That is another railing, was just using for color choice

What type of stripper would you use?

Depends what you are doing to it. IF you are staining it then it needs to be stripped. IF you are painting it, you need to sand to rough it up and prime before painting.

Staining, what kind of stripper would you use?

I use SoyGel. It's more of a natural stripper w/less harmful chemicals. most strippers need a chemical wash to neutralize and remove the residue. SoyGel can be wiped clean w/water. big plus indoor. Has almost zero odor. Apply a good amount for full coverage, let it sit until it bubbles betwen 30-60 mins, (but don't let it dry. ) use a scraper that won't damage wood. (I do this a lot so I use the metal one. if you do, be careful not to gauge the wood) scrape off all old finish, wipe clean w/a damp rag (remove all of the stripper or stain won't take) let dry. Give it a good sanding to even out the finish. start w/100,150,220. in that order. wipe clean w/mineral spirits. let dry. apply a wood conditioner, then your new stain.

are you doing all of the trim on the treads too? that's a ton of work. what color do you want to stain?

Yes, big job! Going a dark walnut

Sorry picture to close to see color

that's a nice shade.

make sure to use a good top coat when finished. try General Finishes Wipe On Urethane. I've used it on many projects. the wipe on is a nice feature, especially for railings.

use the Satin or even the Semi Gloss. Semigloss on the bannister will give it more life.

you'll need 2-3 coats. fine sand w/320 grit in between coats for a super fine finish. go lightly. or you can wet sand w/a 600 grit

youre welcome

I also recommend SoyGel. I have used it prior and there is no smell. You can wash any of your rags when done. I highly recommend placing your garbage receptacle near your work area so the removed stain can be easily disposed.

Thank you, your comments have been very helpful

scaping off the old finish is a mess. lay down a large sheet of painters plastic sheeting to catch all of the mess. tape off other areas w/tape and the plastic. this way when you're done, you can just toll up everything in the plastic and toss.

Just a follow up on my stair railing! Tried many different gels etc to remove varnish, ended up sanding right down. To our surprise there were two different woods used so stain took differently on each 😩 so frustrating, I am so glad we started on railings going downstairs first