Hardwood Stairs Refinishing in Westport
Stair refinishing is its own beast – more complex than standard floor work. We’ve been fixing up stairs in Westport homes for decades, from grand curved staircases in Greens Farms estates to simple flights in beach cottages.
Unlike regular wood floor refinishing service work, stairs involve multiple surfaces – treads, risers, stringers, and sometimes balusters. Each needs specific techniques. Plus, you’re probably still using them during the project, which complicates everything.
Most stairs we see in Westport show wear patterns right down the middle where everyone walks. The edges often look fine while the centers are beat up. That uneven wear makes refinishing tricky – but we’ve figured out how to blend everything for consistent results.
Many clients ask about stair refinishing when getting floors done, but sometimes stairs need attention while floors still look good. We handle both situations.
Common Stair Refinishing Challenges
Stairs take more abuse than any other wood surface in Westport homes. We see the same issues pop up across town:
- Nosing damage where the tread edge extends over the riser gets scuffed from years of foot traffic. Sometimes these are too damaged for simple sanding and need rebuilding.
- Loose treads that squeak or move underfoot need securing from underneath before any cosmetic work happens. For older homes needing hardwood floor restoration, these structural issues require attention first.
- Painted risers with worn treads create tricky transitions. We’ve developed special techniques to protect painted surfaces while refinishing adjacent wood.
- Inconsistent wood types between treads and flooring happen when stairs were added later. Matching these different species takes experience with stain formulation.
- Old carpet tack strips and staples leave holes in treads. We fill these properly so they don’t show through new finishes.
Our Stair Refinishing Process
Stair refinishing takes specialized equipment and techniques that most floor guys don’t have. Here’s our approach:
- First, we fix structural issues – securing loose treads, rebuilding damaged nosings, and addressing squeaks. Can’t just make it pretty; it’s gotta work right.
- Then comes careful hand sanding. Those big floor sanders don’t work on stairs. We use palm sanders and detail tools to get into corners and along edges.
- If you want color change, we handle hardwood floor staining with extra attention to detail. Stairs need consistent color application despite their complex shapes.
- We typically apply more coats of finish on treads than regular floors – usually 4 instead of 3. Stairs take concentrated wear, so the extra protection matters.
- During drying, we create temporary paths using protective coverings so you can still access upper floors. Beats climbing a ladder to your bedroom.
Stair Design Options for Westport Homes
Refinishing opens up design possibilities beyond just restoring what’s there. We offer several popular options:
- Two-tone treatments with painted risers and stained treads create visual interest. White risers with darker treads is the classic Westport look, especially in coastal homes.
- Stain contrasting with floors sometimes makes sense. We can match your stair treads to darker furniture or railings while keeping floors lighter. Our custom stain colors service helps achieve exactly the look you want.
- Runner-ready finishes prepare your stairs for carpet runners while leaving wood visible on the sides. We finish the entire tread but prep edges differently.
- Fully painted stairs work in some contexts, particularly casual beach houses. We prep properly so paint adheres for the long haul.
Matching existing woodwork is crucial in historic homes. We’ve recreated original finishes in some of Westport’s oldest properties through careful color matching.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How will we get up and down the stairs while you’re working on them?
We schedule stair work so you maintain access throughout the project. Typically, we’ll refinish every other step first, let those cure, then complete the remaining steps. In Westport homes where stairs are the only route between floors, we coordinate timing around your family’s schedule so bedrooms stay accessible at night. After 40+ years, we’ve figured out how to work around kids, pets, and daily routines without trapping anyone upstairs or downstairs. We’ll discuss your specific household needs before starting and adjust the work sequence accordingly.
2. Do you sand stairs by hand or with machines, and how do you reach all the corners?
Stairs require mostly hand work because machines can’t reach the tight corners, nosings, and edges properly. We use small detail sanders for flat areas and hand-sand the rest. After four decades refinishing stairs in older Westport homes, we know how to get into every corner where the tread meets the wall and around all the balusters without leaving visible tool marks. It’s slower than machine sanding floors, but stairs demand that level of attention. Trying to rush stair work with inappropriate equipment produces terrible results we’d never put our name on.