A special thanks to Lowe's for sponsoring this post.
Last year, I renovated our first-floor staircase, and it was time for the last bit of carpet on our second staircase to go. Bentley and I headed to Lowe’s to grab the essentials, and I also placed an online order for the runners and carpet padding. In store, I grabbed a staple puller, staple gun and accessories, sanding essentials and of course, we had to grab some mums, because hello fall!
It was honestly so satisfying to rip out the old carpet but removing the millions of staples was not so fun. This process took me about three hours after the boys went to bed. The next morning, it was time to sand, sand, sand, and sand some more.
While I was sanding, I used my Elgin Rumble Earplug Earbuds, and it was so great being able to listen to music and have my ears protected from the noise from the sander and shop vac.
Once I finished sanding, I added one coat of Pre-Stain, and then I used a paintbrush for my first coat of Gel Stain. After a few minutes, it was time to wipe the excess stain off. Stain is like nail polish and the first coat is always terrifying, so I let the first coat dry overnight and then it was time for coat number two. After the second coat sat for a few minutes, I wiped it off to reveal the perfect stain—dark like our floors, but it still revealed the wood grain!
Pro Tip: Wear latex gloves while staining, and always, always dispose of your stain rags properly!
After I finished staining, I applied one coat of polyurethane and let that dry for 24 hours. After the polyurethane was completely dry, it took several days to paint and caulk the steps. I applied four coats of white paint to fully cover the wood grain on the risers and give a crisp, clean look.
Once the paint was able to dry overnight, it was time to prepare to install the runners! First, I steamed the runners to get out any wrinkles, stapled down padding, and then we all traced our hands for our Jones family renovation mark!
When installing the runner, the biggest tip is to use carpet tape to help keep it in place while you are pulling it taught and stapling. I chose to have it go around the bullnose instead of a waterfall style. This was because I pieced two 8-foot runners for both sections of my staircase and tucked the cut ends underneath the tread’s bullnose. When piecing runners together, be sure to use a very sharp razor blade to get a crisp cut in your runner and you can use Fray Check on your seams!
This budget-friendly DIY stair runner completely transformed the look of our staircase and I am obsessed. A lot of peeps have reached out on Instagram asking how hard this project is, and I would say this is more of an intermediate DIY project simply due to the tools, time, and attention to DIY detail needed, but it is so worth the time it takes!
Below, you'll find all of the essentials I used for this project--from the exact stain colors, paint colors, tools, and of course, my gorgeous stair runner!
Shop the Post!
Paint Colors//
Stairwell, Board and Batten, and Trim: Sherwin-Williams--Pure White
Walls: Sherwin-Williams--Agreeable Gray
If you have any questions, I'm happy to help! Just send me a DM on Instagram!
If you need tips for a Safe & Organized Home Renovation, check out this article on Porch.com featuring myself and fellow DIY bloggers!
No comments