Refinishing oak staircase

5/28/2008 at 11:36:15 AM

Hi again Bob.

as i mentioned in my original email to you here are the steps to doing a bang up job on a finishing job.

The process of finishing stairs will go as follows;

1. Sand and prep all surfaces

2. Condition the wood(wipe down with damp cloth

fill any holes

3. light sand dust and clean

4. first coat of urethane.

4b Note if the stairs are used daily then first coat will do every other step

5. Dry time of 24 hours

6 sand all urethaned surfaces.

6b Note if stairs are used daily then first coat of remaining steps

7. Dry time of 24 hours

8. repeat all steps doing a light sanding 200 or 220 grit for each remaining coat of urethane before applying.

As for the picketts. sand well the first time , taking time to get all the edges and crannies. tape off the top and bottoms before painting.

when you paint at the tape heres the trick to getting a good clean paint job.

1. press the tape down well so there is no gaps between the tape and the wood the tape is protecting.

2. with very little paint ( and i mean little) paint along the tape edge lightly to seal the edge of the tape at the picketts ends.

Let this dry while you paint the rest of the picket.

3. finish painting the picket ends.

This will guarantee that your paint doesnt bleed under the tape.

If there is anything i can do for you please let me know.