# Changing color of existing finish on old stairs



## designSTL (Apr 14, 2012)

I was wondering if there was a way to darken the color of my stairs and handrail to an ebony (Black with little grain showing) color without completely stripping and sanding them down. I would like them to be dark but not entirely opaque. Would adding some type of black dye to polyurethane allow me to achieve these results? I would definitely do a light sanding of the current finish before applying. If so, what type of dye/poly or other topcoat to use.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I wouldn't recommend applying a dye to change the color that much to go to ebony. To add that much dye it would create an adhesion problem with the finish you would be applying over it. Then the wear spots like what is now on the edge of the treads now which are minor now will be magnified ten fold if it was black. It would be better to remove the finish to bare wood and then stain. If you are going to stain over it, it would be better to thin some black oil based enamel to the point where it is somewhat transparent and coat it with that. Then put several coats of clear oil based polyurethane over it. Now depending on how much traffic the stairs get you would need to recoat the treads and handrail with the clear every year or two to keep from wearing through the black. Of course before any of that is done the stairs would have to be cleaned with a wax and grease remover and scuff sanded. Also any bare wood showing should be stained with walnut stain to make it uniform.


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## designSTL (Apr 14, 2012)

*What about gel stain?*

I spoke with someone at the woodworking store today and he suggested I try a gel stain by General Finishes. He said good cleaning and scuff sanding is all the prep needed before applying and I could keep applying thin coats until desired color is reached then top with gel topcoat. Anyone have any experience with gel stains? Or more specifically, General Finishes? I am more worried about the new color/finish being easily chipped or scratched more so than general wear.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

designSTL said:


> I spoke with someone at the woodworking store today and he suggested I try a gel stain by General Finishes. He said good cleaning and scuff sanding is all the prep needed before applying and I could keep applying thin coats until desired color is reached then top with gel topcoat. Anyone have any experience with gel stains? Or more specifically, General Finishes? I am more worried about the new color/finish being easily chipped or scratched more so than general wear.


Anything you put over the stairs you will have problems with chipping and wear spots. I haven't used the General Gel Stain so I can't help you there. From what I can see on the net it is pigment mixed with urethane so the ebony would essentially be thin black paint. As far as cleaning it would be a good idea to wash everything down with a wax and grease remover changing the rags frequently. Do this before and scuffing and sanding work is done. More than likely over the years floor wax and furniture polish has been used on the stairs and you will need to get as much of that off as possible. Also it would be a good idea to use walnut stain on any raw wood spots. After you get the color you like, I would put a couple coats of clear over it to make it wear better.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Just something to think about. Unless you have another way of getting to and from the second level, using oil base products will take a day or longer before exposure to traffic. 

There are some very good waterbased coatings that are as durable, that dry much faster, and don't stink (odor wise) like oil base will.








 







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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

The black will wear off the stairs unless you either strip them down completely or if you do apply your black over the existing finish perhaps you could apply a carpet runner down the center of the treads to avoid the wear on the new finish. Also it looks like you have a distressed look to your stairs so possibly a few wear through spots in the black would be OK?


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