Should I paint my stairs?

[Anonymous]

I want to put a runner on my stairs. Almost all the images I find have the backboards of the stairs painted white. Right now my stairs are a medium wood like in the first picture. Should I paint the backboards like in the second picture? If so, any particular paint?

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I would paint the bases white and restain the tops a darker stain. Pain, I know, but it would look much more updated.

What kind of carpet/fabric are you using for the runner?

[Anonymous]

Do you like cleaning scuffmarks off of risers? if so, paint away.

[Anonymous]

I'd paint them

[Anonymous]

We painted ours and they do look better. Keeping them unscuffed isn't bad.

[Anonymous]

We are in the midst of this exact project. Refinishing the floors and having the company sand the stain off the risers so they can be painted white...

Yes to doing it. It will really update the house.

PS - Magic eraser works wonders if you get scuffs.

[Anonymous]

I am going to do it but I am leaving my stairs the "old" honey color. I know the trend is for very dark but it is a trend. The honey color was put into so many homes from 1940 until 1990, I feel like it is ok even if there is something more trendy. Plus, in some homes, the dark doesn't really go with the house. My house is a pretty standard 1960s colonial. No vaulted ceilings, real fireplace, bi-fold closets--nice size but not big by current building trends. Putting dark floors in this house would only look good if I updated a ton of other stuff. Plus, the entire 3000 sq ft is original honey colored floor (bedrooms, closets, kitchens) and that is too much to turn dark. Painting the risers is a nice update that will work in our house.

[Anonymous]

Don't paint. I am older and have seen these trends come and go. Taking off paint is a pain. Leave it natural. If you really can't stand it, cover the whole stair with carpet.

[Anonymous]

my idiot dog (who I love) tears up and down our painted stairs...toenail slashes all over them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you like cleaning scuffmarks off of risers? if so, paint away.

Agree with this, lots of scuffs on the white paint of my risers.

[Anonymous]

Never paint over internal wood.

[Anonymous]

If she's putting down a runner, won't that help with most of the scuffs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am going to do it but I am leaving my stairs the "old" honey color. I know the trend is for very dark but it is a trend. The honey color was put into so many homes from 1940 until 1990, I feel like it is ok even if there is something more trendy. Plus, in some homes, the dark doesn't really go with the house. My house is a pretty standard 1960s colonial. No vaulted ceilings, real fireplace, bi-fold closets--nice size but not big by current building trends. Putting dark floors in this house would only look good if I updated a ton of other stuff. Plus, the entire 3000 sq ft is original honey colored floor (bedrooms, closets, kitchens) and that is too much to turn dark. Painting the risers is a nice update that will work in our house.

We are doing this, too! Haven't put down the runner yet, but it still looks really great. Dog hasn't caused any scratches, yet, but make sure you sand and prime well. I didn't sand well enough and pulled off some of the paint when I removed the tape. I've painted a LOT of stuff in my house (LOTS of wood, yikes!) and that's the first time I've had that happen.

[Anonymous]

I like the look of painted backs- scuff marks shouldn't be a problem if you have a riser.