STAIR REFINISHING · NORTH SHORE
We sand, stain and finish worn wood stairs, from treads and risers to handrails and newel posts, so the staircase matches your refinished floors. One family team since 1996 does floors and stairs together.
Treads, noses and rails get small sanders and hand work, not a big floor machine.
Stairs and floors share the same stain samples and the same finish.
Treads, risers, handrails, newel posts and balusters, planned as one job.
01 / STAIR REFINISHING
Stair refinishing means taking existing wood stairs back to clean, bare wood, then staining and finishing them again. We work on the treads you walk on, the risers between them, and the handrails, newel posts and balusters that frame the staircase.
It makes sense when the stairs are scratched up, dull or worn through on the front edge of each step, when the color looks orangey or dated next to newly refinished floors, or when you pulled up carpet and found wood stairs underneath. Many homeowners add the stairs while the floors are being refinished, so the whole house ends up one color.
We handle the full staircase: careful sanding of every tread and riser, the rails and posts, stain applied to match your floors, and the same commercial-grade finish we use on the floors. If a few treads or risers are too damaged to save, we can replace those pieces too.
02 / STAIR REFINISHING
A big floor sander does most of the work in an open room. On a staircase it barely fits. Each tread is short, the front nose is rounded, and every step meets a wall, a skirt board or a row of balusters. So stairs are sanded mostly by hand and with small machines, one step at a time.
That is slow, careful work, and it is where a rushed job shows. Cross-grain scratches, missed corners and rough spots are easy to see on stairs because you look at them up close every day. We sand each tread, nose and riser until the old finish is gone and the surface is smooth and even, then check it in good light before any stain goes on.
Handrails and newel posts get the same attention. Old finish is removed from the curves and details, the wood is smoothed, and the parts are protected while the treads below are finished.
03 / STAIR REFINISHING
This is the question we hear most. Stairs and floors are often different pieces of wood, and treads are sometimes a different cut or species than the boards in the hall. The same stain can look a little different on each, so matching takes planning, not luck.
Because one team does both, the stairs are part of the same color decision as the floors. We talk about colors at the free consultation, then apply stain samples, about 12 by 12 inches, directly on your sanded wood during the project. You make the final choice while looking at the real wood in your own light. Learn more about how we approach choosing a stain color on your floor.
Once the color is set, the stairs get the same stain and the same finish system as the floors, coat for coat. The goal is a staircase that looks like it belongs to the rooms around it, whether you want a natural tone, a mid-tone, or a gray like Silvered Gray.
04 / STAIR REFINISHING
Many families who move from carpeted stairs to wood stairs ask about this. No finish makes stairs slip-proof, and we will not promise that one does. What we can do is help you choose a finish and a care routine that suit how your family uses the stairs.
Sheen is one part of it. Most of our customers choose satin, which has a soft, low shine and hides everyday scuffs and footprints better than gloss. Semi-gloss and gloss are available if you like more shine. At the consultation we show you the options and explain the trade-offs.
Care matters just as much. At the final walkthrough we go over which cleaning products to use on the new finish and which to avoid. Polishes, waxes and oil soaps can leave a film on the surface, so we recommend the right cleaner for your finish instead. Some families also add a stair runner later, which is a simple choice to discuss once the finish has cured.
05 / STAIR REFINISHING
Sanding removes a little wood every time. Most stairs can be refinished more than once, but some have been sanded so often, or are cracked, split or badly stained, that sanding again will not give a good result. Treads with deep pet damage or a broken nose are common examples.
We look at every step during the consultation and tell you honestly what we see. If only a few treads or risers are in rough shape, we can replace those pieces and then finish the whole staircase so the new and old parts blend. If the stairs are sound, we refinish what you have. Either way, you get a detailed written estimate that lists the work, the finish products and the number of coats before anything starts.
Not sure whether your stairs need refinishing or just a refresh? Send us photos or call (847) 781-0100, and we will tell you what makes sense before you commit.
RECENT PROJECT
Lake Forest, IL
About 2,000 sq ft of floors upstairs and downstairs, plus 14 stair treads and risers, sanded and stained Silvered Gray, then finished with three coats of Bona Traffic HD in satin. The whole job took five days.
HOW IT WORKS
We look at every tread, riser and rail, talk about color and sheen, and measure the floors if they are part of the job. You get a detailed written estimate.
We protect walls and nearby areas, then sand the stairs by hand and with small machines down to clean, smooth wood.
We apply stain samples on your wood so you can pick the color in your own light, matched to the floors.
We apply the finish coats, then walk the stairs with you to explain drying times, when to use them, and how to clean them.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Have a question about your floor? We can review it during your free estimate.
(847) 781-0100Yes, and that is how most of our stair jobs happen. Doing them together means one color decision, one set of stain samples and one finish system, so the stairs and floors match. It also means one schedule instead of two disruptions. Stairs add time to the job because they are sanded mostly by hand, so we include them in the written estimate and the timeline from the start. On our Lake Forest project, about 2,000 sq ft of floors and 14 treads and risers were finished in five days.
Yes. We refinish staircases on their own too, for example when the floors were done recently or the stairs are the only wood that looks worn. We still start with a free consultation to check the treads, risers and rails, and to see how the color should relate to the floors around them. If the floors are not being refinished, we match the stain to them as closely as the wood allows and show you samples first. A minimum service charge of $770 applies to smaller jobs.
Often, yes. Many older homes have oak treads under the carpet, held down with staples, tack strips and pad. We remove those fasteners, check every step, and sand out the marks they leave before staining. Some stairs, though, were built to be carpeted, with treads or risers made from lower-grade wood or panels that were never meant to be seen. In that case refinishing will not give the look you want, and we can replace the treads or risers instead. We tell you which situation you have at the free consultation, before you commit.
Every house is different, so we plan this with you at the consultation. Stairs are often the only way between floors, which means the order of work and the drying times matter. We explain when each part of the staircase can be walked on and how your family, and pets, can move between levels during the job. As a general guide, light foot traffic on fresh finish is often possible after about two hours, but it depends on the finish system and site conditions, and you get specific instructions for your project.
Yes. Handrails, newel posts and balusters are part of the staircase, and leaving them in an old color can make freshly refinished treads look out of place. We remove the old finish from the rails and posts, smooth the wood, and stain and finish them to match the treads and floors. Rails take patient hand work because of their curves and details. If you are thinking about a bigger change to the railing itself, tell us at the consultation and we will talk through what is possible.
LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR HOME
Call (847) 781-0100 or request a free in-home estimate and we will look at your stairs and floors together.