If you're going to paint your stairs, you need to follow these expert tips and paint recommendations for a professional finish

Looking to update your stairs? Painting them is a cost-effective way to transform your hallway and create a striking focal point. Choose contemporary colours, match the colour to decorated risers, or go for a simple, classic white for a crisp, clean finish.

Whatever painted stairs ideas you decide on, preparation and choosing the best paint are key to success. Get this right and your smart new design feature will stay looking good for longer. Here, the pros reveal what you need to know to make it happen.

Michael Rolland

With The Paint Shed having evolved from painting contractors to retailers, Michael has years of experience within the painting industry, using this expertise to influence his own DIY projects using the best possible tools and materials.

Best paint for stairs

Michael Rolland, MD and paint expert at The Paint Shed, says, "Stairs and handrails, including their spindles, are best painted in a satin or glossy finish, as these paints are more suited to these surfaces and more forgiving on more difficult spots."

He offers a few recommendations: "Tikkurila's Helmi Primer and Betolux Akva Paint are the best options here, as they are formulated for wood and durable enough to withstand footfall and other wear and tear."

Nick Parsons, Technical Manager at Harris, explains reasons why, "It’s personal preference, but satin is currently popular for a contemporary look." He adds, "Gloss is tougher and easier to wipe clean, making it great for handrails that see lots of sticky fingers. For the actual steps, ensure you use a dedicated floor paint for slip resistance."

His recommendations are, "Use Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 as a primer, followed by Dulux Trade Diamond Satinwood."

A few other options worth considering include Dulux Trade Quick Dry Wood Primer Undercoat Paint. This is water-based and will seal your stairs and stop any stains from seeping through. It also acts as an undercoat, so you won’t need to purchase a separate undercoat.

To finish, use specialist floor paint such as Ronseal Diamond Hard Floor Paint. This gives a tough finish but has a limited colour range. As an alternative, try Rust-Oleum Chalky Finish Floor Paint.

Nick Parsons

Nick began his time with Harris in 1988, and throughout the decades has worked in various departments. His experience and product understanding informs the evolution of all Harris products, from benchmarking to insight, research and development.

Shop these tools for painting stairs

The tools you'll need to paint stairs

• Dust sheets (like these Extra Large Plastic Dust Sheets from Amazon)
• Sandpaper 
• Wood filler (like this Toupret Wood Repair Filler from Amazon)
• Filler knife
• Paint brush (like this Harris Trade Paint Brush Multi-Pack from Amazon)
• Primer/undercoat
• Floor paint

How to prep stairs for painting

1. Check for nails and lay dust sheets 

Before you start any work on your stairs protect any surrounding areas by covering them with dust sheets.

If you are painting your stairs for the first time and previously had carpet, first check for any nails or staples and remove them.

Next, remove any loose paint with a paint scraper and sweep the stairs.

2. Sand the stairs 

To get the best finish, you will need to sand your stairs. Typically, the stringers, or the sides, will already be painted. If this is the case, you can sand them with medium, to fine-grit sandpaper, depending on their condition. A 120-grit sandpaper should do the job.

If the treads and risers, the steps, are unpainted, they will need to be sanded with a coarse, 80 grit, sandpaper. Using an electric hand sander will make the job quicker and easier. When finished, sweep or vacuum the stairs to get rid of any dust.

3. Fill holes 

Now check for holes or areas that need filling, and fill them with a good-quality wood filler, such as Ronseal High-Performance Wood Filler. On older stairs, it’s not uncommon to see small gaps between the treads and risers. Fill these to get a complete finish.

Once the filler is dry, rub down all parts of the stairs with fine-grit sandpaper (180-220 grit) to get a smooth finish. Rub your fingers along the sanded areas to check if they're smooth enough. If not, do it again.

4. Clean and wash stairs

To finish, first brush or vacuum the stairs to remove any dust. Now use warm water, a mild cleaning detergent (washing-up liquid will do), and a clean cloth to remove any debris and dust (you can also use sugar soap). After washing, let the stairs dry completely. Leave for at least 24 hours.

Best way to remove paint from spindles

There are different methods for different materials. Here, Rolland shares how to deal with wooden spindles. "Most staircase bannisters are made of wood, and in that case, you can remove the paint with a few steps."

He adds, "To start with, use a heat gun or a paint-removing chemical like C-Tec Peel Tec to loosen the paint. This allows you to easily remove the paint with a paint scraper." When finished, he says, "Give the spindle a light rub down with medium grit sandpaper to remove any final paint residue."

Best time to paint stairs

Parsons suggests the best time to paint the stairs. "In a busy home, timing is everything. While late evening is great for letting paint harden overnight, try to start while you still have natural daylight, as artificial light can hide streaks and missed spots."

For faster drying times, he says, "If you’re only refreshing the handrails and spindles (not the treads), choose a durable water-based trim paint. It dries much faster than oil-based alternatives."

However, for the treads, he suggests another option, "For the treads themselves, use the 'every-other-step’ method - paint steps one, three and five on day one, then the even steps the next day. This ensures a safe, dry path to bed!"

Painting stairs

1. Prime stairs

The first step is to add a primer to any bare wood stairs, typically, this will be the treads and risers. Rolland points out where to start, "The best way to paint stairs is to start at the top and make your way down, painting the sides of each step first and then filling out the middle. As with other projects, it's very important to leave the stairs to dry completely before painting each layer."

Use a 2-inch brush. Do not overload the brush and dab into the difficult areas, under the tread, and brush to even out. Then paint the front edge of the tread and the edges of the riser. Finish the tread/riser with a mini roller. Repeat down the rest of the stairs.

Once the primer is dry (see manufacturer’s instructions), lightly rub down with fine-grit sandpaper. 320 grit is good for this. Now clean the stairs, ready for the next coat of paint.

2. Undercoat treads, rises and sides 

With a base coat in place, it’s time to add an undercoat. Start at the top of the stairs and paint the sides first. Do not overload the brush as thin coats are better than thick coats.

Start at the top of the sides and work down. Do two or three steps at a time. Then go back and paint the treads and risers as mentioned before. Repeat the process until finished. Let the paint dry and give it a quick rub down and clean. Make a judgment call on whether to add another coat of undercoat.

3. Finish stairs with a top coat 

The final coat will be your chosen floor paint. Apply this in the same way that you applied the undercoat. You can use a foam roller on the treads and risers to get a smoother finish.

Ideally, you want to leave the paint undisturbed for 24 hours to let it dry properly. But if this is not possible, leave it as long as possible or at least the minimum recommended by the paint manufacturer.

If you are going to paint your stairs, sanding stairs is a key component of the process. It’s also a good time to think about painting your hallway for a complete refresh of the space. Finally, if you are looking for new stairs, make sure to check out our guide to new staircase costs.