Refinish & Paint Steps

Home repair expert, part-time poet and all-around handyman Henry Harrison shares some tips for dealing with worn outdoor stairs. He shows how to clean, sand, prime and paint the stairs to bring them back to like-new condition. On his elbow grease scale of one to four, Harrison gives this job a two.

Tools:

bucket
hammer
nail set
paint mixer
orbital sander
wet-dry vacuum
medium-grit sandpaper
scrub brush, broom, and cleaning supplies
drywall knife
knee pads
paint brushes
paint traycleaning supplies
primer, paint and painting supplies
safety glasses
dust mask

1. Put on the safety glasses and sweep and scrub the steps thoroughly, including areas around the stairs. Sink any raised nails with a hammer and a nail set.

2. Give the steps a good sanding with an orbital sander and medium-grit sandpaper to remove any surface irregularities (figure A). Sand the corners and other tight areas by hand using a piece of sandpaper. Remember to wear a dust mask and safety glasses while sanding.

3. Take the vacuum and clean up sawdust and debris.

4. Next apply the primer. Paint primer on one side of the steps first so you can still use the steps, then come back up the stairs painting the other side (figure B). When it comes time to paint, paint every riser and every other step to allow access while the project's underway (figure C).

5. Remember to paint from a dry area into a wet area to eliminate overlaps.