Ever looked at your staircase and thought, “Hmm, this could use a bit of a makeover”? Well, get excited because we’re about to dive into something seriously cool: paint washed stair treads. I knew I wanted a soft toned wood for our stair makeover, but couldn’t get the right tone with stain, so I turned to paintwashing for the perfect look!
I went through so many different techniques trying to find the perfect color of wood for my stairs. I knew I wanted a light wood to go with our black risers, but none of the stains I found were what I wanted. Some pulled too orange, or too yellow. Then, my friend mentioned paintwashing, and I knew that was the perfect direction!
Paintwashing not your typical paint job – oh no, it’s the perfect mix of color and grain. The best part is that, whether you’re a total DIY newbie or a seasoned pro, paintwashing is your ticket to transforming those plain stairs into the perfect color to go with the rest of your home. It’s easy and high impact, and, with the right prep and sealing, will last for years to come.
DIY Paintwashed Stair Treads
- Start by finding your initial paint color. This will be the undertone of your paintwash. I chose Macadamia by Sherwin Williams.
- Mix your paint in your preferred ratio; I used 50/50 with paint and water. I like this consistency for what I am doing and think it’s the perfect amount of paint vs grain showing through.
- Prep all your wood by sanding it. I know this isn’t always fun, but this is key to ensuring you have the perfect canvas for your paintwashing to come out even and the color you want.
- Now I did an extra step. When I was figuring out what I wanted, I had stained one of my boards with Minwax Simply White. I then paintwashed over it to practice, and I loved the look. So I am wood conditioning and staining all my wood before paintwashing. This is totally optional!
- Now to the fun part! Start by spraying your boards lightly and drying them, so they are damp.
- Then, going with the grain, paint your 50/50 water/paint mixture onto the board.
- Wipe your board with a damp cloth.
- Add more paint/water if you’d like, wiping it off again, until you get the color you want. It’s as easy as that!
- I sealed all my boards with polycrylic, because these are going on our stairs. Highly recommend sealing if you are using your boards in a high traffic area. I used 3 layers of polycrylic, lightly sanding between each layer.
Tips and Tricks
- Start thinner than you think you’ll need, because you can always add more, but you can’t take it off when it’s dry. So start with less paint, or thinner paint, and go from there.
- I know I mentioned it, but it needs said again: Please sand your stair treads. I know it’s not the most fun, but it’s the difference between a good project and a great one that lasts for years to come. And these premade unfinished stair treads really don’t need that much sanding, so it’s a fairly quick process.
Can I paintwash other things?
Absolutely! When I was researching for this project, I found so many examples, mostly of furniture. I guess that this is a great idea to refinish furniture! I’ve never done it, but I think it would be great to paintwash furniture, cabinets, etc.
How long do painted stairs last?
The lifespan of paint washed stair treads is kind of like predicting the weather – it depends on a bunch of factors. Quality of paint, foot traffic, whether you’ve got a parade of pets or a horde of kids scurrying up and down, and even the climate can play a role. On average, though, a well-done paint job can look beautiful for about 3-5 years before it might need a touch-up dance. But hey, don’t be surprised if your artistic endeavor holds strong for longer with some TLC.
There you have it! If you decide to paint wash your stair treads (or something else!), we’d love to see how it turns out! Be sure to use #howwedoandyoucantoo on Instagram so we can see your beautiful space.
Looking for more stair renovation tutorials? Check out these posts!:
How to DIY Your Landing with Stair Treads
Revamp Your Stair Treads and Risers
Removing Carpet from Your Stairs with Ease
