Good morning,

Your stairs are beautiful!

I just spent several months working on my banister and railings and wanted to share although I don't post often - I have been a longtime lurker, actually, and don't even have the email I originally signed up with years ago.

I learned about Waterlox on this site and used that on my railings of my staircase. I know you are writing about the treads and risers but it can definitely be used there also - I used it on part of a floor repair and am planning to use it on the floors in a reno project home I am also working on. (My treads in this pic have the poly from previous owner renovation) I love the Waterlox, it looks absolutely beautiful. You can buy it glossy or a satin finish. It is very glossy in this picture but had just been applied, as it cures it dulls somewhat. It was easy to apply although needs ventilation of course.

You can find a local distributor through their website, or you can buy it on their website or Amazon if there is no one local who sells it.

I hope you can come back and post pics when you are done:) I am a little staircase obsessed now, am working on my basement banister and newel....

Same here. painted the risers, finished the steps. Just remember make sure the finish is clear and hard, so no one slips.....

Those are BOTH gorgeous staircases!

Look into Osmo Polyx, also. I used it on my black walnut countertops. It was really easy to do, and easy to touch up. There is a good video on YouTube with a British man giving instructions.

Thanks both of you will look into both products. I finished the landing last week and have 1 step left to strip + touch-ups. Then onto light sanding...

Side-view

Springroz, thank you:)

marleeOLDHouse the trim around your stairs and the decoration is absolutely gorgeous. ,

Springgroz: thank you

SPM2: love the spiral banister and newel post, wow. Did you stain it first?
I looked-up Osmo poly but the told me that there was a 24 hrs drying time between coats and with 3 cats they said if it ever got on their paws before it dried it was dangerous since it's toxic. So I may have to do a fast drying water poly...will keep searching.

This is a photo of the look I would love to achieve

We used an oil-based polyurethane on our cherry bannister and mahogany newel post. Our treads are pine so we had to stain them dark to match.

Here is a link that might be useful: 1885 Prospect Hill Renovation

Annejeffbuffalo- wow great job read the blog thank you I just love reading about renos in old houses. You guys did a great job!

Sanded steps and primed risers

Please consider a shellac finish for your stairs. It is hard, beautiful, historically appropriate, almost impossible to screw up, dries very fast, and is easily and invisible repairable. It's only downside, vulnerability to water, is easily abated with a coat of paste wax.

@ joseph corlett & sofiajonsson. Finish will have to be fast drying as I have 3 cats that dont quite understand the theory of walking up every second step...

Shellac, yes, by all means, but please don't wax them, they will be deadly slippery!!!
Casey

Shellac is alcohol based, and as such dries incredibly quickly. I have no evidence that wax decreases the coefficient of friction on treads.

OP, glad you were able to restore them, labor of love, I'm sure!

Then you have never walked down one in socks!

Be careful of poly-anything, whether water or oil based. Besides being shiny and artificial looking, the finish has to be sanded off--there is no solvent for it. Try the Craftsman Blog and 1912 House for pointers on floor and woodwork refinishing. I think Tung Oil (Waterlox Original) or Shellac are both appropriate for a historic house like yours, and have the advantage of being very easy to retouch or to refinish. Tung Oil soaks into the wood and Shellac is a coating.

Congratulations on being so patient with the refinishing of your stairs. They are lovely--I think stairs of this period with the spindle type newel post are lovely and elegant.

I spent a summer trying to strip down the stairwell of my 1903 house. What a mess--multiple layers of failing paint down to the original layers of thick red oxide primer and heavy layers of varnish for a false grained finish. I tried to salvage what I could, but it was just too thick and sticky to save any of the graining. I eventually gave up and got it to a stable surface and repainted.