How to paint a wooden handrail | Preparing the wood, choosing a paint and common queries answered
While staircase handrails fulfil simple functional purposes, they can also be a grand and welcoming centre piece when guests walk through your front door. If you want your handrail colours to match your home’s interior and your showcase your style, you may want to consider painting your handrails. Or, perhaps you’ve bought a new handrail and want this to match the colour of the rest of the staircase.
Here, we take you through everything you need to know about painting a wooden handrail, preparing a handrail to painted, and answer common queries.
Click on one of the links below to jump to that section:
Find out how to prepare a wooden handrail for painting, and recommended products for this stage.
Find out what type of paint is required for use on a wooden handrail.
Read our guide to choosing a paint colour for painting a handrail.
We answer common queries on painting a wooden handrail.
Should you paint or stain your handrail?
You can paint your handrail a vibrant colour or perhaps a more neutral shade to show off your personal style and ensure your wooden stairs match your home interior. If you don’t want to change the colour of your handrail but want to provide protection and an attractive finish - applying oil, wax and/or varnish will add a layer of protection from the natural oils on people’s hands, which could discolour the wood. However, bear in mind that staining tends to last for longer and be more resilient over time.
If you are choosing an oil finishing, be sure to choose something that’s formulated for use on natural wood, as this will contain all the necessary preservatives. For example – a thin coat of our Treatex Natural Hardwax Oil Ultra can be applied to unfinished timber, before sealing with Clear Treatex Hardwax Oil. It is important that only a thin coat of Treatex Hardwax Natural Oil is applied to the wood.
Are you finishing an oak handrail? Read our full guide to cleaning and treating oak handrails here.
Preparing the handrail to be painted
Painting stair handrails your desired colour can ensure your handrails match up to your preferred aesthetic and home interior; however, sanding and preparing the wood is an essential part of this process. You will need to take extra care to make sure this is done to a high standard, to ensure that no colour comes through in the finished result.
Firstly – clean the handrail with a cleaner and degreaser to remove any grease and grime left behind. You can then rinse the handrail with clean water to remove any cleaner residue.
Sanding the handrail
Next, scrape the wooden handrail with a paint scraper to remove any bubbled, loose or chipped existing paint, if applicable. You can then sand the surface of the handrail with a sanding sponge to remove any areas of old paint left behind by the scraper. Use a sanding sponge to smooth the surface, and then wipe the banister handrail with tack cloth.
Fill any flaws or dents in the handrail with wood filler. You can shop our range of wood fillers in our finishings range to find the suitable filler for your wood.
Pine Wood Filler 250ml
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- This pine wood filler is ideal for filling small imperfections (max 5mm in depth) in wood.
- Fast drying and ready mixed for immediate use. This wood filler is waterproof so can be used on both internal and external wood.
- Once dry the filler can be stained, painted or varnished.
- Prior to use ensure that surfaces are clean, dry and free from dust. Stir well and apply with a spreader or knife.
If the handrail touches the wall, apply painter’s tape to the wall to protect the wall from paint. Spread a drop cloth along the stairs beneath the handrail.
Next, apply a sealing primer to the handrail with a 2-inch trim paintbrush, and let it dry for 24 hours. The purpose of a sealing primer is to block stains from bleeding through the paint, and provides the paint with better adhesion. A sealing primer can help to ensure a more attractive appearance and helps your paint to last longer. After applying the primer, sand the primed surface with a new 220-grit sanding sponge, and wipe the handrail with a cloth.
After taking the above steps – you can now paint your handrail your desired colour.
Need additional expert tips? Contact our friendly team on 0144 272 1228.
What is the best paint to use on a handrail?
We recommend painting your wooden handrail with semi-gloss paint – a semi-gloss finish tends to be harder wearing than other paints.
Paint your handrail with a clean 2-inch trim paint brush. Allow the paint to dry to the touch, and then apply a second coat.
Next, remove the painter’s tape from the balusters and the wall before the second coat dries completely to avoid pulling the paint from the handrail after it dries.
What colour should you paint a handrail?
There are no limits to the colours you can paint your handrail, whether you want to make a bold statement or are looking for a classic colour for a traditional hallway. As white primed handrails come pre-primed, they have the ideal surface for painting and so need only a solvent-based topcoat to achieve the best results. You can view our full range of white primed handrails and buy online here.
Painting a handrail requires an eye for detail. If any of these parts are painted sloppily or without care, it can ruin the look of the staircase. If you’re nervous about painting the handrails yourself – consider asking a professional or someone you know for help.
Are you looking for the perfect wooden handrail for your staircase? Shop our handrail range here
Frequently asked questions
How do you refinish a wooden handrail?
To refinish a wood handrail, you will need to strip the wood before preparing and priming it. Then you can stain and finish the wood to your own aesthetic tastes.
What is wood filler?
Wood filler is ideal for filling small imperfections in wood. For example – it can cover holes, dents, chips and deep grains in wood, disguising them and smoothing the surface. You can use wood filler on painted stairs to make them more aesthetically appealing and comfortable to walk on.
Should you use a varnish finish?
Varnishing is a popular option for finishing a wooden handrail, and you can choose either a clear varnish or something that has a colour tint if you prefer. These finishes protect the wood from moisture, dirt and oil but they can be less hard-wearing, however, they may look less natural as they form a hard coating on top of the wood.
Can you paint over stained wood without sanding?
While it is possible to paint over stained wood without sanding, the stain may bleed through and cause streaking.