I want to restore our Victorian staircase, going from a drabby flattened 1960s beige carpet, to a fully sanded, restored looking staircase, with painted risers, stained treads and a runner down the middle.
I've gotten as far as sanding the treads, and now I need to decide how to treat them. I've read all sorts about whether to use varnish or oil, polyurethane or wax, but I have not a clue which route to take.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.
I have remodeled quite a few Victorians the ones with pine or fur treads were usually stained with a honey or amber colored stain then polyurethane, I used varathane a solvent based poly, I have been told the water based polys are as good but my limited experience with water based was not as good as solvent based.
I use very expensive brushes this is the real trick to a nice finish with poly ($20.00 is normal for a good quality brush) to make the brush last years you will need a container that you can put some solvent in with the brush and seal it, after cleaning most the poly out, put the brush in solvent at least 3/4 of the bristles covered ) Seal the jar next time you want to use a day week or year later take the brush out, shake out the excess solvent seal the jar up and start applying , when you mix your poly stir never shake (unless you have a vacuum top to pull the air bubbles out). When done clean the brush add some fresh solvent to the jar and put your brush in. Do this if even just going for a lunch break once the poly drys the brush is toast.
Poly works best with a medium heavy coat and let dry completely, light sanding between coats for awesome wood grain. First I would stain the entire staircase then 1 coat on the entire staircase. Since you want a carpet runner I would then put down 1-2 more coats on each end an inch or 2 inside where the carpet runner will go. This really brings that old growth wood grain out.
How you treat the floors will be largely a function of the end finish you want. For example, I would discourage you from simply waxing the surface.
Different applications and different looks use different materials and systems.
As an example, 40 years ago when I built my house, I used Glitsa products, which as I recall had isocyanates, which require respirator use, and evacuation of the dwelling for at least 24 hours. Glitsa has different systems, and has water based polyurethanes as well. So there are lots of parameters to choose between when selecting a finish. I suggest visting a local hardwood flooring distributor and see what options they have or who they recommend.
In my case, a sealant specific to the system used was applied, and then two coats of a catalyst cured finish were applied. Two stairs were oak, and two were clear pine. The oak remains in very very good condition after 40 years and has not been retouched. The pine floors have developed an unintended patina over time, from heavy machinery being moved to the basement, but the finish remains intact.
Another comment on the potential use of wax...stairs require more sure footing than level and open areas. Wax can be very slippery, especially in stocking feet. Polyurethane and other finishes as well offer different levels of traction. Generally, satin finishes will have more silica and will provide better traction than glossy finishes. Again, your local hardwood flooring distributor, or a local paint shop can help you select the system and finish that will be best for you. I suggest local shops, because when you do this for the first time, you have many questions, and you may need additional items, and a local shop is usually better equipped to handle those questions than a flooring supply mail order outfit.
As you work your way to the finish you will want on your treads, you can then work in how you will stain the treads, and make sure that it is done in a manner compatible with your finish and the wood you have. In my case, I chose to not stain. But that is a choice you can make of looks and preference.
