to wear and moisture. Railings and balusters are covered with material that is UV resistant and pleasant to the touch.
Advice! Before painting the porch, you need to carefully examine the quality of the wooden surface and, if possible, determine what type of wood the structure is made from.
The problem is that different breeds absorb paint and varnish base differently. Often carpenters and joiners make the mistake of assembling a wooden porch from whatever comes to hand, for example, pine, spruce, larch and even poplar. If such a porch stands in the sun for at least a month, the initially light, freshly sawn wooden surface will become pockmarked, with different shades of gray, yellow and white. Such a porch will just need to be painted with white oil paint and forgotten, but I would like to make it the natural color of the wood with a transparent, smooth varnish coating.
Therefore, it is mandatory after treatment with an antiseptic wooden parts porches are treated with bleach, which oxidizes terpene compounds on the surface of the wood. To increase the depth of penetration of the antiseptic, the wooden surface is wiped with a brush with bronze bristles, and after processing and thorough drying, it is sanded. The result is a white material that can be treated with mahogany toner or simply painted with a good, durable varnish in the color of chestnut or rosewood.
Painting a wooden porch, photo, is done sequentially, starting with the lower supporting elements, posts and hidden niches, shelves, spacers and supports. Everything that is hidden from the rays of the sun must be painted first, before moisture from the soil penetrates into the wooden surface of the lower tier of the porch. The second step is to process the railings and balusters, and only after that can the boards of the upper porch platform, steps, and stringers be painted.
Choosing paint and varnish materials
The most common mistake when painting a porch is the incorrect selection of coating for the wooden surface of the steps. If you simply paint the porch and steps with one of the most accessible and inexpensive varnishes, for example, alkyd or acrylic, then after a few months of use a dark-colored path will form on the landing and stairs. The reason for the defect is very simple:
- Ordinary varnish is quickly wiped off by the soles of shoes, and the wooden surface is exposed;
- Sanded wood wears down to fibers, into which microscopic particles of soil and dust are packed.
For your information! To remove dark marks on a wooden surface, you will have to sand the steps and paint them with a new layer of varnish or paint.
After the third sanding, a depression will appear on the surface of the steps and platform of the wooden porch, which can only be painted and covered with a rubber mat, completely ruining the appearance of the nice porch.
Therefore, the steps and the upper platform must be painted with a wear-resistant material, preferably deck paint or varnish. It is quite difficult to buy it, but it is possible. If you don't like the price, you can use regular polyurethane, acrylic-polyurethane or epoxy varnish for parquet.
Such paints are not afraid of water, and a properly constructed porch quickly gets rid of surface moisture, so there is no danger of swelling wooden steps Hardly ever. It is best to paint it with clear or tinted varnish to look like old walnut. In this case, it is easier to choose a cheaper varnish of a similar toner. You can paint the entire porch with epoxy or polyurethane varnish, but there is no particular point in such a solution; painting will be quite expensive.
Varnish and paint materials
For a wooden porch you can use four main types of varnishes and paints:
- Alkyd enamels;
- Oil paints;
- Polyurethane and acrylic varnishes.
It is better not to use water-dispersion and water-based paints. You can, of course, paint an old wooden porch with a bright color. facade paint, but it will not look very attractive, and the floorboards with steps will still have to be covered with a more resistant material.
You should not try to paint a wooden porch with nitro paint; this is the worst possible option. The coating dries quickly and is easy to apply, but the quality is very mediocre, especially since nitro paints quickly lose their protective properties.
The oldest and most proven product for a wooden surface is good quality oil paint. The disadvantage of oil coatings is their low abrasion resistance and too long drying time. Even modified oil-urethane coatings are not highly durable and take a long time to dry; in addition, the range of colors of such paints leaves much to be desired. Oil paint can be used to paint the most important parts of a wooden porch, the subfloor and supports.
Acrylic or acrylic-urethane varnish is considered the most suitable for wooden porch parts. To ensure reliable protection of wood from moisture and solar ultraviolet radiation, you will need to paint it at least three times, with an interval of 6-7 hours. Qualitative acrylic lacquer is expensive, therefore, before painting a wooden porch, the surface is covered with an acrylic primer; in extreme cases, PVA is diluted in a ratio of 1:4 with water.
A thin film is formed on a sanded wooden surface, ensuring minimal penetration of the varnish into the thickness of the wood, and at the same time leveling the adhesion of the acrylic coating and the wood. If you paint wood with one varnish, the consumption expensive material will at least double. The only drawback of acrylic coatings is the high hardness of the paint layer. If you paint an insufficiently sanded wooden surface of a railing or fence rail, then dried splinters and risks, hard as glass, will be a serious problem for your hands.
One of the most popular and available materials alkyd enamel or varnish is considered to be used to treat the porch. Most dacha owners prefer to paint the porch, fence and barn walls with one proven pentaphthalic PF-115. Exterior paint does a good job of protecting wood from moisture and heat, but the durability of the coating leaves much to be desired. Alkyd varnishes can be used to paint a newly built porch. If you paint with a second or third layer of old paint or oil, you will not get a normal quality of paint.
Non-varnish coatings for wooden porches
To protect wood structures, it is not necessary to use alkyd or expensive acrylic-polyurethane varnishes. The modern chemical industry produces a fairly large number of specialized coatings. For example, specialized wax-based gels. You can paint it once and forget it for ten years. The only drawback is the rather high labor intensity of coating application. While alkyd varnish can paint a porch in two hours of work, wax mastics and gels require mechanical polishing of the texture. The result is a very beautiful and durable coating with semi-gloss. If a wooden porch is built from wood with a beautiful grain texture, there is no point in losing the natural beauty and trying to paint the wood with oil paint; it is better to use gel or impregnation.
The second most popular material for processing wooden buildings on the street, the floors of terraces and verandas are considered oil impregnations. The simplest wooden porch structures can be painted with natural drying oil; it is better not to use petroleum-polymer grades. Drying oil dries to a hard coating for at least a week; the material dries touch-free in two days.
If the porch is poorly located, with strong shading, then it is best to choose a proprietary oil impregnation from Tikkurila. If you paint the wood according to all the rules described on the can, protection from constant moisture is guaranteed one hundred percent. In addition, oil impregnations surprisingly clearly reveal the natural beauty of wood fibers.
There is absolutely no point in trying to paint a wooden porch with used machine oil:
- Firstly, the risk of ignition of wooden structures increases sharply;
- Secondly, machine oil, unlike natural drying oils and branded impregnations, does not dry out, which means that all the garbage and dust from the street will constantly stick to the wooden surface;
- Thirdly, even if you paint sanded and etched wood, the surface color is far from the most attractive, dirty brown.
In addition, in autumn and winter, when a large amount of water gets on the steps, the oiled surface becomes quite slippery and dangerous.
Conclusion
One of the criteria for selecting a material to paint a porch or wooden terrace should be the quality of the varnish or paint. For example, there is a large amount of yacht varnish on sale, which is advertised under the guise of deck varnish, as the best remedy to paint wooden structures on the street. Real deck varnish has no shine and is almost completely transparent or tinted gray.
Almost every owner who has private housing at his disposal strives to make it as cozy, comfortable and beautiful as possible. Not a single detail of the house or cottage should be out of order so that the interior decoration looks stylish and harmonious. And if there is an unpainted wooden staircase in the room, then it must be put in order. After all, wood, although it is one of the best building materials, really needs additional coating in order to maintain its aesthetic and performance properties.
Before you start painting the stairs, you need to decide exactly what kind of result you want to get. This will help you avoid making mistakes with the choice of dye and the technology for its application.
So, what do you need to keep in mind when starting painting:
- If the natural pattern of wood is so beautiful that you want to leave it, it is better to choose glossy or matte varnish instead of paint;
- To preserve the texture, you should abandon the use of primers, and you should purchase “light” paint that allows the wood to “breathe”;
- If painting inside the house, you need to ensure that the composition used has quick-drying properties and does not leave behind an unpleasant, long-lasting odor.
As for the steps, for their treatment you should select a paint that is distinguished by its durability and abrasion resistance. Otherwise already after a short time the staircase will have to “experience” a new cosmetic renovation.
The paint must have protective properties to protect the wood from rot, dust, fungi and prevent it from losing its appearance.
Paint for wooden stairs and its varieties
At any market or hardware store you can find a lot of the most different compositions for painting. But in order to choose exactly what you need, you need to know all the types of dyes.
Paints suitable for subsequent processing of wooden stairs are divided into:
- Alkyd– their main advantage is that they dry quite quickly and contain antiseptics and are non-toxic. In addition, they cover the stairs protective layer, protecting it from various mechanical damage. Such paints are affordable and come in a variety of colors.
- Acrylic– do not have a strong odor, also dry quickly, and have a long service life (up to 20 years). Do not fade or burn out over time, do not contain harmful evaporating substances. Allows the wood to “breathe”. They have a very wide color palette.
- Oily– the advantages of such paint include low price and quite economical consumption facilities. But at the same time, the surface coated with such a composition does not “breathe” at all and is defenseless against abrasion and damage. They contain some substances harmful to the body and take a long time to dry. The maximum service life of such paint is 5 years.
The best option for painting wooden stairs is alkyd paints. They are the ones who give consistently good result, and with their help the ladder will serve for a long time, as well as look well-groomed and beautiful.
As for specific brands and manufacturers, we can recommend: Tikkurila Empire, Betolux, Dufa, Viva Color, Pesto, Dulux.
What kind of paint is there for wooden stairs inside the house?
The staircase can be located both inside the house and outside it. There are differences between what exactly should be used to treat wooden interior parts.
To paint a wooden staircase indoors, you can use:
- Paints;
- Lucky;
- Special impregnations or stains.
And you don’t have to choose just one thing. You can “play” with them and try to combine different dyes. For example, additionally treat the paint with clear varnish.
For indoor stairs, you can also use special enamel paints. They are distinguished by a high drying speed, the absence of toxins in their composition and excellent protective properties.
But it should be remembered that enamel should only be used in a dry room, well protected from precipitation. Otherwise, the stairs will be defenseless against moisture.
To process wooden stairs, you can use enamels from the Swedish company Synteko or Italian manufacturer Sirca. Of course, they are quite expensive, but the quality in this case justifies the price.
As for varnishes, their task is mainly to emphasize the natural texture, pattern and color of wood. They are easy to apply and dry fairly quickly. For stairs located in the house, it is better to choose an alcohol-based product. For external steps located on the outside, it is not frost-resistant enough.
Important! There is no need to use “yacht” varnish to paint indoor stairs. It is very toxic and remains so even after drying.
Impregnated stains are also among the means that can be used to treat wood. They not only tint it, but can also have bio- and fire-retardant properties. For stairs, wax or oil-based products are usually used.
At the end of the work associated with painting a wooden staircase in a house, it is advisable to use a polish that provides wear resistance to the surface and gives additional shine.
The choice of color for painting stairs should be based on the interior design. In the next article we will tell you about 3 secrets of the ideal look of the staircase: .
How to paint a wooden staircase to the second floor: small tricks
The staircase “inviting” to the second floor is one of important elements interior decoration of the home. The harmony and consistency of the taste of the entire house depends on its appearance and style.
To do everything correctly and not repeat painting after a short time, you can use some tricks:
- If the use of the staircase during painting cannot be avoided, then you can process it one step at a time, and after the boards have dried, finish painting the rest. This will allow you to practically not feel the inconvenience associated with visits to the second floor and not spoil the drying coating. True, this option is convenient for plain painting, without patterns.
- If the house is built, but the staircase has not yet been installed, then it is more convenient to paint it disassembled.
- First, paint the top step. True, if there is another exit from the second floor, you can process the lower one first.
The final strokes must be carried out clearly along the structure of the tree. In order for the stairs to dry better, it is worth increasing the drying time by about 5 hours.
Options: how to paint a pine staircase in a house
The difference between a pine staircase and others wooden coverings is that the resin does not form any passages and impregnates the material unevenly. In this regard, it will be very difficult to carry out the same tint.
In this case, it is best to use enamel. With its help (in diluted form) you can perfectly repeat both the pattern of the tree itself and, if desired, paint the entire staircase. In the second case, there is no need to dilute the substance.
As for paint for pine surfaces, you can use the following varieties:
- Alkyd– will not cause any hassle with application;
- Pigmented– will hide small defects and chips;
- Urethane-alkyd– can be used on surfaces that have already been painted before.
To add additional shine, you can choose a suitable polish to match the wood tone. The pine staircase will shine and transform.
How to paint a staircase in a wooden house correctly
To paint stairs made from various types of wood, you can use the services of special companies. But you need to be prepared for a very hefty bill. To avoid this, you can do this work yourself and save a lot of money. Moreover, it is not so difficult.
The entire process of painting stairs can be divided into the following stages:
- Preparing for painting. All dirt is removed from the surface, and the cracks are filled with putty. If the wood is too dense or old, then it must also be primed, otherwise the paint will not stick to it.
- After the solution has dried, the putty is sanded with sandpaper to obtain a smooth surface. In order to achieve the best result, you need to wait a couple of days and then repeat everything again.
- Next, the surface is cleaned and dusted so that even the smallest particles are not visible under the layer of paint.
- Then the staircase is primed twice with a break of 24 hours.
- After the second coat of primer has dried, you can begin painting. Before starting work, the coloring matter must be shaken or diluted (for more details, see the packaging).
If you use varnish instead of paint, no primer is needed!
In order to apply paint, you can use rollers, brushes, sprayers, and spray guns.
During painting, you need to make sure that the paint does not harden as droplets and does not leave traces behind.
To create a high-quality coating, it is advisable to apply 3 to 5 layers. Each layer must be applied after the previous one has completely dried.
The paint should dry at home in a room with normal humidity. Otherwise, cold or heat can lead to the appearance of small cracks on its surface, which will affect the life of the ladder. At the very end of the work, the finishing coat is applied.
Variations of what color to paint a staircase in a wooden house
When thinking about what color to paint a wooden staircase, you need to take into account not only your tastes and wishes, but also the general style of the room in which it is located.
The staircase should match the color scheme of the house, and not contradict it.
Thanks to the illumination of the steps, you can significantly improve the aesthetic qualities of the stairs. You will learn about the types of illumination of steps and the use of chandeliers for spans from the article:.
The shades can be very different - either completely repeating the tones of wood, or bright, radiant colors. The most common option is a uniform coloring, but you can do it in an original way and paint the stairs by combining 3-4, or even 5 different shades. Or, for example, decorate the steps with one color, and the railings with another, contrasting color. It will look original and interesting.
- If painting will be carried out in several colors, it is better to do the work when the staircase is disassembled, that is, before installation;
- If you want to make the structure darker, you can apply impregnation with finishing varnish, as they are absorbed into the surface faster and the staircase will retain its shade longer;
- To lighten a wooden surface, it is recommended to use translucent glazing substances that contain light coloring pigments.
Do-it-yourself painting of a wooden staircase (video)
The staircase is such a part of the house that can easily become the highlight of the interior if you approach the issue of its design competently. There is no need to be afraid to experiment with shades or think that painting this structure is a difficult and overwhelming task. Everything is completely doable! You just have to want it, choose the right dyes and use your imagination a little. Good luck!
Painting wooden stairs (process photo)
