How to Paint a Stained Railing

Do you have stained or varnished railings in your home that are desperately in need of a paint job? If you are thinking of taking on this task on your own there are a few things you should know about painting a stained banister/railing. Lucky for you, we have a step by step video by Justin Shulz with peak Professional Painting to show you how to prime and paint and a set of stained interior railings.

1: Masking

First and most importantly you will want to make sure you spend a lot of time on the interior masking. Peak Pro can’t stress this enough, we preach preparation in our interior and exterior painting process! We make sure that our clients floors/ windows and valuables are safe from paint. Not only will you protect you or your clients possessions but makes for an easy cleanup without harsh chemicals or hidden spills. Maskings efficacy truly depends on how well you make a clean tape line. Take your time and make sure your tape doesn’t have any bubbles or gaps. This will help you avoid paint from seeping underneath the tape. Last step in masking, is taping painters plastic over your tapeline. This is super important if you are painting near carpet!

2: Sanding

It is important to prepare your surface to be painted by taking a light sandpaper to take off the glossy shine. The smooth sheen on stained wood makes it difficult for a new layer of paint to stick. By removing the sheen and etching the surface you will be able to give the primer something to bite onto. Keep in mind that the sandpaper you use should not be too rough, you are only trying to take off the gloss!

3: Primer

Now you can’t use just any primer when painting on top of previously stained wood! You will need a thick stain blocking primer. A thick stain blocking primer is necessary to painting a stained railing to make make sure the previous stain doesn’t bleed through the paint.

4: Paint!

Now it’s time to get creative and apply two coats of paint of your choice. Peak Pro is a big fan of high powered paint sprayers because of the clean look. However if you are choosing to use a paintbrush for painting the railing, make sure to paint upwards so you get an even coat and less mess. Paint with care and quickly to avoid brush strokes that occur from the paint drying too quick. Watch out for runs and drips on railing, this can happen when the paint was laid on too thick in combination with a steep angle. Make sure to brush out the runs in the paint so that they do not harden into an uneven surface.

If you aren’t the DIY home exterior master, or just don’t have the time. Our Peak Pro home painters will help you paint the interior and/or exterior of your home for you in surrounding areas of Denver CO and Austin TX. Have a business that needs exterior painting in Denver area, Peak Pro also does Denver commercial painting. Click this link to request a quote.