A wooden staircase can suffer various damages that can make it unstable, deteriorate it, stain it, or make it slippery. It can also become outdated and no longer please its owners. In this case, it is not necessarily required to replace it with a new one, as staircase renovation is possible and will make it like new, up to date. Let’s follow the main steps of renovating a wooden staircase.
Obtaining a work permit
For both residential and commercial staircases, there are Canadian safety standards to know and respect before starting any work on a staircase. You can request a work permit from your municipality, which will also inform you of the current standards to be respected to have your staircase renovated legally. These standards mainly concern the height of the steps, the height of the handrail, the width between the stair balusters, the width of the staircase, etc.
Sanding the wood
To begin renovating a wooden staircase, you must start by stripping it, sanding it, which means removing all the remnants of its old coating. This first step is particularly important on wood that may be waxed, varnished, or painted. Everything must be removed to leave the raw surface. For this, the use of a sander is recommended first on treated woods, after which the wood must be sanded using sandpaper to be able to thoroughly dust it using a vacuum cleaner.
The repair
Following the original design, to not impair the authentic beauty of the wood, professionals can restore a staircase by repairing cracks and making inserts so that each step becomes like new. Due to wood wear and the detachment of treads from risers, it can also happen that a staircase only creaks. Professionals can then remedy the creaking of a staircase by reinforcing its structure or its fitting.
Staining or doubling
After thoroughly cleaning the staircase to make its surface smooth and clean, it’s time to dress or cover your wooden staircase. Depending on the design of your staircase, you can choose to apply a stain or double the treads, risers, and stringers with the covering of your choice. With a cloth and a roller (or a brush), it is possible to stain a previously polished wooden staircase following a particular process to avoid darkening it too much. It is also preferable to choose a quality stain to have a guarantee of reliability and durability. In the case of doubling, you need to make templates for each part, cut the covering to the exact dimensions, then glue it to each tread, riser, and stringer. Finally, don’t forget to do the finishing touches, especially the joints using sealant applied to the edges.
The finishing
Varnishing, waxing, wood staining, or painting, these treatments for staircases allow for making a staircase impeccably clean and protecting it long-term against the comings and goings that damage it. Depending on the traffic on this staircase and the type of wood, it is also possible to repeat the layers to provide even better resistance.
To carry out a staircase renovation, know that it is preferable to deal with specialists who will bring their experience and expertise to advise you and help you get a staircase like the one you dream of!
