Wood is one of the best building materials. While the tree is in the ground, it is constantly renewed, thanks to which some species can grow for thousands of years. The situation is completely different with finished products; they must be coated with special means to protect them from exposure environment. If the staircase in your house is made of wood, then you need to know how to paint a wooden staircase.

Why paint?

It is true that wood has a beautiful structure as well as pleasant tactile properties. So why spoil it with chemicals? This is required to protect against:

• various pests;
• rapid wear;
• exposure to ultraviolet radiation;
• drying out;
• moisture.

Finally, the wood is stained to create a tone that will match the interior and realize a unique design idea.

Special products will not only not spoil the appearance of the wood, but will also emphasize the advantages that the tree already has. Most often used:

• varnishes;
• stains;
• enamels;
• paints;
• polishes.

To do right choice, it is important to know for what specific purposes certain finishing materials are intended and what their subtypes exist.

Even before purchase

Before deciding which option will be the most the best solution In your case, you need to analyze the following points:

• Impact of precipitation. This is true for stairs that are located on the street.
• The amount of sunlight received. The composition of the coloring agent for a staircase, which is under direct ultraviolet exposure most of the day, differs from that which can be used if the product is located in the shade. This also affects the final cost.
• Gloss or matte. Typically, a coating that has a matte or semi-matte structure is selected for stairs. This makes more sense from a usability point of view. Glossy surface it wears off faster and loses its appearance. Although there are types of varnishes that are able to maintain shine and at the same time are resistant to physical impact, for example, “yacht”.
• Hue. It is important to decide whether a slight adjustment will be made to the tone or a complete color substitution will take place.
• How much time is there for drying and will people be in the room during this time?
• Will you do the painting yourself or leave it to the professionals?

By its nature, varnish is resins that are diluted in a certain solvent. Based on the number of components, they are divided into:

• One-component. In this case, you simply open the can, dip the brush and get to work.
• Multicomponent. Typically used by professionals. There is a certain flexibility in their use, because the master himself decides how much solvent and hardener to add. The properties that can be selected for specific objects will depend on the consistency.

The base for varnish can be of different origins, and its level of toxicity and other properties will depend on this. Among them are:

• On water based or acrylic. This type is most often used for interior decoration. This is explained by the fact that it is the least toxic, because... Ordinary water is used as a solvent. For completely dry It will take approximately two weeks for a hard film to form. It is fireproof, but it is better not to use it where high load intensity on the floor covering is planned. This composition makes it possible to highlight the beauty of the natural pattern without shading it.
• Alkyd. The most common type. It can be used both indoors and outdoors. It is based on alkyd resins. Like the previous option, it does not spoil the color of the wood, because is transparent. Once dry, the layer is resistant to water, so it can be easily washed. It is applied using pneumatic tools or a microfiber roller. Complete setting occurs within three days.
• Oily. If you are planning to give the stairs a shiny look, some elasticity to the wood, or change the tone a little, then the choice should fall on this look. But it is worth remembering that it is used for primary processing and is not so resistant to moisture. Therefore, for reliability, it will need to be coated with a layer of another type of varnish on top.
• Polyurethane. Such compositions will be the best solution for stairs. This type of varnish has a short drying time, is also very resistant to abrasion, temperature, elasticity and is not subject to destruction when exposed to moisture. Disadvantages include the toxicity of the solvent, as well as the tendency to turn yellow over time.
• Nitrovarnishes. Not recommended for painting stairs or flooring. This type is very susceptible to wear and tear due to physical impact.
• Epoxy. Withstands shuffling feet on the surface. They have high strength and elasticity. Not suitable for outdoor use because unstable to the effects of climate change.

There are some other variations: shellac, bitumen and coal tar varnishes, but they are unsuitable for use in the given conditions.

When choosing a varnish, you should also pay attention to whether it is self-priming. If this is not the case, then you will additionally need to purchase a primer and cover the wood with it before painting.

Stains

Wood stain can also be called impregnation. This is a liquid that contains a pigment that allows you to give the desired shade or completely change the color of the wood. The following types are distinguished:

• Water based. It can be produced both in dissolved and dry form. The advantage of the second option is that you can regulate the concentration yourself. Before using the prepared mixture, solids must be removed. This can be done by simply straining the liquid through cheesecloth. One of the disadvantages of this stain is that it causes the wood to partially swell, causing the grain to rise. Therefore, after application and drying, it is advisable to walk over the surface with fine sandpaper. For uniform distribution, it is better to use a pneumatic sprayer. Otherwise, stains will remain.
• Alcohol based. Available in the same form as the previous version. But it's better to buy ready solution, because It is quite difficult to find alcohol of the required quality. Application is carried out in the same way as with an aqueous solution. The advantage is that it dries quite quickly due to the evaporation of the base.
• Based on solvents or nitro stain. The properties are similar to alcohol, but when painted it stands out bad smell.
• Oil based. Usually acts as a solvent linseed oil. In this case, there is practically no unpleasant odor. The dye is applied evenly and softly. The likelihood of uneven spots appearing is low.
• Acrylic or wax based. Are considered ideal solution among impregnations. Convenient to paint, difficult to spoil anything. In addition, additional protective layer, which repels moisture.
• Based on alkyd varnish. This impregnation already contains varnish, so when applying it, you immediately perform two operations.

For floor coverings stains are not used as an independent composition; usually, after staining, some suitable varnish is applied.

Enamels

Enamel is a type of painting material that can be called 2 in 1. They have a coloring pigment, and the base is one of the types of varnish, so their varieties coincide with those found among varnishes:

• alkyd;
• acrylic;
• oil;
• polyurethane;
• nitro enamels.

Their characteristics in terms of adhesion, resistance to moisture, ultraviolet radiation and physical impact are also comparable to corresponding varnishes. All that remains is to choose the color in which you would like to paint the stairs.

Varnish

This is an exotic material in every way. It is made from shellac, a wax-like substance secreted by a certain type of insect. His prey is very painstaking work, so the polish has a high cost. Most often it is used for furniture that is not intended for everyday use. The surface application technology is very complex and painstaking. If someone decides to use this product for the floor, then at the final stage the surface must be covered with several layers of compatible varnish for protection.

How to paint

Once you have decided which substances to use for painting, you need to know how this process is carried out correctly.

• It is good if it is possible to apply the coating before the entire structure is installed. Then it will be possible to treat all surfaces with the same quality.
• If the staircase was made of coniferous species wood, it is advisable to remove excess resin. It is important to do this because... The resin may prevent the dye from being absorbed. To do this, prepare a solution based on acetone. We need 1 liter hot water, soap, 200 ml of acetone, 50 gr. potash, 50 gr. baking soda, 10 gr. ethyl alcohol. The prepared liquid is applied with a wide brush, after which the wood is left for several hours. The resin will come out through reverse side boards, it will just need to be washed off. Next, the wood is stacked for drying.
• For the next stage we will need a surface grinder and fine sandpaper, as well as wood putty. The entire surface is carefully inspected for chips and gouges. If necessary, putty. After drying, sanding is necessary. The product is delayed for 1–2 days. It must regain the moisture present in the room, after which some fibers may rise. To smooth them out, another sanding is carried out.
• It is important that there is as little dust as possible in the room where painting will be done. After sanding you need to general cleaning. The main layer of dust can be removed using a construction vacuum cleaner, then use a damp cloth.
• The next step is to prime the surface. Several layers of impregnation may be required. If after the first pass the fibers have swollen and risen, then it is necessary to sand again and apply a new layer.
• It is best to apply the coloring composition using an electric or pneumatic tool (use goggles and a respirator with replaceable filters to protect the respiratory tract). If you don’t have any at hand, then an ordinary brush will do. For liquid solutions, a wide flange with soft bristles is used, for thick solutions - with smaller, hard bristles. The brush should be held at an angle of 45˚.
• In order to emphasize the grain of the wood, a stain of a suitable shade is applied. After which it is varnished.
• It is important to apply at least three layers. The first is along the grain, the second is perpendicular, the third repeats the first. Each new one is applied after the previous one has completely dried. During the process you need to be very careful so that there are no smudges or tone transitions.

If you are painting an already installed march to the second floor, then you can use one trick. In order to maintain passability, it is necessary to paint the steps of the stairs one at a time (you should move from top to bottom). You will be free to rise if necessary. After complete drying, the second half is painted.

As you can see, when you have sufficient information there should not be any special difficulties. We often find it difficult to decide to do something with our own hands. The process described above will be the same wherever you decide to paint the stairs: in the country, at home or on the street.

Before painting a wooden staircase, you need to decide in what way and how best to do it. Basically, the stairs leading to the second floor are made of wood. The service life of such a product in its natural form is short. Often it is necessary to repair and maintain stairs. It is better to do this not only with the help of specialists, but also with your own hands.

Painting a wooden staircase: preparing the surface and materials

The stage of preparing the stairs for painting is probably the most important stage. Painting a wooden staircase is not a difficult process at all; every home owner can handle it.

Painting a wooden staircase if done incorrectly can ruin all your efforts. A number of important nuances should be taken into account.

Before painting the stairs, we determine what is the best way to do it. In modern times, you can choose materials to suit every taste.

The material for painting wooden stairs is distinguished by its composition and properties, color range, toxicity and protective properties.

Preparing the stairs before painting:

1. The very first stage before painting is leveling uneven surface and high-quality elimination of defects;
2. If you plan to keep the product in its original form, or just do a light tint, for this you need to sand the stairs and get rid of dust;
3. The next stage is to treat the surface with stain or impregnation;
4. Before painting, you need to determine the composition of the rock from which the stairs are made;
5. If the wood is young or damp, some types of varnish or paint must be applied in several layers;
6. Before painting a product made from stronger species, be sure to prime it thoroughly.

Pre-preparation has its advantages. Each type of wood reacts to staining in its own way. It is also important to know whether you will leave the natural grain of the wood and make it colorless, or whether you want to radically change the color and make it opaque.

How to paint a wooden staircase in a house: painting options

Not only the appearance of the product from the outside, but also its service life will depend on the quality of painting of the stairs. Correctly painting a wooden staircase with your own hands is no less important than installing the staircase itself.

How to paint a wooden staircase in a house so that it lasts long enough? This question worries many, and especially those who live in wooden houses with wooden stairs.

If the wood is not treated in time, it will soon dry out and become covered with dirt and dust. And this will lead to the formation of fungus, which will subsequently lead to rotting of the stairs. To prevent this from happening, you need to use protective materials. Such as: paints, varnishes, stains, oils and various impregnations.

Painting with a protective material will emphasize the natural structure of the wood, which will add originality to the entire structure.

What are the benefits of all these types of painting:

• The design has a completed appearance;
• Protection of wood from moisture;
• Ability to prevent rot and mold;
• Insect protection;
• Helps hide surface imperfections;
• Increases the wear resistance time of the surface.

The restoration of the stairs inside the house is also carried out using special putties. If you are concerned about the condition of the wood grain, then paint can be used. It will hide all the imperfections of the tree.

Paint for wooden stairs: basic requirements

Paints for wood are divided into three types: paint on acrylic base, alkyd and oil paints. Acrylic paints are elastic and do not have an unpleasant odor. They can be used inside the home. However, they deteriorate at low temperatures. Oil paints contain drying oil and are therefore toxic. Alkyd paints dry very quickly, forming on the surface of the product protective film. It is moisture-repellent. They are mainly used for exterior painting.

Paint for wooden stairs can be any of the above. However, for ourselves we must choose the one that matches our composition from which the ladder is made.

Painting the stairs correctly, after all, acrylic paints. It is the cleanest environmentally friendly product. It has no pungent odor and protects the surface from moisture penetration. Shades various colors You can mix and get any color.

Acrylic paint has a bright color that lasts for a very long time on the surface being painted.

Advantages of acrylic paints:

• Elasticity;
• No unpleasant odor;
• Environmentally friendly materials;
• They allow the wood to breathe without closing the pores;
• Frost resistance;
• The ability to mix paints with each other and get any shades.

This paint also has its drawbacks - a high price. Which prevents many homeowners from purchasing this particular paint. Wood paints are very popular. This allows you to expand their range.

How to paint a softwood staircase

Almost half of the structures are made mainly from softwood. Particularly common valuable species trees such as oak or pine. Pine boards are simple and low maintenance. If you tint it correctly, you can emphasize natural beauty tree. Pine construction is the most common among many owners of wooden houses.

How to paint a wooden pine staircase? This question may make a professional smile. Because they believe that painting a pine staircase will not be difficult. However, this is not quite true. In order for the product to last a long time and have a high-quality coating, you need to apply a lot of knowledge and effort.

The peculiarity of pine is that it is impregnated with a large amount of resin. And therefore, not every paint will fit well on a tarred area. To paint wooden stairs at home, use: varnishes, enamels, waxes, oils and impregnations.

Painting the stairs with polish will preserve the natural color and pattern of the wood, and also provide a glossy or semi-gloss shine

To paint pine stairs use:

• Fire retardant impregnations made on a water, alcohol, wax and acrylic basis;
• Stains that tone wood;
• Varnishes that create a durable protective layer that does not hide the naturalness of the wood;
• Enamels without a particularly pronounced odor, quick-drying;
• Paints that create a decorative, protective layer.

Pine wood is not as durable as oak or cedar, but it is quite wear-resistant. It is more common, accessible and not expensive. Its color is different from others, it is pleasant, light golden, almost white. If you want the stairs of your dacha to last a long time, paint it correctly.

Do-it-yourself painting of a wooden staircase (video)

There is a statement that wood is beautiful in itself and there is no need to paint it. This is not true. The tree indeed has a very attractive appearance, but it is vulnerable to insects, mold, dirt, and fire. Therefore, stairs made of pine or other coniferous wood must be painted. Painting should be done on time to extend the life of the product. But what color you choose to paint your stairs is up to you.

In almost every private house today you can find a staircase to the second floor. She is one of the main structural elements at home and in addition to the functional load, it has great aesthetic significance. However, due to heavy loads, wooden stairs gradually lose their attractive appearance. If the wood is not treated in time with special compounds and paints, its structure may collapse, and the frame and steps will become unusable. When the need for painting arises, the questions of how to properly and most importantly, how to paint a wooden staircase in a house to the second floor come to the fore. If the wrong product is chosen or the painting is done poorly, this will affect not only the appearance of the staircase, but also its functional characteristics.

The staircase inside the house is constantly exposed to both physical and mechanical stress. Affects the quality of wood Negative influence changes in temperature and humidity in the room, and the sun's rays falling on the steps, contribute to the drying out of the wood. All these factors lead to wear and tear of stair elements.

Particularly affected are steps, flights and handrails, which become dirty and worn out due to the constant walking of the inhabitants of the house. Therefore, a wooden staircase cannot remain for a long time without appropriate treatment and painting.

Requirements for coloring agents

The wooden staircase to the 2nd floor is located indoors; therefore, only products intended for interior work, which are safe and do not emit odors or toxins.

To determine the best way to paint a wooden staircase with your own hands, you need to take into account the following factors:

1. What type of rock is the staircase made of? Coniferous trees they emit resins, which impairs adhesion to paints; in addition, pine needles absorb varnishes and paints unevenly, so several layers are required. Larch is a more plastic species, and if there are no knots on it, it is very convenient to work with.
2. Wood color. When choosing what color to paint the stairs, it is worth considering the fact that the varnish preserves the natural grain of the wood, and in order to visually emphasize the beauty of the wood, it is advisable to select a tone close to natural. Covering paint completely hides the wood underneath and forms a monolithic coating of a different color. It is easier to hide small defects and irregularities under paint.
3. Location staircase design. If it is located on the south side and is constantly exposed to sunlight, it is necessary to choose products that have increased UV protection.
4. Load on the stairs. If the staircase to be painted is the main one in the house and is used frequently, it is necessary to choose wear-resistant products.

If the question is how to paint wooden steps of a staircase: glossy or varnish, then, as a rule, the choice falls on matte or semi-matte paints, which are more practical. The glossy finish wears off very quickly and loses its appearance.

Products for painting wooden stairs

To give the staircase a finished look, you can use different types coatings, which today are presented in a wide range:

• paints
• enamels
• impregnation

Colorless varnishes create a transparent film on the surface, emphasizing the beauty of the wood grain. There are also varnishes that contain coloring pigments; these products only slightly tint the surface.

1. Transparent acrylic varnishes, which are based on water, are non-toxic and safe. However, they do not withstand mechanical loads well and are subject to abrasion, so they are best used for painting small stairs and are not recommended for use on stairs with high load intensity.
2. Colorless varnishes based on alkyd resin are well suited for wooden stairs. They form a transparent and water-resistant coating, making them suitable for use even in damp areas.
3. Oil varnishes are tinting and are used in cases where they want to change the shade of wood. An important parameter is the percentage of oil in the composition of the product. You can paint staircase steps if the varnish contains at least 65% oils. If 50% or less, then the product can only be used for the primary coating to which it is necessary to apply finishing layer another varnish.
4. An excellent coating for stairs are polyurethane varnishes, which are resistant to temperature changes, humidity, and abrasion. However, this coating may turn yellow after some time.

To cover the stairs to the second floor, you must use paints intended for interior decoration. To determine which paint is best to paint a wooden staircase, let’s take a closer look at their characteristics:

1. One of the most popular are alkyd dyes. In addition to the coloring pigment, they contain antiseptics that protect the wood from pests, fungus and mold.
2. Acrylic paints are based on acrylic resins. They dry quickly, have no odor, do not interfere with the air exchange processes of wood, and retain their original appearance for a long time.
3. Oil paints have a rich palette of colors, are economical in consumption and have good covering ability. However, if wood is painted with this paint, it loses its ability to “breathe”, in addition, the paint wears off quite quickly.

Enamels

Enamels have a denser texture than paints. They are based on two components - colorless varnish and coloring pigment. Enamel creates a durable colored film on wood, which not only has excellent decorative characteristics, but also has good protective properties. It protects wood from ultraviolet radiation, moisture, and high temperatures.

Impregnations

Impregnation is a pigmented liquid that gives the wood a certain shade. The composition also has antiseptic and fire retardant properties. A varnish coating can be applied on top of the impregnations. Wooden stairs are best treated with wax- and oil-based impregnations. They fit well and are distributed over the entire surface in an even layer.

Many people are concerned about the question: how to properly paint a staircase in wooden house? To create a beautiful and durable coating, it is necessary not only to choose a suitable coloring agent, but also to prepare the surface well. A wooden staircase, like any other wooden surface, requires careful preparation.

Preparatory work

Preparing the stairs consists of the following steps:

1. If the staircase is made of coniferous wood, before painting it is necessary to remove excess resin, which prevents the absorption of paint. Exist special means intended for these purposes.
2. If you have an old one paint coating, the stairs must be treated with a remover, and then the swollen paint must be removed with a spatula.
3. The main structural elements are sanded first with coarse-grained and then fine-grained sandpaper. You can use a grinder with a sanding attachment. Initially, the surface is treated with abrasive No. 60-80, then a nozzle No. 120-150 is used. Particular care must be taken to sand steps, railings and flights - places that wear down faster than others and lose their appearance.
4. After cleaning the surface from wood dust, it is necessary to putty all existing cracks and cracks. It is advisable to choose putty to match the color of the wood. If the gap is deep enough, you can close the hole with a sliver of wood previously coated with PVA glue.
5. Next, final polishing is done with fine sandpaper. After sanding, you should get a perfectly smooth surface without knots or irregularities.
6. A primer is applied to the treated and cleaned surface with a roller or brush. A day after the first layer has completely dried, the stairs are re-treated with antiseptic primer.

Traditionally, the staircase is made in one color; the surface can also be painted in two colors. But in any case, the first layer that covers the entire staircase should be plain.

The stairs are painted from top to bottom. First, large areas are painted - steps, railings and stringers. If you need to use it, you can first paint not all the steps, but after one, and after drying, paint the remaining ones.

Before applying the dye, it must be mixed well. If the paint is very thick, it can be thinned a little with a solvent.

Thick paints adhere better to the surface when using bristle brushes. Liquid products It is better to apply with flutes. When painting with a brush, it should be held at an angle of 45 degrees to the surface.

The stairs are painted in 2-3 layers. In some cases for high-quality coating At least 5 layers are required. A new layer is always applied after the previous one has completely dried.

Painting options

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Self-help errors

When painting a staircase with your own hands, it is not always possible to achieve good result. And this is not surprising. Many home craftsmen, lacking experience and painting skills, carry out work in violation of technology, do not prepare the surface thoroughly enough, and apply coloring agents incorrectly. Because of this, the quality suffers; the coating wears off very quickly and loses its original appearance.

The staircase is the main decorative and functional element of the house, which is constantly subject to heavy loads. Even minor mistakes in painting lead to a reduction in the service life of the stair covering.

Professional painting of stairs

Services for painting a wooden staircase include all the required stages of surface preparation: sanding, puttying, priming and applying several layers of the selected dye.

All work will be performed by specialists from the Master Srubov company, who have vocational training, have significant experience and the necessary skills. The paints and varnishes we use in our work are certified and safe. We guarantee long term coating services and exclusive quality painting, which we will perform at a reasonable cost. In the section you will find coordinates where you can contact us.

For a private home or cottage, there is no material more accessible and easy to process than construction wood. Almost any utility work cannot be done without the use of lumber, but sometimes it is easier to build a gazebo, benches with a table or wooden porch than to protect it from rain and sun. The entrance to the house is of special importance, so finding the material and processing method for the best way to paint a wooden porch always remains a small problem.

What does it mean to paint a porch correctly?

Usually the craftsmen who took on the construction of a wooden porch for a summer house or country house, they finish assembling the porch in a “dry” form, the problem of how to treat a wooden porch on the street and when to paint it is left to the discretion of the owners. This is understandable good paint or varnish on wooden surface takes a long time to dry, so before treating a wooden porch with impregnation or paint and varnish material, you need to choose the right moment so that residents do not walk around and interfere with the process. It is best to paint the porch before leaving the dacha.

In order for the wooden porch structure to be beautiful and at the same time resistant to bad weather and sunlight, you must follow several rules:

• Before covering a wooden porch with any varnish or paint, it is necessary to treat the wood with an antiseptic and bleach. You can, of course, simply paint the porch with expensive paint containing stains. Experts advise performing the processing sequentially different compositions, and then just paint with the composition you like;
• The second condition is correct selection paint or varnish. Not all parts of a wooden porch are subject to the same conditions. It is best to paint the steps with varnish or paint, primarily resistant to wear and moisture. Railings and balusters are covered with material that is UV resistant and pleasant to the touch.

Advice! Before painting the porch, you need to carefully examine the quality of the wooden surface and, if possible, determine what type of wood the structure is made from.

The problem is that different breeds absorb paint and varnish base differently. Often carpenters and joiners make the mistake of assembling a wooden porch from whatever comes to hand, for example, pine, spruce, larch and even poplar. If such a porch stands in the sun for at least a month, the initially light, freshly sawn wooden surface will become pockmarked, with different shades of gray, yellow and white. Such a porch will just need to be painted with white oil paint and forgotten, but I would like to make it the natural color of the wood with a transparent, smooth varnish coating.

Therefore, after treatment with an antiseptic, it is imperative that the wooden parts of the porch are treated with bleach, which oxidizes terpene compounds on the surface of the wood. To increase the depth of penetration of the antiseptic, the wooden surface is wiped with a brush with bronze bristles, and after processing and thorough drying, it is sanded. It turns out white material, which can be treated with mahogany toner or simply painted with a good, durable varnish in chestnut or rosewood color.

Painting a wooden porch, photo, is done sequentially, starting from the bottom supporting elements, racks and hidden niches, shelves, spacers and supports. Everything that is hidden from the rays of the sun must be painted first, before moisture from the soil penetrates into the wooden surface of the lower tier of the porch. The second step is to process the railings and balusters, and only after that can the boards of the upper porch platform, steps, and stringers be painted.

Choosing paint and varnish materials

The most common mistake when painting a porch is the incorrect selection of coating for the wooden surface of the steps. If you simply paint the porch and steps with one of the most accessible and inexpensive varnishes, for example, alkyd or acrylic, then after a few months of use a dark-colored path will form on the landing and stairs. The reason for the defect is very simple:

• Ordinary varnish is quickly wiped off by the soles of shoes, and the wooden surface is exposed;
• Sanded wood wears down to fibers, into which microscopic particles of soil and dust are packed.

For your information! To remove dark marks on a wooden surface, you will have to sand the steps and paint them with a new layer of varnish or paint.

After the third sanding, a depression will appear on the surface of the steps and platform of the wooden porch, which can only be painted and covered with a rubber mat, completely ruining the appearance of the nice porch.

Therefore, the steps and the upper platform must be painted with a wear-resistant material, preferably deck paint or varnish. It is quite difficult to buy it, but it is possible. If you don’t like the price, you can use regular polyurethane, acrylic-polyurethane or epoxy varnish for parquet.

Such paints are not afraid of water, and a properly constructed porch quickly gets rid of surface moisture, so there is no danger of swelling wooden steps Hardly ever. It is best to paint it with clear or tinted varnish to look like old walnut. In this case, it is easier to choose a cheaper varnish of a similar toner. You can paint the entire porch with epoxy or polyurethane varnish, but there is no particular point in such a solution; painting will be quite expensive.

Varnish and paint materials

For a wooden porch you can use four main types of varnishes and paints:

• Alkyd enamels;
• Oil paints;
• Polyurethane and acrylic varnishes.

Water-dispersed and water-based paints It's better not to use it. You can, of course, paint an old wooden porch with a bright color. facade paint, but it will not look very attractive, and the floorboards with steps will still have to be covered with a more resistant material.

You should not try to paint a wooden porch with nitro paint; this is the worst possible option. The coating dries quickly and is easy to apply, but the quality is very mediocre, especially since nitro paints quickly lose their protective properties.

The oldest and most proven product for wooden surfaces is oil paint. good quality. The disadvantage of oil coatings is their low abrasion resistance and too long drying time. Even modified oil-urethane coatings are not highly durable and take a long time to dry; in addition, the range of colors of such paints leaves much to be desired. Oil paint can be used to paint the most important parts of a wooden porch, the subfloor and supports.

Most suitable for wooden parts The porch is considered to be acrylic or acrylic-urethane varnish. To ensure reliable protection of wood from moisture and solar ultraviolet radiation, you will need to paint it at least three times, with an interval of 6-7 hours. High-quality acrylic varnish is expensive, therefore, before painting a wooden porch, the surface is coated with an acrylic primer; in extreme cases, PVA is diluted in a ratio of 1:4 with water.

A thin film is formed on a sanded wooden surface, ensuring minimal penetration of the varnish into the thickness of the wood, and at the same time leveling the adhesion of the acrylic coating and the wood. If you paint wood with one varnish, the consumption of expensive material will at least double. The only drawback acrylic coatings The hardness of the paint layer is considered high. If you paint an insufficiently sanded wooden surface of a railing or fence rail, then dried splinters and risks, hard as glass, will be a serious problem for your hands.

One of the most popular and available materials alkyd enamel or varnish is considered to be used to treat the porch. Most dacha owners prefer to paint the porch, fence and barn walls with one proven pentaphthalic PF-115. Exterior paint does a good job of protecting wood from moisture and heat, but the durability of the coating leaves much to be desired. Alkyd varnishes can be used to paint a newly built porch. If you paint with a second or third layer of old paint or oil, you will not get a normal quality of paint.

Non-varnish coatings for wooden porches

To protect wood structures, it is not necessary to use alkyd or expensive acrylic-polyurethane varnishes. The modern chemical industry produces enough a large number of specialized coatings. For example, specialized wax-based gels. You can paint it once and forget it for ten years. The only drawback is the rather high labor intensity of coating application. While alkyd varnish can paint a porch in two hours of work, wax mastics and gels require mechanical polishing of the texture. The result is a very beautiful and durable semi-gloss finish. If a wooden porch is built from wood with a beautiful grain texture, there is no point in losing the natural beauty and trying to paint the wood with oil paint; it is better to use gel or impregnation.

The second most popular material for processing wooden buildings on the street, the floors of terraces and verandas are considered oil impregnations. The simplest wooden porch structures can be painted with natural drying oil; it is better not to use petroleum-polymer grades. Drying oil dries to a hard coating for at least a week; the material dries touch-free in two days.

If the porch is poorly located, with strong shading, then it is best to choose a proprietary oil impregnation from Tikkurila. If you paint the wood according to all the rules described on the can, protection from constant moisture is guaranteed one hundred percent. In addition, oil impregnations surprisingly clearly reveal the natural beauty of wood fibers.

There is absolutely no point in trying to paint a wooden porch with used machine oil:

• Firstly, the risk of ignition of wooden structures increases sharply;
• Secondly, machine oil, unlike natural drying oils and branded impregnations, does not dry out, which means that all the garbage and dust from the street will constantly stick to the wooden surface;
• Thirdly, even if you paint sanded and etched wood, the surface color is far from the most attractive, dirty brown.

In addition, in autumn and winter, when a large amount of water gets on the steps, the oiled surface becomes quite slippery and dangerous.

Conclusion

One of the criteria for selecting a material to paint a porch or wooden terrace, the quality of the varnish or paint must remain. For example, there is a large amount of yacht varnish on sale, which is advertised under the guise of deck varnish, as the best remedy to paint outdoor wooden structures. Real deck varnish has no shine and is almost completely transparent or tinted gray.

Wooden stairs have become a familiar element of any country house or cottage. Wooden stairs are very comfortable to use, beautiful and can add extraordinary comfort to the entire interior and even make the atmosphere in the cottage warmer. But wood is a rather capricious material: it equally poorly perceives heat and cold, as well as rapid transitions from one to the other, it does not like exposure to water and generally moist air, its surface wears out from constant interaction with shoes.

In order to protect the stairs in country house from all this, and therefore to extend its service, one cannot do without such an operation as painting a wooden staircase. In general, painting a wooden staircase does not cause any particular difficulties, however, as in any business, there are some nuances.

The list of such features is quite wide: starting with which product is best suited specifically for the stairs in your cottage, and ending with the question of what should be used to apply the selected product and how to do it correctly, that is, how to prepare the stairs for painting, how to apply the product and how to make the staircase of a country house give you pleasure for as long as possible with its unsurpassed beautiful view.

This is the first question that a person who decides to do something like painting a wooden staircase with his own hands asks himself. And this is perhaps the most difficult stage of the entire operation, since today there are many means with which you can paint a wooden staircase. From the choice of a specific product, the appearance of the staircase may change beyond recognition, or it may remain almost the same as before painting.

The first thing you need to decide when choosing a product is what you want to achieve in the end: do you dream of “fitting” the staircase into color scheme interior or maintain external charm natural wood with its graceful streaks and exquisitely noble shade.

All products intended for painting stairs can be divided into several groups:

• paints;
• varnishes;
• enamels;
• stains.

Let's look at the features of the funds from each group in more detail.

Paints for stairs

Paints are used if you want, when performing a job such as painting a wooden staircase, to give it specific color or shade, bring it into line with the overall color of the interior surrounding the staircase. As a rule, we are talking about oil paints here.

But also themselves oil paints for painting wooden stairs are divided into several varieties, each of which has its own characteristics:

• alkyd paints give the stairs a rich color and are very easy to apply;
• Urethane-alkyd paints are an excellent option for stairs that have previously been painted, as they can be applied without wasting time washing off or scraping off the previous paint layer;
• pigmented paints will help hide any defects in the wood surface.

In addition, paints can be thickly rubbed, they must first be prepared for use by dissolving the powder in drying oil, or already completely ready.

The choice of drying oil has great importance. On the container with drying oil it is written whether it is natural or artificial. Natural drying oil has excellent resistance to any environmental influences. But artificial drying oil is not so hardy. Therefore, if you decide to paint a street staircase, you need to buy natural drying oil to dilute the paint. For stairs inside the house, cheaper artificial ones are also suitable.

Varnishes for stairs

Painting stairs with wooden varnish is used if there is a desire to leave the texture of the wood visible. Varnishes can be either completely colorless, practically not changing the shade of the wood, or colored: most often they make the natural color of the wood brighter, slightly darkened, but at the same time the natural pattern becomes clearer. There are also many varieties of varnishes for painting wooden stairs:

• oil varnishes- they are used exclusively for “internal” stairs, since street conditions they tolerate it poorly;
• alcohol varnishes- quite expensive, perfectly resistant to any mechanical stress, but at the same time afraid of moisture, so they are rarely used for stairs;
• alkyd varnishes — very resistant to any influences, including water, almost completely colorless, can be used both on “home” and “outdoor” stairs;
• polyurethane varnishes- an ideal coating for any wooden stairs; the high price of such varnishes is fully compensated by their outstanding wear resistance and real durability of the coating.

When choosing a varnish, please note that they can be matte or glossy. And although glossy varnishes give a wooden surface a more “shiny” look, it is best to use matte varnishes for stairs, as they can “hide” some wood defects. On the contrary, glossy ones emphasize all the “weak” places.

Enamels and stains for stairs

Painting wooden stairs can also be done with enamels or stains. Enamel is a kind of mixture of varnish and paint. As a result, it simultaneously gives the surface of a wooden staircase a certain color when painted, and covers it with a shiny film, which, in addition to everything else, also performs a protective function. But enamel also has one drawback, due to which it is very rare to see such a coating on stairs - it does not tolerate interaction with water.

If you nevertheless decide to cover the stairs with enamel, then abandon glossy enamel in favor of matte. The fact is that steps coated with glossy enamel will become very slippery, and this is completely unacceptable for stairs.

Stains- these are more likely not even dyes, but impregnations for wooden stairs. Although the wood on which the stain is applied will still change its color: it will become slightly darker, and its pattern will be more pronounced. The advantage of stain is that it not only reliably protects the wood from moisture, rot, exposure to various pests and other unfavorable factors, but also gives it new properties - for example, fire safety.

Often the staircase is treated with stain before applying varnish to it. In this case, you need to choose the varnish itself especially carefully: it should fit well on the stain and adhere perfectly to its surface. The choice of varnish type depends on the choice of stain type, so when purchasing, you should use the recommendation of a specialist.

How to paint a staircase?

Although painting a wooden staircase is not a difficult job at all, you still need to follow a certain sequence and extreme care. The stages of work here depend on what product you have chosen for painting a wooden staircase, that is, whether you want to paint the staircase “tightly” or varnish it, preserving the external charm of the wood.

If you want to continue admiring the beauty of the wood pattern, then painting the stairs will consist of the following steps:

1. First of all, you need to thoroughly clean the surface of the stairs from dust and dirt, sand those places where it is required - the surface of the steps should be perfectly smooth.

When painting a staircase, attention should be paid not only to the cleanliness of the steps, but also to ensuring that the entire room where the staircase is located is clean. After all, dust or dirt from the floor or furniture surface can get onto the steps at the most inopportune moment when you apply a coloring agent to them, and it will be difficult to remove them without removing the already applied layer.

1. If your staircase is made of coniferous wood, then additional stage There will be de-resining of some areas - those where the resin has accumulated the most. Otherwise, any coating (except clear varnish) will appear stained on the surface of the stairs due to uneven absorption of the product. To do this, you can use a solvent, and to remove resinous areas on pine, craftsmen recommend using a 25% solution of technical acetone.

If you are de-tarring staircase wood, then next stage work cannot be carried out immediately. Before proceeding with further painting, you will have to wait until the wood is completely dry.

1. The next step should be the application of stain - this impregnation will become additional protection wood and will make it more beautiful.
2. Wait until the stain dries, then varnish the stairs. To do this, you can use a special sprayer or a wide brush. Varnish (like paint) is applied to the surface of the stairs in 3 layers (each new layer cannot be applied before the layer applied before has dried):
   • first layer— the coloring agent is applied longitudinally along the wood fibers;
   • second layer— applied perpendicular to the location of the wood fibers;
   • third layer- again the brush or sprayer moves along the wood fibers.

If you decide to cover the stairs with opaque paint, then after cleaning it you must follow the following sequence:

1. first, the surface of the stairs is puttied;
2. after the putty has dried, the stairs must be sanded, and experienced craftsmen it is advised to do this twice, allowing the stairs to “settle” for several days between sandings so that previously undetected surface defects appear;
3. then a primer is applied to the surface of the stairs;
4. and finally the paint layer can be applied.

As you can see, for complete and high-quality painting stairs take more than one day. At the same time, stairs are often located in such a way that it is absolutely impossible to stop using them, even for one day. Therefore, craftsmen advise painting the stairs one step at a time. Of course, going up and down such a staircase is not very convenient, but in any case, you can continue to use it even during the painting period.