Paint or restain these stairs- Changing flooring to light colour?

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

We have just bought this lovely home but the dark floors are just a little too “mid-tone” brown for me - and am thinking of going lighter. The upstairs is carpet and we are definitely getting new hardwood for it, and are sanding and restaining the downstairs to match. The hardwood guys want to match it all to the stairs, but I am considering going with everything a lighter colour wood all around - but what about the stairs? Will they look weird a light colour wood on treads and handrails (eg. grey or whatever wood) to match the floor if I pay for resanding them too or should I just paint them (newel posts, treads and handrails)?

Featured Answer

jpp221

7 years ago

Lighter-toned wood is always a trend that creeps in but seems dated 5 years later. Dark stain hides ageing far better (as wood ages, the grain opens up, it splits, it wears, and none of that looks good on paler tones—that’s why English manor houses and German palaces have dark wood). White risers and dark treads are a classic look. That’s what a permanent, long-lived element like stairs, needs. I’d say all of that in a new build. But overlay that with the difficulty of lightening wood that’s been stained already, and, well, no.

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Comments (8)

jhmarie
7 years ago
Before you worry about it, talk to a flooring specialist about the possibility of refinishing the floors lighter - what the result will look like. Many thought they could finish their floors dark and refinish them back to light again with no problem. However, dark stain gets deep into grain and the side ends of the wood making it very difficult to lighten without leaving a dark grain behind. A lot will depend on the actual type of floor and finish you have. Get some good info about the floor and the cost and then you can ask them about the stairs too.

If you are replacing the floor with a lighter floor, you can ask about what can be expected in attempts to refinish the stairs.
colleencc
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Thanks very much, yes I have been dealing with a flooring guy who has been to the house once and has quoted me, and will be bringing some samples over in a couple of days. He thinks it is do-able. We are replacing upstairs and refinishing downstairs, but wondering what to do about the stairs themselves. I am not against paint but he is going to quote me on them separately (he has quoted only on the upstairs & downstairs so far). He tells me floor on stairs is red oak.
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Olychick
7 years ago
While I love lighter color floors, the railings to match seem dated to me. I'd do the treads the same as the floors and think about a darker handrail. It seems black is popular with a lighter stained floor for a more updated look:
colleencc
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks, actually I agree about painting the handrails black .... but when I mentioned this to the flooring guy he was temporarily at a lack for words (not typical for him)! So I wasn’t sure what to think after that. But different colour handrails and treads??
jhmarie
7 years ago
Hardwood flooring guys like wood - that is why they like hardwood floors. They would feel a beautiful wood handrail would be much better and classier than a painted handrail. I tend to agree - especially when dark stained wood and black are so close visually.
colleencc thanked jhmarie
Neifa Andell
7 years ago
hello. I really like the color of your current floor on stairs. I'm sure what ever you decide will look great.
colleencc thanked Neifa Andell
colleencc
Original Author
7 years ago
@jhmarie - yes I know I definitely cannot get an unbiased opinion from a flooring guy...and possibly not even from a “guy” at all, unless he’s a guy with a special interest in decorating as opposed to the average guy...