Staircase renovation: How to make your old stairs feel like new

Before starting a DIY staircase renovation, it is useful to understand some basic technical terms first. The right vocabulary helps with material selection and procurement and makes it easier to communicate with craftsmen.

The most important terms include:

• Step: Composed of a tread and a riser
• Tread: Upper horizontal part of the step that you step on
• Riser: The vertical part of a step (for an “open” stair effect, there are no risers. This is called an open rise)
• Rise: Vertical distance between two treads
• Flight: Series of steps without a landing or break
• Landing: A platform between two or more flights
• Stringer: Structural support for steps in a flight

There are many ways to approach a staircase renovation, depending on the extent of the damage and the desired finish. However, the first preparation step before getting started is to remove any anti-slip adhesives or pads. Adhesive residue and old filler can be removed with a spatula.

If your staircase is tiled or carpeted, you might also find our guides on how to remove tile adhesive and how to remove carpet glue useful.

The simplest and most cost-effective way to perform a DIY stair remodel is to sand each step and reapply a wood or varnish finish.

As a staircase has many corners and hard-to-reach areas, you will need the appropriate equipment. For smooth surfaces and edges, an orbital sander is your best option. For corners, on the other hand, a delta sander is ideal. Just note, delta sanders can be slower so you will need to spend longer in one place. For those hard-to-reach places, you can use a scraper.

Use a sanding roller for curved, profiled and structured surfaces often found on banisters and railings. Finally, the random-orbit sander, with its oscillating and rotating movement, can produce very fine sanding without patterns or grooves. If, after all these steps, you still see sanding marks, then work on the application area with fine-grain sandpaper.

Important: While renovating your stairs, remember to wear appropriate protective clothing such as work gloves and a respirator to prevent fine dust from entering your lungs. A protective screen can also prevent dust from spreading around the house.

Sanding should be carried out in several phases until you have a flat and smooth surface. Start with a coarse sandpaper and work your way down to a fine sandpaper. In total, you can expect to use four to five different grits. After each sanding step, remove excess dust with a vacuum cleaner (some dry vacuum cleaners can connect directly to your sander power tool) and a lint-free cloth. Helpful tips on how to proceed and how to choose the right sandpaper can be found in our extensive guide to sanding.

For paint residues, you could use a sharp chisel alongside a heat gun or hairdryer to help dislodge any stubborn marks. A sharp chisel can also help. However, caution is advised with this method, as high temperatures can damage the wood, and not all types of paint can be removed with heat alone.

After coarse sanding, larger damaged areas such as cracks and holes can be filled with wood repair filler. You will want to match the filler colour to that of the staircase. If you cannot find a suitable filler, try mixing some fine wood dust, left over from sanding, with a little wood glue to make an exact match. If the colour is still not quite right, simply mix in more sawdust.

When you renovate wooden stairs, the choice of finish is entirely up to you. Whether you choose to paint, oil or varnish your staircase is a matter of personal taste.

Oiled and varnished staircases are great if you are looking to create a warm and natural look. In addition, maintenance is relatively straightforward. Typically, a new coat should be applied every two to three years. Linseed-based oils are very environmentally friendly, as well as being non-toxic and safe.

To bring out the grain of the wood and achieve the desired shade during your stair’s renovation, you should first stain each step, before priming with oil and sealing. Two coats of undiluted hard oil or hard wax should be sufficient for sealing. The oil must penetrate completely into the wood. Remove any excess product with an absorbent cloth.

Painted stairs have the advantage that they last longer. In addition, you can truly make the staircase your own with any colour you like. When choosing a colour, you should consider the colour scheme of the surrounding walls or room. Both complimentary and contrasting tones have their charms. You can find out more with our guide on using different colours in the home.

It is best to use an impact-resistant and hard-wearing floor or stair varnish. The latter is also available with anti-slip qualities. Diluted varnish is suitable as a primer. The stairs need to dry for about two hours before you can continue with your staircase remodel.

Sealing is carried out in four to seven layers. Let each individual layer dry completely before adding the next coat. It takes about seven days for the final layer to fully harden. During this time, if possible, do not use the stairs with shoes on.

Note: If you haven't used non-slip stair varnish, ensure safety by other means. For example, you can create a non-slip surface by sprinkling sand or coarse-grained salt in the penultimate layer of paint. Alternatively, you can also stick adhesive strips or stair mats to each step.

After completing your staircase renovation, you've undoubtedly become an experienced and skilled craftsperson. Maybe it’s time to put your skills to the test with more DIY projects? Perhaps you have some old- and tired-looking furniture that needs repainting?

If you want to give your old wooden staircase a completely new look, you could always incorporate some new materials.

A wide range of materials are suitable:

• Metal: Industrial and modern aesthetic; particularly suited for loft-like living rooms with minimalist furnishing
• Wood: Warm character; suitable for many furnishing styles; comparatively high maintenance
• Laminate: Inexpensive and easy to install; available in many unique styles (see our video guide to laying laminate for more information)
• Tiles: Robust and easy to clean; anti-slip tiles increase safety
• Carpet: Warm underfoot and easily replaceable; very comfortable
• Vinyl: Inexpensive; low-maintenance and durable; available in many patterns and colours, and with anti-slip options
• Cork: Natural look; comfortable to walk on; ensures a healthy indoor climate

For beginners, complete packages that include the appropriate angles and edge profiles, along with the cladding material, are especially user-friendly. Precision is crucial when it comes to stair cladding. The best way to achieve this is with an angle template.

Wooden staircase renovations with an open rise are slightly different as you only have the tread itself to work with. However, it is possible to retrofit risers. This measure is worth considering, especially if small children and pets live in the household. If you are not sure how a closed staircase will look once it is complete, you can cut strips of cardboard, paint them in the desired colour and position them in the gaps to give you an idea.

When renovating stairs, it is also worth considering sound insulation levels, particularly in open-plan homes.

If the steps are already very worn, you can either replace them completely or apply new step covers over the existing staircase. In doing so, both the treads and the risers are concealed with a different material.

There are special renovation systems on the market, usually made of real wood or laminate, which you simply need to cut to the right size. Be as precise and careful as possible. Some specialist providers will also take care of the cutting if you provide them with the exact measurements.

If you want to cut the step elements yourself, it is advisable to make templates of the individual steps beforehand. For precise sawing, you can use a jigsaw with an appropriate attachment.

You can then simply fix the individual step elements to the existing stair treads with mounting adhesive. The big advantage of this method is that you can proceed on a step-by-step basis while continuing to use the stairs as normal.

Have you decided to renovate your staircase by sanding and sealing? Then it’s time to prepare your tools and materials, as we guide you through the process.

• Remove old floor coverings and adhesive residue with a spatula
• First, sand with an orbital and delta sander and 40-grit sandpaper
• Sand the surfaces again with 80-grit sandpaper
• Repair damaged areas with wood filler and wood putty
• Perform fine sanding with an eccentric sander and 120-180 grit sandpaper
• Remove any sanding dust
• Apply primer layer with a wide brush or roller and let it dry for two hours
• Sand with an eccentric sander and 240 grit sandpaper
• Remove sanding dust with a lint-free cloth
• Seal the stairs with oil or varnish (follow the manufacturer's instructions)

When renovating a staircase, there are many factors to consider - including legal requirements. Below you will find further information and useful tips to help make your DIY project a success.

If you can hear a creaking sound when using the stairs, this is likely because individual components have come loose over the years. This is a simple fix, provided you can isolate the origin. Noises typically occur in the following areas:

• Between the step and riser
• On the stair stringer
• The front area of the step

There are two main ways to eliminate these annoying noises. Option 1: Completely stop movement by hammering thin wooden wedges into any gaps with a hammer. Then, cut the wedges flush with the step, sand them and fill in any remaining gaps with wood putty.

Option 2: Inject an elastic material such as acrylic or sealant into the joints. To do this, you may need to open the gap beforehand with the help of wedges.

Would you like to modernise your old staircase? If the house is a listed building, renovation will be more difficult. To preserve the original character, you might not be allowed to make any significant changes – even if you would consider it an improvement. You should discuss your project with the local council authority first. There you can find out which regulations apply to you. It often makes sense to get a professional on board in these cases, especially when it comes to refurbishing ornamental stair railings or restoring old colours.

To prevent serious falls, stairs on the free side must be secured with a railing. It is a legal requirement to include at least one handrail if a staircase is up to one metre wide. Handrails must be on both sides if the staircase is any wider than that.

If you are using a strut banister and you have small children in the house, it is also a good idea to consider the distance between the struts. You do not want a space wide enough for a child to slip through or become trapped in. Horizontal cross struts are also not advised as these can be used to climb on. For more health and safety tips for young children, see our guide on childproofing your home.