We’ve slowly but surely been putting our basement together, and we knew it was time to do the one thing we’d been putting off… staining the stairs! We were so eager and excited to move into the bottom level, that we hadn’t taken the time to do the little things that still need a little polishing up.
So we knew it was time to finish the stairs withFrogTape®
In the past, we’ve actually gotten quite a few questions about our main level stairs, since we mixed the colors to match the flooring, and were pretty happy with the outcome. We never could find the right stain to match our floors, so decided to do it the old fashioned way, and mix two colors we felt came pretty close. We decided to do the very same thing with the basement stairs, for the sake of flow. And so we’re back to show a quick how-to today!
The best thing for that? IsFrogTape®. It was time to break out the green tape again!
And we absolutely adore the outcome – the contrast is just perfect.
So without further ado, a few tips for finishing stairs withFrogTape®.
But let’s just take a moment, because y’all. We have come such a long way from the before.
Here’s what you’ll need:
• Stain.
For our stairs, we combined two colors of stain – a grey / brown to match our hardwoods that were pre-finished.
We mixed the two, to our liking in a container before getting started. And I kept a brush on hand to keep them mixed, as it was applied.
• Polycrylic
Since we’re on the topic of stains, you’ll also want some Polycrylic for a top coat, and a brush for application. Note: That is not the brush shown, as I got a little carried away with touch up painting around the house at the same time, so I’ll share more on that below. ;}
For this project we also recommend 150 grit sandpaper, wipes, and paper towels {for cleaning up the sanding, and any dribbles} a staining sponge and sponge brush.
But our favorite secret weapon of choice?FrogTape®!
So to begin, we’d already had the stair risers painted to match our trim color throughout the house. {We’d rather paint and stain than stain and paint – the latter seems a bit more forgiving.} So we started by taping off the stairs withFrogTape® to protect them from any splashes – it was practically impossible to stain the stairs without hitting the next riser when staining the underneath of each stair.
And we were ready to begin!
After the stairs were taped, they needed a little sanding to get them prepped. So we sanded, and then cleaned them up so they were ready to stain!
Taking our mixed stain, we rubbed it on each stair carefully, and then headed to the underneath part, with the curve – we used a smaller sponge brush for this.
This is where theFrogTape®came in handy.
When we were happy with the stain, we waited on the stairs to dry. And it was time to coat them with poly.
Just a side note: We picked a warmer, dry day to do this so that the stairs being out of service wasn’t that big of an inconvenience. We went up and down in the basement that night by using the outside, and they were ready to be tread on by the morning. This was because we gave the poly topcoats overnight to dry.
When it was time for the Polycrcylic, we grabbed a brush and a little helper who wanted to participate. We also putFrogTape® at the top to keep the dogs out. It makes a great barricade for animals.
And for kiddos who may forget that the stairs are wet. Who knew?
This was definitely her favorite part.
We added two coats of poly, {after each one was dry} and sanded in between the third one. Then with the last coat, we waited overnight for it to dry. Tada! wining. The stairs are finito!
We simply removed theFrogTape®, {along with our protective barriers} and they were finished.
Between our clean look and the great railing, we’re kind of smitten with our stairs.
We adore the finished look!
People sometimes ask us if usingFrogTape® is extra work. We always say it does include an extra step, but it’s the easiest step. It’s as simple as placing tape. The alternative is painting back over all your mistakes, so we couldn’t recommend it more.
We had a special segment last week at our house, with the local news – Talk of the Town. So I got a little carried away in my staircase finishing process, and decided to do a little touch up painting around the doorways, trim, and baseboards. You know, the places where you find lots of little fingerprints that have gathered over the past year.
I simply laid out some FrogTape®, painted, and I was finished.
Is it weird to say that I find painting withFrogTape® highly therapeutic? It’s that moment of removal, when you know you’ll have those crisp lines and a freshly painted surface. Winning.
Especially the end result. You can find me touch up painting the house on stressful day…
Cue the angel chorus: Fresh and new.
We just love the way everything is coming along, and can’t wait to show you the end result! Slow and steady. With lots of FrogTape®.
It’s like insurance for success when it comes to all things painting projects. ;}
As always, let us know if you have any questions. Have an inspired day!
:: This post is brought to you in partnership with FrogTape, who is a sponsor of the Handmade Home. We only use products in our home that we personally stand behind and would recommend to our own moms. All opinions are 100% ours. Please read our full disclosure pertaining to partnerships here ::
Cynthia says
That wallpaper is gorgeous! Can’t wait to see the finished area!
Jenna says
This is truly amazing! You guys have really transformed the space! So impressive!
Alexis says
Genius. I wouldn’t have thought to use tape for my stairs. Really. It’s a great idea!
Barbara says
Looks beautiful!!! I love frog tape!!! Thanks for sharing!! Blessings!!!
Anna says
“long way”… understatement. As far as the east is from the west!