What are the particularities of the wooden staircase?
The materials
Renovating a staircase depends first of all on the material it is made of. We are not going to maintain an iron, marble, aluminum, or wooden staircase in the same way.
As for the wooden staircase, you will need to pay attention to the type of wood that was used because some are more fragile than others and will require greater vigilance.
As a reminder, the different materials found for stairs are:
Wood is a very aesthetic and warm material that is very popular for its natural appearance and is suitable for all interior styles, both old and modern. You should avoid choosing a first price because the quality of the species chosen will ensure more solidity to your staircase.
The more passages there are on a staircase, the more fragile it can become over time. You must therefore be careful to choose good quality. The most resistant types of wood for a staircase are oak, beech, and ash. Beech offers the advantage of good value for money.
Fir, pine, and maple, although less expensive, do not offer the qualities of robustness in the long term and should be reserved for a staircase with low traffic, such as the one that leads to the attic.
Please note: on the decorative side, wood can be perfectly stained or painted according to individual tastes. But be careful with maintenance! Renovating a painted staircase is not done in the same way as renovating a natural wood staircase. In addition, to paint an old staircase to give it a new look, you must know the different steps to follow to prepare the support before proceeding with your painting work.
Wood, for a staircase, is a good choice because it absorbs footsteps. It is an affordable and ecological material. It is perfect for all styles and, in particular, if you want to create a natural atmosphere at home and stay in line with the major decoration trends of the moment!
It is suitable for all shapes of stairs but its weak point is that it requires more maintenance than certain other materials. It is also necessary to provide a fungicide and insecticide treatment for this natural material.
Other possible materials for a staircase
In addition to wood, there is a wide range of materials to make stairs for all styles, tastes, and budgets.
These materials include:
- glass,
- steel,
- metal,
- stainless steel,
- aluminum,
- the iron,
- natural stone,
- concrete,
Shapes
Whatever the material chosen, let's look at the different models of stairs which can have different shapes and dimensions depending on where you want to insert them.
The right staircase
It is a fairly common model because its shape allows it to be easy to install and its price is the most affordable.
If you need to have enough space for this type of staircase , it is easier to maintain and renovate because the steps are all on the same plane and the complexity of rounding is avoided. However, when there is not enough field, and the room is quite small, we will prefer a spiral shape or a quarter-turn staircase, to avoid having a staircase that is too steep (which would be the case with the right staircase).
The advantage of the straight staircase is also that it allows you to organize storage under the steps.
The 1/4 turning staircase
This type of staircase takes up less space than a straight staircase and has two flights of steps, one of which is straight and the other turns. Generally, this type of staircase will have wider dimensions compared to the straight staircase. In this shape category, we can also find double quarter-turn staircases with, this time, 3 flights of steps.
The helical staircase and the spiral staircase
These two types of stairs are called self-supporting. They are mainly used to save space and do not need the support of a wall for their installation. They represent ideal staircase shapes when you want to install a staircase in a small area. For example, if you want to carry out renovation work in an apartment and transform two apartments on two floors by making them communicate, adding a spiral staircase can be a good idea.
However, they are narrower, which will also make the task of maintaining them more complex. Renovating a wooden staircase with this type of shape is possible but much more complicated.
This form of staircase is not recommended for the elderly or young children because it is more dangerous than a straight staircase or a quarter-turn staircase.
Staircase arrangements
Stair safety
While it is not uncommon to see straight stairs without a handrail or guardrail, it is important to think about safety, especially when you have young children or elderly people who are at risk of falling.
We will therefore install a guardrail to secure the climb of the stairs.
There are different models, with, again, a very diverse choice of materials: metal, glass (canopy type), rope, wood, mesh, protective net, or even recessed handrail.
You may have chosen a staircase with wooden steps and add a touch of modernity, with a glass or metal railing.
An original and designer staircase completely transforms a room and is sometimes, in itself, a decorative object in its own right.
The stair lift for PRMs (People with Reduced Mobility)
Most stair lifts for people with reduced mobility are suitable for installation on almost all types of stair configurations. We would rather recommend, when there is support on the wall, to install the stair lift on the inside of the staircase for greater safety.
To maintain the ramp, you can simply move the stair lift up or down without having to remove it from its support.
What are the key steps to renovating a wooden staircase?
To maintain a natural wood staircase, it is possible, if it is not too damaged, to carry out certain renovations by yourself. However, when the wooden staircase needs a more solid renovation, we advise you to bring in a professional carpenter to restore your staircase to its former glory.
Renovation really becomes essential when certain signs appear on your wooden staircase:
The stages of the renovation
Before moving on to the actual renovation stages, you must gather the supplies necessary for this work: protective gloves, mask, special wood stripping product, soft brush, filler for filling and spatula, sander, sandpaper, paint, wood stain…
Remember to open the windows widely while you work and protect the surrounding area by putting a tarpaulin on the ground to protect it. Also, consider masking tape to protect the outline of the staircase you are going to work on.
1. Cleaning
To clean a staircase, you must take into account its appearance and its finishes. For a staircase that has been painted, you will need to start by stripping it to regain the wood's appearance. You must ask yourself whether you are going to repaint your staircase the same or in another color, or permanently remove all traces of paint to regain its original appearance.
When this wood look is perfectly visible again, you can wash the stairs with a soda-based cleaning product, your soft cloth, and water. (Be careful, do not use white vinegar.)
Stairs that were not originally painted can be washed directly.
Then let your stairs dry before moving on to the next step.
2. Holes and cracks: seal them
Once drying is complete, use your special wood filler to fill the visible holes in your stairs and also seal the cracks. Use the appropriate spatula and finish with careful smoothing. Then let it dry.
3. Sanding the surface of the wooden staircase
Sanding is done after ensuring that the sealing compound is completely dry. This step will allow the paint to better adhere to the support. Use, for painted stairs or for glazed stairs, a sander for this work. As for stairs that have been oiled or waxed, we will rather use sandpaper whose grain thickness we will adapt (40, 80, or 120).
At the end of the sanding, you will need to remove all the residue and remove the dust using a vacuum cleaner before moving on to the application of the undercoat.
4. A key step: the underlay
For wooden stairs that you plan to paint, you will need to apply several undercoats, especially if you are going from an original dark color to a light color. Undercoats provide a more beautiful finish by preventing the paint from holding on by being absorbed by the wood.
Work from the top of the steps, gradually moving downward, applying in the direction of the grain of the wood. The trick to being able to use the steps during the operation is to start by applying the paint and working on every other step. When everything is dry, you can paint the other steps.
5. Application of finishing paint
The staircase must then be painted following a certain order: railing, more complex corners, then the steps using the same method as before (one step out of two). Use a flat brush for the risers.
Allow to dry thoroughly between applying each coat of paint. Professionals also recommend sanding gently with grit paper before another coat so that the latter adhere more easily.
It is recommended to apply at least two coats of finishing paints
6. Treatment of wood for a more beautiful appearance
The last step is also very important for protecting your wooden stairs. This involves applying the varnish, perfect for limiting future scratches or other traces of impact. For painted stairs, we would rather choose colorless, but for stairs with a preserved wood look, we can also opt for a tinted varnish.
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