There is a staircase in almost every house and in most cases it is made of wood.
If you chose to make the interfloor structure yourself, then at the end of the work, of course, the question arises of covering it with varnish or paint.
What you need to know about the material
This issue should be taken seriously, as wood can undergo several types of finishes. It depends on its structure, where the tree sprouts, and many other factors. That is why, when choosing a varnish for a wooden staircase, you should pay attention to several points.
Remember!
- Conifers contain resin, which can significantly affect the strength of the entire coating.
- Oak, bamboo, hornbeam, ash, etc. - have a beautiful natural wood texture. This should also be taken into account when choosing a coloring composition. It is best to give preference to transparent coatings that emphasize all the beauty and perfection of natural materials.
Finishing methods
At the moment, there are 2 types of wood finishes:
- Transparent;
- Opaque.
If you are faced with the question of which varnish is better to cover a wooden staircase, then you should initially study the composition of the substance, its properties and read the instructions for applying this coating to various surfaces and types of wood.
This will greatly facilitate the task and will not force you to change the coating again, since dismantling the old coating is a rather complicated process and requires a lot of effort and experience.
Types of coatings for wooden structures
Varnishes for wooden stairs are solutions that form a film when applied to a surface. The film can be matte, transparent and shiny.
There are several types of coatings and the price for them does not differ much, but the properties are different for everyone:
- Alcohol - resin solutions, which are distinguished by their fast drying (no more than 2 hours) and ease of polishing. But it is also worth remembering the disadvantages of alcohol varnishes - low moisture and frost resistance, which imposes a number of restrictions on the use of these coatings on the street. Alcohol-based compounds can only be used inside buildings for painting flights of stairs and flights.
- Nitrocellulose - more resistant to external natural anomalies and can be used outdoors. Solutions of these varnishes contain varnish colloxylin, resins and a plasticizer in volatile solvents.
- Formaldehyde - one of the most durable and best suited for steps and stairs often used in the house. As part of these varnishes - resins of the same name, which give good adhesion to a wooden surface. The disadvantage of such a coating is its pronounced smell, which for a long time escapes from the room.
- Alkyd varnishes are best used for steps in those houses where flights of stairs are rarely used, in summer cottages and country cottages. They contain wood, linseed and other oils that penetrate deeply into the structure of wood and tolerate mechanical stress well, but just as quickly and become unusable.
Tip: When choosing a cover, be sure to read the instructions or ask a more experienced seller for advice.
It is believed that stair tread varnish is best water-based or formaldehyde-based.
It is not recommended to use alkyd compounds that penetrate the structure of the tree and are more often used in the furniture industry, since when they are applied to the stairs, everything will have to be restored in a couple of months.
Types of staircase finishes
How to varnish a wooden staircase at home is described below, now let's talk a little about what types of finishing of interfloor structures exist and what is the difference between them.
- Opaque coating is the application of opaque varnishes to the surface that hide some imperfections in the wood structure. This type of finish often involves the application of paint or varnish not in one, but in several layers. With this type of coating, a prerequisite is to clean the entire surface from the old coating, if there was any, sanding, priming and putty of the entire structure, and then applying any paint composition to the surface.
- Transparent Finish - Works well on beautiful wood surfaces where the structure of the wood is clearly visible. Most often, staircases made of oak, beech and some exotic varieties of trees are covered with a transparent composition. In this case, the putty is used only in the case of small defects, otherwise the varnish is applied evenly to the dry cleaned surface in order to avoid smudges. The photo clearly shows all the beauty of this coloring, its advantages and harmonious combination with the interior.
Note!
All varnishes are toxic in one way or another, and when painting stairs and other products, be sure to protect yourself and your loved ones from possible poisoning.
Any varnish for a wooden staircase contains toxic substances and it is better to carry out work in a protective mask or respirator, and send all your household members to rest or visit before the end of all work.
Small instruction for home craftsmen
It would seem, well, who does not know how to varnish the stairs? Everything is simple and elementary and you can do this procedure yourself without any problems. But not everything is as smooth as it might seem at first glance.
Any coating made at home occurs with the use of an improvised, not electric, but hand tool.
You will need:
- Bristle brushes, drying oil;
- Hair brushes, turpentine.
Bristle, usually round brushes, in most cases for the application of components with a viscous and long-drying structure. And with flutes - soft brushes with the longest bristle - they work with a liquid composition. (see also the article How to paint a staircase inside the house: tips and tricks on choosing paints and varnishes and the main stages of work)
Tip: Prepare your brush before starting work.
When using a liquid composition, the length of the pile should be 2 times longer than the diameter of the brush, and for working with thick paints, on the contrary, shorter.
This should be taken into account.
Before work, it is better to moisten a new brush in drying oil, and then rinse in turpentine and only then start painting.
Instructions for applying any varnish on a flight of stairs:
- Clean the surface from old paint or varnish;
- Remove residual dust and, if necessary, cover the entire area with a primer and filler;
- It is better to hold the brush itself not perpendicularly, but at an angle to the surface;
- Apply varnish optimally in wide stripes, and then smooth everything;
- If there are villi or brush marks on the surface, then they should be removed after leveling;
- Be sure to mix the varnish composition most thoroughly and often in the process so that large particles do not settle to the bottom.
If something remains unclear to you, then watch the video in this article and you will definitely find something useful in it.
Output
With a great desire and good imagination, all work can be done without the involvement of professionals. (see also article How to paint a pine staircase: choice of paints and varnishes and technology) It is easy to transform an old staircase by painting it in new shades and covering the entire surface with varnish. Your interior can be the way you want, the main thing is not to deviate from the intended goal.
