How to freshen up an old (possibly painted) staircase?

[homereno1]

 

I'm looking to freshen up an old staircase that we've inherited (so I'm not quite sure what materials I'm dealing with..). After some sanding, it appears the ballastrades are made from two different types (and colour) of timber and have possibly been painted. 

I'd originally planned to sand and varnish/stain the stair case but now am not sure this will come off well given the above. Now instead I'm thinking perhaps we should sand and paint the stairs and ballastrades...

Would love to get some advice on what would be the best solution and products to use. Thank you 🙏

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @homereno1,

Your stairs have a lovely character now that you’ve lightened them up, and it makes sense to want to preserve that paler, natural look. Most traditional clear finishes—whether oil, polyurethane, or standard stains—will darken timber a few shades once they soak in. 

You could try using a matt oil such as this Feast Watson Matt Timber Floor Oil, but I imagine it would still slightly darken the stairs and railings.

There's this Feast Watson Liming White Satin Stain & Varnish, which could also be an option; however, it would take away some of the natural look of the timber.

Personally, I would prefer the matt oil, but it's likely that it would darken the timber slightly. Maybe you test it in a small section and see what you think. If you're not a fan, just sand it back and recoat with the liming white.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob