Banister restoration

Mostly stripped off, quite a lot left in inside corners etc. I guess it depends if you want the "stripped look" or want just wood.

No spindles, or other barrier, between the banister and string either. As it stands it won't pass building regs for stairs. I wouldn't be happy using such a staircase and if there are ever any children about far to easy for them to fall through the gap.

I did something similar many years ago. Once you've done a LOT more stripping and taken-off those nasty square newel caps, have a look here:

Dave

With that gap, pretty much unsaleable to anyone with children.

It's a real ****** making stripped woodwork look like anything other that stripped woodwork.

Unless you're going for shabby chic, you need to make it look like new wood (no paint, no marks, no scratches, no filler), or paint it. Sorry. I speak from bitter experience!

Cheers, David.

...snip...

What did you use to strip the old paint off? Looks like a nice finish and I would love to do the same but there's a lot of old paint!

Paul DS

Our house is very similar to that, and has no bannister at all on the open side of the stairs. We do have a rail on the wall though.

We bought the house like that, and said we would have to sort it before we had kids.

Money was tight, and other things took priority.

One is now 11, the other just turned 8. They seem to have survived.

Darren

Just to clear things up, there are usually spindles in place but because work is being done on, they have been temporarily removed.

Sorry I couldn't get on yesterday because Thunderbird was coming up with an error.

Hi there,

It is my mum doing the work, she used a hot air gun, scraper, Nitro Mors on stubborn areas and 80 grit aluminium oxide.

All I've been told is, the finish that is needed is 'light oak'

After more sanding can some sort of stain be utilised?

See my earlier reply

Sometimes, making something obviously dangerous is more effective than making it apparently safe.

Colin Bignell

Thanks, I did see your reply earlier but forgot to reply, sorry.

What sort of oak stain did you use?

Would this be okay:

I think I used Colron or Blackfriar (test on a hidden area) but you'll need to get ALL the old paint off first.

Okay thanks for the help

Well worth bleaching with a pukka 2 part woodworking bleach. I've never known a timber that wasn't improved by what is a fairly quick and simple process

Thanks

Sorry to trouble you again, but where can this 2 part woodworking bleach be purchased from?